EARLY EVIL

Manhunter was the first appearance on the big screen of Hannibal Lecter and it's now come to Blu-ray. Michael Mann's 1986 film starring a pre-CSI William Petersen (as FBI agent Will Graham) has Lecter in a supporting role, played by the magnificent Brian Cox, as the main murderer here is the Tooth Fairy (the creepy Tom Noonan). Based on Thomas Harris's book Red Dragon, Manhunter is directed in a very cold and detached way and even the production design acts as a barrier to the viewer getting too emotionally connected to the characters. Sometimes the directing does become a little too detached but credit has to be given to Mann and the cast, especially Petersen and Cox, although Dennis Farina as Petersen's FBI compatriot is also very good. The thriller element is well-handled except for the slightly silly ending where Graham becomes an action hero after being more cerebral for the rest of the film. Despite the fact that there are moments when some of the Eighties touches have dated a little, Manhunter holds up better than the other big-screen outings for Lecter that followed. A modern classic that should be seen…