Quick Links
Thomas Harris' 1981 novel,Red Dragon, has been adapted for the screen twice in two wildly different versions, each worthy of respect, but with one reining as the superior iteration. Director Michael Mann took on the source material first with 1986’sManhunter, with its stylized visuals adding a bit of spice to the more mundane procedural aspects of its story.Even though the film has earned a cult following over the years, some forget that it debuted to mixed reviews and subpar box office returns.
The second timeRed Dragonwas given the big screen treatment, it offered a unique opportunity. Even though Brian Cox portrayed the infamous Hannibal Lecter inManhunter, it was Anthony Hopkins' Oscar-winning turn inThe Silence of the Lambsthat reached the pop culture zeitgeist and beyond. Hopkins got to play the role again in the 2001 sequelHannibal, also based on Harris' novel, but there was one adaptation missing the actor’s fingerprints. With time away fromManhunter, an opportunity was presented to adaptRed Dragonagain, allowing Hopkins to be involved in his Lecter trilogy and present a chance to improve on the shortcomings of its previous big-screen attempt.
The Plot of ‘Red Dragon’ and ‘Manhunter’
Harris’Red Dragonfollows a former FBI profiler named Will Graham, who comes out of retirement to catch a serial killer known as “The Tooth Fairy.” In addition to this plot, the novel alsointroduces Hannibal Lecter, a supremely intelligent psychiatrist who happens to dabble in cannibalism. To catch “The Tooth Fairy,” Will has to reluctantly seek advice from Lecter, a matter made more complicated by a dark past they share.
This setup frames the story for both Mann’sManhunterand 2002’sRed Dragon, a film helmed by the unlikely choice of Brett Ratner. The director’s time with theRush Hourfranchise did not indicate that he could handle the source material, but he proved more than competent, as he was aided by anincredible ensemble castand a more faithful adaptation of Harris' novel.
Red Dragon’ssense of dread is more palpable, effortlessly bringing to life the dark nature of Harris' source material. The danger inRed Dragonis more present, and it comes down to Ratner’s visual aesthetic, aided by cinematographer Dante Spinotti. The interesting fact here is thatSpinotti was also the cinematographer onManhunter, but his work on both films is decidedly different.Manhunterlooks more like amoody police procedural, which flows with Mann’s particular tastes, while it appears the goal withRed Dragonwas to modernize the looks of Harris' work while also recallingThe Silence of the Lambs, the Harris adaptation directed by Jonathan Demme and shot by Tak Fujimoto.
While Mann gives a sense of moodiness with his work inManhunter, his visual palette is often sterile when it should pop. Lecter’s cell, for instance, is just white on white walls, which doesn’t make the character stand out in a visual way. Dr. Chilton (played by Benjamin Hendrickson inManhunterand Anthony Heald inRed Dragon) considers Lecter to be one of his biggest assets, so he would fit in a cell that visually represents that importance. Granted, Lecter’s cell inRed Dragonis modeled after itsappearance inThe Silence of the Lambs, but it’s still more visually arresting.It’s a cell and trap worthy of Lecter’s menace and brilliance.
The interpretation of “The Tooth Fairy,” aka Francis Dolarhyde, is also far superior inRed Dragon, with it all coming down to one interpretation being good while the other one is great. Tom Noonan plays the role inManhunter, and he’s no stranger to essaying less-than-desirable personalities, which proves to be one of the strikes against him here. He’s obviously a creep and offbeat, making it a tad unbelievable that he’s also supposed to exist as a man so ordinary to people he works with that they wouldn’t suspect he’s capable of the acts he has committed.
He also physically doesn’t match how the character isdescribed in the bookas someone who is physically fit and a reasonably good-looking guy who has made his cleft palate affliction something so big within his own psyche that he thinks he’s horribly disfigured. Noonan is not a hulking figure and is much more skinny in his appearance. Perhaps this was perceived as a better choice by the filmmakers because it also makes him a bit more unassuming, but everything else about Noonan’s portrayal screams this guy has a secret life.
Hannibal Lecter Movies in Order: How to Watch Chronologically and By Release Date
The Thomas Harris novels about the diabolical cannibal Hannibal Lecter have resulted in great movies and a perfect show over the span of two decades.
