Whatever you think about this movie, you have to feel sorry for it. Its creators had no way of knowing that the subsequent Thomas Harris movies would completely recreate these characters and the world in which they live; certainly they had no idea Hannibal Lecter would become the Darth Vader-level icon he is now. What's worse, the movie's DVD packaging boldly calls it "far better than The Silence of the Lambs," thus ensuring that legions of new viewers will unfairly compare Manhunter to its better funded, more recent pseudosequels. Watch this movie by itself, not as part of a trilogy.
With that out of the way, Manhunter is a pretty decent film. Some scenes build suspense very effectively, leaving the audience with no idea of what to expect. The first on-screen appearance of the killer is quite a shocker, and the subplot in which he romances a blind woman brings a striking degree of pathos to his character. While William Petersen occasionally overplays his part (especially when he's collecting evidence by himself and starts randomly yelling at the killer), his delivery in the grocery store scene where he explains himself to his son is both touching and chilling at the same time.
Now the bad. The mid-'80s soundtrack is tremendously annoying and dates the film terribly. With the exception of the Iron Butterfly songs the killer plays in his van and his house, all of the music in this movie should have been replaced by a dark and insinuating orchestral score. Also, why would they keep people like Hannibal Lecter in white clothes in a completely white asylum? You couldn't even see him if he tried to escape! But in general the movie succeeds, and it's essential viewing for fans of Thomas Harris and Hannibal Lecter.
And no matter what anybody says, Hopkins is better.
With that out of the way, Manhunter is a pretty decent film. Some scenes build suspense very effectively, leaving the audience with no idea of what to expect. The first on-screen appearance of the killer is quite a shocker, and the subplot in which he romances a blind woman brings a striking degree of pathos to his character. While William Petersen occasionally overplays his part (especially when he's collecting evidence by himself and starts randomly yelling at the killer), his delivery in the grocery store scene where he explains himself to his son is both touching and chilling at the same time.
Now the bad. The mid-'80s soundtrack is tremendously annoying and dates the film terribly. With the exception of the Iron Butterfly songs the killer plays in his van and his house, all of the music in this movie should have been replaced by a dark and insinuating orchestral score. Also, why would they keep people like Hannibal Lecter in white clothes in a completely white asylum? You couldn't even see him if he tried to escape! But in general the movie succeeds, and it's essential viewing for fans of Thomas Harris and Hannibal Lecter.
And no matter what anybody says, Hopkins is better.