What's it all About? Will Graham (William Petersen, he played Pat Garrett in Young Guns 2) is a former FBI profiler who's specialty was to get inside the heads and minds of homicidal crims. He got a little too close to a certain Hannibal Lecktor on his last case and was forced to take early retirement in Florida. The film starts with Will being lured out of retirement to help the FBI track down 'The Tooth Fairy' a family murdering nut job of the highest order! What follows is Will's intense journey into the mind of a killer. Seriously gripping stuff!
Best bits? This, one of Michael Mann's earlier works, is a stunning, enthralling journey into the mind of a murderer. Set predominantly at night, Mann paints the whole film with a glorious blue hue that washes over the screen creating a magnificent nighttime haze, drenched with atmosphere!
 |
| A bluey! |
Will spends most of his time walking around at night brooding, he stares into rainy window panes whilst hypnotically talking into his dictaphone, speaking as if he himself were the killer, working things out, I find it numbingly relaxing! I guess I'm saying 'atmosphere', the atmosphere and subsequent electric tension are the best attributes of this film.
The part where Will turns to Hannibal Lecktor for advice on how to catch 'The Tooth Fairy' is an incredibly gripping and tense scene. It's creatively shot and sees Will confronting his former terror (Lecktor) with nail biting tension. Brian Cox was the first actor to tackle the infamous Hannibal 'the bitey' Cannibal and does a great job in my opinion. Totally different from Hopkins' turn as the sinister Dr, not as obvious and probably not as visual but definitely just as captivating.
The synth score needs to get a mention. Wow! You take that away and you lose 80% of the atmos. It's wildly over the top and beautifully dramatic, my god it's cool! Will looks into a rainy window whilst cityscape synths blast your face off, he mutters "It's just you and me now, sport. And I'm going to find you, God damn it." Yes!!! Amazing!
Did it make you think thoughts? I don't really want to get into the (despite boasting a strong cast) rather juvenile remake, Red Dragon. I didn't like it, and compared to this, it's amateur hour. Watching this in the right conditions is an elevated, heightened experience, you go on a journey with this guy, you figure out the story as he does, you feel his desperation, it's like walking in someone else's shoes. Only Michael Mann captures intensity like this, to some it's cheesy, and if you're not invested in the story I can see how it might smell like chedder, but to me, it's heaven!
Would you watch it again? Yes! Classic Mann!
Rating (out of 100%): 90% A young Michael Mann flexes his chops! Electric, vibrant cinema! Watch it.
