Manhunter

Manhunter is a stylistic action film, directed with great flourish by Michael Mann. Will Graham (William Petersen) is a burned-out FBI agent who retired after hunting and capturing Dr. Hannibal Lektor (Brian Cox), a psychopathic, brilliant serial killer. Will reluctantly returns to work to help find a new killer, who specializes in killing entire families. William Petersen is excellent in his role as Will, who uses his empathic understanding of the motivations of the killers to help catch them, despite the psychological toll this takes upon him and his family. Brian Cox, in a great cameo as Hannibal Lektor, gives an interestingly physical and sexually menacing performance in a role which later won an Academy Award for Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs. Tom Noonan, in an interesting, psychologically complex performance, plays the killer whom he makes surprisingly understandable. Joan Allen is also fine as the blind woman whom the killer falls in love with. Their love scene — as the killer experiences compassion and normal sexual attraction for the first time — is outstanding and unforgettable. While it is overshadowed by the widely acclaimed Silence of the Lambs, Manhunter, based on the Thomas Harris novel Red Dragon holds its own as a suspenseful, psychological thriller directed with flair and style. — Linda Rasmussen

Cast

William Petersen - Will Graham
Kim Greist - Molly Graham
Joan Allen - Reba
Brian Cox - Dr. Lektor
Dennis Farina - Jack Crawford
Tom Noonan - Francis Dollarhyde
Dan E. Butler - Jimmy Price
Hannah Cacciano - Sherman Children
Joanne Camp - Mother on Plane
Dawn Carmen - Child on Plane
Patricia Charbonneau - Mrs. Sherman
Gary Chavaras - Guard
Cynthia Chvatal - Airport Waitress
Chris Cianciolo - Attendant
Ken Colquitt - Husband Housebuyer
Garcelle Beauvais - Young Woman Housebuyer
Bill Cwikowski - Ralph Dandridge
Chris Elliott - Zeller
Frankie R. Faison - Lt. Fisk
Ron Fitzgerald - Storage Guard
David Fitzsimmons - Bill
Lindsey, Sherman Children Fonora
Jason Frair - Leeds Children
Benjamin Hendrickson - Dr. Chilton
Steve Hogan - Helicopter Pilot
Kristin Holby - Mrs. Jacobi
Greg Kelly - Jacobi Boy
Stephen Lang - Freddie Lounds
Ryan Langhorne - Jacobi Boy
Mickey Lloyd - Atlanta Detective
Peter Maloney - Dr. Domick Princi
David Meeks - Dr. Warfield
Sherman Michael - Technician
Robin Moseley - Sarah
Alex Neil - Eileen
Robert A. Burton - Doctor
Paul Perri - Dr. Sidney Bloom
Christopher Arrants - Leeds Children
John Posey - Mr. Jacobi
Mickey Pugh - Lear Jet Technician
Dennis Quick - Storage Guard
Michael D. Roberts - The Runner
Lisa Ryall - Mrs. Leeds
David Seaman - Kevin Graham
Michele Shay - Beverly Katz
Kin Shriner - Mr. Sherman
Bill Smitrovich - Lloyd Bowman
Daniel T. Snow - State Trooper
Norman Snow - Springfield
Michael Talbott - Geehan
Bonnie Timmermann
Robin Trapp - Secretary
King White - Swat Man
Lisa Winters - Secretary
Jim Zubiena - Spurgen

Production Credits

Michael Mann - Director / Screenwriter
Richard Roth - Producer
Walon Green - Screenwriter
Dante Spinotti - Cinematographer
The Reds - Composer (Music Score)
Michel Rubini - Composer (Music Score) / Songwriter
Dov Hoenig - Editor
Mel Bourne - Production Designer
Jack Blackman - Art Director
Gusmano Cesaretti - Associate Producer
Bernard Williams - Executive Producer
David Allen - Songwriter
Barry Andrews - Songwriter
Martyn Baker - Songwriter
Doug Ingle - Songwriter
Kitaro - Songwriter
Curt Lichter - Songwriter
Gregory Markel - Songwriter
Carl Marsh - Songwriter
Gary Putnam - Songwriter
Severs Ramsay - Songwriter
Klaus Schulze - Songwriter
Gene Stashuk - Songwriter
Colleen Atwood - Costume Designer
Stefano Fava - Makeup
Joseph de Gaetano II - Special Effects
Jack Carpenter - Stunts
Bud Davis - Stunts
Chuck Hart - Stunts
Bernard Johnson - Stunts
Don Pulford - Stunts
Bonnie Timmermann - Casting