Behind The Scenes: Michael Mann, William Peterson & Dennis Farina On The Set Of MANHUNTER
Michael Mann’s Manhunter introduced the world to Hannibal Lecter (spelled Lektor in the film). Mann’s 1986 film offered-up a visually bright, but emotionally dark film that might appear to be a thriller, but it has its roots firmly in the horror genre.
Based on Thomas Harris’ 1981 novel Red Dragon, it stars William Petersen as haunted but brilliant FBI profiler Will Graham. Tom Noonan plays serial killer Francis Dollarhyde, Dennis Farina is Jack Crawford and the brilliant Brian Cox plays Hannibal Lecktor.
Manhunter might have flopped on release (it grossed just $8.6 million in the US) and been over-shadowed by Jonathan Demme’s The Silence of The Lambs, but it’s haunting stuff indeed.
Brett Ratner directed another screen adaptation of Red Dragon, which was released in 2002. That film starred Edward Norton as Will Graham. Ralph Fiennes played Francis Dollarhyde, Harvey Keitel as Jack Crawford and Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter. Ratner’s film grossed $93 million at the US box office.
