Hannibal Rising

 

Hannibal Rising-  2007, Directed by Peter Weber, Starring Gong Li, Dominic West, Gaspard Ulliel

He says-  The Secret Origins of Hannibal Lecter: as a child near the end of WW2 he had to watch while Nazi Collaborators ate his younger sister!  As a young adult (Ulliel), inspired by his Japanese aunt, he hunts down the killers and exacts brutal revenge.  Handsome but ponderous, dull and self-important, though never as gory as might be expected.  Scripted by Thomas Harris from his own novel.  Ulliel never recalls Brian Cox, much less Anthony Hopkins.  1 and a half stars

I say-  This is a bastard Hannibal movie.  The movie sucks, the character has no resemblance (acting or looks wise) to Hannibal Lecter, not gory enough, not intelligent enough, and really, really, really dumb.  It's an insult to the other movies.  At least now I'm done with Hannibal Lecter.  BOMB

Manhunter

 

Manhunter- 1986, Directed by Michael Mann, starring William L Petersen and Brian Cox

He says-  Forceful contemporary cops-and-robbers melodrama told with Miami Vice stylistics (and hard-pounding music) by that show's creator, writer-director Mann.  Petersen plays a troubled former FBI agent who's called back to service to capture a serial killer, which he does by getting himself to think just like the murderer!  Gripping all the way and surprisingly nonexploitive.  Don't examine story too carefully or the holes start to show through.  Jailed killer Hannibal Lecter figures in the story; later he'd become the subject of his own story, The Silence of the Lambs.  Based on Thomas Harris' novel Red Dragon.  Directors cut runs 124m.  Aka Red Dragon, also the name of the 2002 remake.  3 stars

I say-  So 2 of the same movie in the same day.  This one has better writing, but the other has Anthony Hopkins, who is a far superior Hannibal Lecter.  I guess this one is a little better, and I especially enjoyed seeing the boxes of Mr. T cereal.  2 and a half stars

Red Dragon

 

Continuing on my slow journey of Hannibal Lecter films....

Red Dragon- 2002, Directed by Brett Ratner, starring Anthony Hopkins, Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes, Harvey Keitel, Emily Watson, Mary-Louise Parker, Miles from LOST, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman

He says-  Needless remake of Manhunter, based on Thomas Harris' novel.  FBI agent (Norton) captures Hannibal Lecter, then is forced to consult with the carnivorous inmate as he tries to find a crafty serial killer.  Slick production, with an exceptionally good cast, can't disguise a potboiler script that's all too obvious.  (Gee, do you think the bad guy will go after Norton's family?)  Screenplay by Ted Tally, who also adapted The Silence of the Lambs.  Frank Whaley and Mary Beth Hurt appear unbilled; Ellen Burstyn's voice is uncredited.  2 stars

I say-  This was kind of a weird movie.  Anthony Hopkins was not in the film for much of it, and the script was obvious.  It felt more true to Silence of the Lambs than Hannibal did; however, in the few scenes that Lecter is in, he feels much more cartoony than he did in the other films.  Still some good sequences.  2 stars