Red Dragon (DVD 2003)

The prequel to Silence Of The Lambs sees Hannibal Lecter behind bars, duelling with his nemesis, FBI investigator Will Graham. Intelligent thriller and first class pulp
When it comes to adaptations of Thomas Harris' Hannibal Lecter trilogy, film critics have long maintained the superiority of Michael Mann's Manhunter over the multi Oscar-winning Silence Of The Lambs, with Ridley Scott's decadent, vile Hannibal not even in the running. With Red Dragon, Hollywood returned to Manhunter's source, the first of Harris' trilogy, for a faithful adaptation.

The film begins with Lecter's capture by FBI investigator Will Graham (Norton). The mad doctor's role is subsequently the same as in Silence Of The Lambs: helping with the investigation of a serial killer while crawling malignantly around inside the head of the hero, here played with scrawny vulnerability by Ed Norton.

Seriously wounded during this run-in with Lecter, Will Graham retires - only to be coaxed back by boss Jack Crawford (Keitel) to help catch a new killer, the 'Tooth Fairy'. Graham is an eidecter, meaning he has a vivid and detailed imagination that allows him to emotionally assume roles, much as a writer empathises and imagines his characters. After the resounding prologue with Lecter, these early scenes where Keitel praises Graham and 'his gift' are excruciating. Marooned on Planet Exposition, the audience fiddles while Keitel drones.

Brett Ratner's direction is certainly laborious, and safe. Where Michael Mann played fast and loose with Harris' novel, excising the whole 'Red Dragon' theme, trimming the ending, imposing his own stark economy to the material, Ratner points a camera at the book. This conservative approach has one advantage: Harris' original novel is a flawlessly structured thriller founded on strong research and shot through with disciplined themes concerning sight, transformation and creativity.

All these themes meet in the form of serial killer Francis Dolarhyde (Fiennes), who has murdered two families and is preparing to slaughter his third. Standing in his way is his growing feeling for blind co-worker Reba McClane (Watson). Abused in childhood and nominally disfigured with a hair-lip, Dolarhyde thinks he is ugly, and hopes to transform himself into the unearthly beauty of the 'Red Dragon', as depicted in a painting by William Blake. In his day job developing home videos, he wants to be invisible, skulking in a dark room. But when he is murdering, he wants everyone to gaze upon him. When torturing scuzzy reporter Freddy Lounds (Hoffman) he shows him the photographs of his victims and insists, "Do you see?", "Do you see?".

It's just a shame that the director chooses to show us Dolarhyde's motivation through extended inner dialogues with his abusive dead grandmother. Ratner even throws in a glaring portrait of the Dolarhyde matriach, giving the back story a Psycho-meets-'Scooby Doo' vibe.

In order to fix the film in the franchise, Ratner (previously known for the Rush Hour films) sets Red Dragon in the American gothic style of Demme's Silence Of the Lambs, with some of Ridley Scott's arty pretensions from Hannibal decorating the early sequences.

Verdict
Better than expected return to Lecter's past, based on such a strong story that even some directorial hack work cannot mess it up.

This is the prequel to 'Silence Of The Lambs'. The book was originally made into a film called 'ManHunt' that to be honest was not a very good adaptation. Then after the phenomenal success of 'Lambs' and Hopkins fantastic performance as Lector the book was redapted into a second film this time keeping the original title 'Red Dragon' (and this time having some substantial funding, Hollywood and some serious acting names behind it).

The result is a fantastic gripping dark watch.

It tells the tale of how Hannibal Lector (Anthony Hopkins) came to be in the cell that he so memorably occupies throughout 'Silence'. It shows how he helps track down an earlier pyscopath (the chilling Tooth Fairy) by helping the FBI man (Ed Norton) who originally found him and put him away for his own crimes.

This is nothing particularly original. It's the old unknown violent nutter criminal slowly getting hunted down kind of deal. But all the actors are top notch, the dialogue is clever and punchy and the Tooth Fairy's crimes play on your very darkest fears. Essentially this is a quality story with great actors that is a really gripping watch. Well worth a viewing.

anthony hopkins atars again as the genius hannibal lecter, hannibal the cannibal! this time we see lecter captured by an agent who has been seeking his advice to capture the kiler that wa sin front of him all along, though now hoping to retire.. the agent finds himself in a deadly game of cat and mouse with another killer called the tooth fairy. and again he must find the courage to face his former advisor in order to catch the killer! fantastic film that is one of the best psychological thrillers of all time!! five star!

The Silence of the Lambs was an amazing film, Anthony Hopkins was fantastic as Hannibal Lecter. I decided to try Red Dragon which is the prequel to Silence of the Lambs and I was totally blown away by it, the film is full of suspense all the way through, with Dr Lecter being his usual unnervingly sinister, yet charming self, he also comes out with some quite funny one liners in it too.
The film shows how Dr Lecter came to be imprisoned in the first place, and the FBI Agent who caught him is then forced to come to Dr Lecter for help years later to assist in fitting the profile together to catch a killer known as the 'Tooth Fairy'.
Not going to give too much away about the plot, but I definitely recommend this film if you were a fan of silence of the lambs, it is much better and seems more fast paced, and the acting is fantastic. You will not want the film to end!

Ed Norton and Anthony Hopkins in the first of the series. This is part of the Silence of the lambs trillogy. I just hd to get this to complete the set!