Ralph Fiennes strikes better notesin the role in many ways. The actor bulked up considerably for the part, making him appear, as he’s described in Harris' novel, as someone who is more physically fit. Fiennes also presents the character with a bit more sympathy and gives the role a sense of timidness that, in one instance, makes you feel sorry for Dolarhyde and then makes it all the more frightening when he shows a nature he can’t seem to control due to a history of horrific child abuse.
Fiennes makes a strong case for Dolarhyde’s motivations, presenting someone who was made to feel so ugly and broken as a child that he believes the only way for him to achieve a Godlike superiority is to butcher and disfigure his victims. A good actor sells both sides of a performance, and Fiennes achieves that admirably, showcasing two sides of a man who is broken and depraved. The duality of Fiennes' portrayal is displayed during two key moments. When Dolarhyde captures and kills Freddie Lounds (Philip Seymour Hoffman), it’s a particularly chilling scene that showcases the truly evil side of the character in its brutality.
On the other hand, in his scenes with Reba (Emily Mortimer), he shows a tender side and a man who could possibly be saved by this woman’s love and kindness. This is someone who wants to fight his urges andlet go of his insanity, something Reba brings him closer to doing. His moment of “sacrifice” in the end to free Reba of his evil is made more poignant because of the nuance that Fiennes brings to the role, something that was missing from Noonan’s portrayal.
Hannibal Lecter’s Connection to Will Graham Is More Established in ‘Red Dragon’
Red Dragon
It’s unfair to compareBrian Cox’s version of Hannibal Lecterto Hopkins' take because the latter no doubt owns the role. Still, there is another improvement in how Lecter is presented inRed Dragon. It comes down to additional moments written for the actor since the character’s presence in Harris' novel was relatively limited. The opening prologue inRed Dragonvisually establishes why he and Will Graham (Edward Norton) share such a dark past.
It’s established in this opening scene that Will has been working with Lecter to build a psychological profile of a serial killer, who he believes to be a cannibal. It’s not until Will discovers a recipe in Lecter’s house that has the organs of the killer’s victims that he realizes he is the man he’s looking for. In one of the film’s most tense moments, Lecter sneaks up on Will and stabs him, twisting the knife with Lecter’s sinister glee as only Hopkins can portray. Will eventually subdues him and is caught, but it helps to see this moment inRed Dragonbecauseit makes Will’s reluctance to consult with him about “The Tooth Fairy” case all the more palpable. In many ways, it raises the stakes.
Hannibal Lecter Is One of Anthony Hopkins Favorite Roles: ‘One of the Best Parts I’ve Ever Read’
Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins discusses one of his favorite roles: Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs.
One of the more confusing choices made byManhuntercomes during the film’s climax.The film omits the false ending of the novel, where it appears that Dolarhyde shoots himself, something that is rectified inRed Dragon.Manhunterends in a more clichéd fashionwith a shootout at Dolarhyde’s home as Reba’s (Joan Allen) life hangs in the balance. Omitting the false ending also renders one of the earlier scenes pointless, where Lecter gives out Will’s home address in a newspaper ad so Dolarhyde might find it. Without the attack on his home, the scene doesn’t land with the same effect. It all ends up being a very by-the-numbers conclusion, although it seemsfitting for ’80s thrillersof the time.
Red Dragonutilizes the false ending of the book to great effect, having Dolarhyde “shoot himself” only to attack Will at his home, putting his family in immediate danger. The ending presents a great callback, as Will previously told his wife Molly (Mary-Louise Parker) that none of this would touch them when he decided to come out of retirement to work on the case. Lecter giving out Will’s home address is also still present here, and it’s paid off when Dolarhyde ends up at his house. It puts an intense button on the film as the audience gets a sense of momentary relief, thinking the threat is over, only to realize the threat is now in the home.
The preference ofManhunterorRed Dragonwill all come down to personal taste. The former has been reappraised over the years, with many feelings it’s a superior version of the story, and it seems like much of that has to do with whyRed Dragonwas made. It’s no secret that the film was rushed after the success ofHannibal, and it was motivated by money, but thanks to an accomplished ensemble cast, surprisingly solid direction from Ratner, and a more focused eye on Harris' source material,Red Dragonemerges as the better adaptation of the story, encompassing the necessary dread to allow it stand admirably in the shadow ofThe Silence of the Lambs.Red Dragonis streaming onNetflix.Manhunteris streaming on Prime Video’sFreevee.
