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Rating: Three years after leaving the police force, Will Graham (a young William Petersen, not yet head of the Las Vegas Crime Lab) is called upon once again to aid in the capture of a dangerously vicious serial killer, "Tooth Fairy," who acts on full moon nights and has already exterminated and tortured (his modus operandi includes inserting glass shards into pupils) two entire families. Gifted with a sixth sense, Graham has never used conventional methods in his investigations and for this new challenge, he will also rely on Dr. Hannibal Lektor, a well-known psychiatrist with cannibalistic tendencies, whom he himself arrested before his pre-retirement...
A more or less faithful cinematic adaptation of "Red Dragon" by Thomas Harris, this film is often remembered as a reflection, overshadowed by the remake ("Red Dragon") with the excellent Edward Norton and Ralph Fiennes. The latter version, undoubtedly beautiful, however, significantly diverges from the one I'm reviewing, having less psychological introspection, which gives way to a fabric typical of American thrillers, with its timing and characteristics. Even the figure of the serial killer, Tooth Fairy, is depicted differently: cold and calculating in Mann's film, awkward and catatonic in Ratner's version.
But the biggest difference lies in the simultaneously marginal and central figure of Dr. Lektor\Lecter: iconic is the characterization offered by the extraordinary Anthony Hopkins and his icy gaze; Mann, on the other hand, downplays the figure of the psychiatrist in his film, despite a good performance by Brian Cox, depriving him of that dual nature and charisma to which Jonathan Demme has accustomed us.
Despite the unavoidable comparison with its remake, Mann's film is unique and stands alone: in Mann there is the perfect mastery of technical means, a remarkable accuracy in creating distressing situations and extreme emotional tension. Tooth Fairy (excellently portrayed by Tom Noonan) is often unsettling, even though his brutal actions are more hinted at than in the remake.
Splendid is the cinematography by Dante Spinotti, which offers us dark and unhealthy settings, breathtaking views, and well-crafted shots; the soundtrack is also good, with Iron Butterfly standing out, accompanying the final scenes with their track.
An extremely interesting movie for thriller lovers and admirers of the Lecter trilogy: a direct and essential work, so much so that it appears raw when compared to the polished modern version, but with a sure impact and undoubtedly fascinating atmospheres.
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