This is an excellent movie - and EXTREMELY true to the book. Sure a few things have been changed but they are referred to or shortened in the movie. Anthony Hopkins is AMAZING in this film and if you have watched all other films (Hannibal, Silence of the lambs and Hannibal Rising (all great films i have watched) you'll love his character - Hannibal, and his phenomenal acting. Great cast again - true to the book (or my perception of them really). Do not listen to anyone who says that this is a bad film - THEY LIE. Amazing thriller (i hid behind pillow and squealed :S). Only thing that i would recommend is reading the books first. I am currently reading them and they are also AMAZING books. But for you to love them even more and get more of a sense of the suspense and true mystery you need to watch the movies after as the movies are SO TRUE to the film, it means that you know everything that is going to happen. The movies are so true to the books that they quote the characters lines in the books to the exact script. Get ALL the movies - they are a MUST for all thriller lovers or lovers of Anthony Hopkins.
I LOVE THIS MOVIE.

Red Dragon is an amazing movie , its the second in the Hannibal series and like the rest in the series it does not dissopoint. Anthony Hopkins is back in his signature sinister role as Dr Hannibal Lecter M.D, now imprisioned he is helping partly retired FBI agent Will Graham, role played superbly by Edward Norton, find a new sinister killer only known by police and the media by the name " The Tooth Fairy ". Graham must pull out all the stops to beat both Lecter , The evil canabalistic genuius , and the sadistic killer " The Tooth Fairy" who will let nothing and no one get in his way. amazing movie and amazing performances all around.

good film to watch great buy to put with my collection of dvds which i collect most horror thrillers comedy much more

brilliant, im a fan of all Hannible movies, and this is the best, good gore, brilliant plot, very pshycological

This is a fabulous film in the Dr Hannibal Lectar sqeual. Red Dragon shows the begining of Hannibal Lectar's crimes being found out and being captured, and also what a true master he is at playing games with the FBI.
This really is not to be missed.

IVE SEEN THE FILM BEFORE AND THOUGHT ANTHONY HOPKINS GREAT AS HANNIBAL LECTOR. EDWARD NORTONS ROLE IS ALSO FAB,ESPECIALLY FOR MANAGEING TO GET INTO LECTORS HEAD.
NOT THE BEST FILM IN THE TRILOGY, BUT WELL WORTH THE WATCH

This is the prequel to 'Silence Of The Lambs'. The book was originally made into a film called 'ManHunt' that to be honest was not a very good adaptation. Then after the phenomenal success of 'Lambs' and Hopkins fantastic performance as Lector the book was redapted into a second film this time keeping the original title 'Red Dragon' (and this time having some substantial funding, Hollywood and some serious acting names behind it).

The result is a fantastic gripping dark watch.

It tells the tale of how Hannibal Lector (Anthony Hopkins) came to be in the cell that he so memorably occupies throughout 'Silence of the lambs'. It shows how he helps track down an earlier pyscopath (the chilling Tooth Fairy) by helping the FBI man (Ed Norton) who originally found him and put him away for his own crimes.

This is nothing particularly original. It's the old unknown violent nutter criminal slowly getting hunted down kind of deal. But all the actors are top notch, the dialogue is clever and punchy and the Tooth Fairy's crimes play on your very darkest fears. Essentially this is a quality story with great actors that is a really gripping watch. Well worth a viewing.
I couldn't reckonmend this film more and if your in watching a film with your other half it is guaranteed to thrill you both with its excitement!

I really enjoyed this film, this is the first film in the trigolgy of hannibal lecter; Silence of the Lamb and Hannabil where Anthony Hopkins plays the excellent part as Hannibal Lecter. Edward Norton plays Will Graham an FBI agent who retired after an encounter with Hannibal, however he's asked to come back and help solve the brutal murders of a serial killer. in order to solve these crimes Will returns to Hannibal for an insight into the killers mind. Hannibal undoubtably plays games with Will, while we also get the opportunity to see and hear why the serial killer became so evil, as well as his more human side. An outstanding performance by everyone I didn't think it was as heart pounding nor on the edge of my seatr stuff as "Silence of the Lamb" but still powerful and worth watching. Theres lots of bonus material you can access if you put the disk in your computer. A worthwhile watch.

Saw part of the film on television but it was on too late for me so I decided to buy it. It was ok, but not as good as the original, it was released under the title Manhunt, that was a few years ago, I remember that one as more exiting. But hey it was good when there was nothing on the box. I would recomend THE RED DRAGON as a good movie.

excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

would recomend if you have watched silence of the lambs and hannibal then give yhis one a try as well

Red Dragon is a very good thriller of which The Silence of the Lambs is the sequel to,Red Dragon is just as good and some may argue is better,but i think youll have to judge for yourself on that one.
The acting is excellent especially from Edward Norton and Ralph Fiennes.This is a very tense thriller and will definately keep you awake for a couple of hours.

what can i say about this film that has not already being said,it is brilliant,as what do you expect it has ANTHONY HOPKINS ,AND EDWARD NORTON, if you saw the film MANHUNTER, then you will love this .

This seems to be one of the least mentioned Hannibal Lecter films but after seeing it for the first time I dont know why. I thought it was very good and sets the stage for the more reknown Silence of the Lambs.
Dont let this slip by without veiwing it.

i just really enjoyed the film and thought it was a great second part to silence of the lambs, i brought it because i had the first part.

BOUGHT THIS DVD TO COMPLETE THE LECTER TRILOGY. THE DVD WAS IN GOOD CONDITION AS ADVERTISED AND WAS DESPATCHED TO ME PROMPTLY