Thoughts on the films:
1. Manhunter- I truly love this movie. From the mood, to the soundtrack to the cinematography. Will Peterson is fascinating as Graham and so is Tom Noone as the tooth fairy. I will without hesitation admit that Cox does not work as lector. Its just not what it needs to be, and that's not a slight against cox, since he is a great actor. It just is lacking. Other than that I pretty much worship this movie. This film is kind of the black sheep of the series for its lack of Hopkins, but if people dismiss it for that alone, they are missing out. And honestly if Hopkins would have been in this film at the time it was made, I think people would hold it in higher regard.
2. Silence- even though I am obsessed with manhunter, I will admit this is the best one. Manhunter is incredible to me, but it is missing hopkins lector, and Tony Hopkins is really what brings silence to the next level. Also, What is genius about this movie is how much it plays it strait. Its like I am watching a documentary, since it feels so real. The score is very subtle, as is the cinematography. It feels so real and that's what makes it terrifying, because there are these monsters in the real world. Its an actually real world threat. I love films with strong women, whether its Ripley, sarah connor or Clarice. And clarice fights for and earns her success. because she endured and overcame adversity, she earned my respect. Respect will not be given if unearned. She literally descends into the hell of Buffalo bills basement and emerges stronger than she was before and emerges to success and accomplishment. In short, I love this movie.
3. Hannibal- Highly entertaining, I won't take that away from it, but its kind of a joke IMO. The author of the series Thomas harris notoriously takes FOREVER to write his shit, but after the smash success of lambs. The studio pretty much put a gun to his head and was like "WE WANT NEW BOOK" and in a way I think Harris trolled them. Read the book and you find stuff like Cattle prod lesbian prostate milking sperm jacking and hypnotized clarice mischa madness and a corrupt FBI out to get Clarice. Wut... Its feels wildly removed from what we had before with Red dragon and lambs, which are way more down to earth and believable. Scott directs is in the theatrical and stylized manner and it feels like I am watching a movie. And This is where hopkins stopped feeling like lector too IMO. He's 10 years older so there's that, and he just doesn't feel the same. Moore does a decent job as starling, but its not foster. No one can capture that except foster. Foster had strength but mixed with kindness. Moore is kinda playing it as an alpha bitch, but whatever. Its still a very entertaining film. And where the fuck is crawford? He was one of my favorite characters and his absence is felt for sure.
- I would have preferred a film were clarice is still looking for lector, but must consult with will graham to get insight on how to catch him. So in a way, the two work together to catch him and maybe even just kill him once and for all. but what evs
4. Yeah, red dragon... Some people like it, I personally don't. I find this film dry and strait forward (which is typically of Ratner's directing) Elfman's score makes me feel like I'm in a nightmare before christmas... I think hopkins just wanted a payday since this is a FAR CRY from what he brought in Lambs, despite this being before lambs in the time line. He's looks tired and bored. And it feels like he's playing a caricature of lector instead of lector. Its just not the same. Also, a vital mistake is that since everybody gets wet for lector, the shoved him into more scenes to give the people what they want. And he overstays his welcome a little bit. That's the genius of lambs, he's literally in the film for like 10 mins seriously. But you leave the film unable to think about anything except hopkins performance. Sometimes less is more and in lambs he left you wanting more.
Norton is very wrong as Gramn. People want to bitch about hopkins not being in Manhunter, well I'm gonna bitch about peterson not being in Red Dragon. I would have loved to see will peterson and hopkins face to face in a red dragon film. I love edward norton, but I feel like he's miscast here. He's not tortured with the these serial killer thoughts in his head. He plays gramn like just some normal guy. WTF The gramn character is a person with a unique gift of being able to empathize with the the serial killer mindset, but this burden brings him to the breaking point, and everday that he works as an FBI agent, he rides the fine line of sanity and madness. I don't get that from Norton's performance. Now all that being said, I think ray fiennes does an incredible job. That's the films saving grace.
So if you actually read all that, Ty. I had to spill these thoughts onto the page. But anyway on to what all this is about:
Because of these films, and how much they have meant to me throughout my life, I am now actively preparing to apply to the FBI. Being an active member and contributor to the work of the behavior science unit is a new goal I would like to accomplish in my life.