PeruvianSkies
02-06-2007, 11:15 PM
With the current release of HANNIBAL RISING I thought it would be interesting to start a thread on the films, their history, our thoughts & feelings, and also it's history on various formats....
Personally I am a huge fan of the series, MANHUNTER is an underrated film that finally got some new attention with the release of Ridley Scott's HANNIBAL, which also seemed to get mixed results. I was not a fan of HANNIBAL upon first viewing, but after re-watching the film I saw it in a different light. It's far more gothic in nature and while I am not a fan of not having Jodie Foster in the lead role. SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is a true classic and remains the strongest in the series. RED DRAGON was a bit of a mess, mainly due to the Brett Ratner poor directing of the subject matter. This new film should be interesting as it fills in certain gaps in the story.
Format History:
MANHUNTER (1986)
There are varies VHS copies of the film, then there was the initial DVD issue of the film as both a THX single disc version and a THX 2-disc edition from Anchor Bay. The 2-disc edition was released as a "limited issue", which contained both a theatrical cut and the 'directors cut' on the second disc. However, the 'directors cut' does not have the DD 5.1 soundtrack as on the theatrical cut. Then Anchor Bay issued the film yet again as a new Divimax title containing a 'restored directors cut' of the film approved this time by Michael Mann and containing again some new scenes and footage, plus the soundtrack in DD 5.1 and a much better picture, but with still some flaws and the footage does not always match up. One should note that MANHUNTER was issued with 70mm blow-up prints with a 4.1 mix, so this is the best version of the DVD to date, despite MGM releasing another DVD issue once they gained rights to the film, but only in full-frame.
SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991)
Of course the film has a few VHS issues and also issued in the 12" Laserdisc format with a THX approved Criterion Edition in that format as well, which was quickly added to the DVD format and also went out-of-print on the Criterion DVD, which is still highly sought after. Though it does not have a 5.1 soundtrack the sound is still pretty good and the color looks really good for being an older DVD issue, mainly recycled from the Laserdisc. At this same time the film was also available in a really poor DVD edition from Image Entertainment. Both of those versions became unavailable once the MGM edition of the film was released with DD 5.1 upon the release of HANNIBAL in theaters. That version was an upgrade in both picture and sound, but still had problems. Recently MGM issued another DVD of the film called a 2-disc collectors edition, which has a sharper picture, and the same DD 5.1 mix from before. There seems to be more extras around as well. At times the sound on the original laserdisc still outperforms the more recent DD 5.1 mixes of the film. That laserdisc contains the Dolby SR 4.0 matrixed surround in some of the best PCM CD on the format. The 2.0 on the Criterion THX disc is decent, but missing some of the thicker bass and even the more recent DD 5.1 mixes on DVD are still lackluster at times. There is a DTS import DVD of the film, which is probably the best in sound, but does not have near the picture quality as the MGM edition or the color fidelity of the Criterion DVD.
HANNIBAL (2001)
Does not have near the history as the other films, in fact the MGM edition of the film on DVD is still the only version, unless you get the film packaged together with the other films. This 2-disc edition is still one of the best DVD's on the market and the DTS soundtrack is superb, plus one of the only times you get DTS on an MGM title. There are less than 10 MGM titles inside the US with DTS soundtracks and this was the first MGM title to get such treatment and it paid off. Too bad MGM did not stick with that trend!
RED DRAGON (2002)
Available on DVD from Universal and also on HD-DVD and there is also a Directors Edition of the DVD that was released simulateneous to the standard DVD edition. There are not too many differences between the two aside from the supplements. No edition inside the US contains a DTS soundtrack and the HD-DVD contains a Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 mix. Outside the US you can get the film with a DTS 5.1 mix that is far superior.
So how about HANNIBAL RISING?
I think the film will serve fairly well, but will not be nearly as great as anticipated. It will fill the gaps in the story and will hopefully complete the entire series. Here are my grades for the films thus far:
MANHUNTER A-
SILENCE OF THE LAMBS A+
HANNIBAL B+
RED DRAGON B-
Personally I am a huge fan of the series, MANHUNTER is an underrated film that finally got some new attention with the release of Ridley Scott's HANNIBAL, which also seemed to get mixed results. I was not a fan of HANNIBAL upon first viewing, but after re-watching the film I saw it in a different light. It's far more gothic in nature and while I am not a fan of not having Jodie Foster in the lead role. SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is a true classic and remains the strongest in the series. RED DRAGON was a bit of a mess, mainly due to the Brett Ratner poor directing of the subject matter. This new film should be interesting as it fills in certain gaps in the story.
Format History:
MANHUNTER (1986)
There are varies VHS copies of the film, then there was the initial DVD issue of the film as both a THX single disc version and a THX 2-disc edition from Anchor Bay. The 2-disc edition was released as a "limited issue", which contained both a theatrical cut and the 'directors cut' on the second disc. However, the 'directors cut' does not have the DD 5.1 soundtrack as on the theatrical cut. Then Anchor Bay issued the film yet again as a new Divimax title containing a 'restored directors cut' of the film approved this time by Michael Mann and containing again some new scenes and footage, plus the soundtrack in DD 5.1 and a much better picture, but with still some flaws and the footage does not always match up. One should note that MANHUNTER was issued with 70mm blow-up prints with a 4.1 mix, so this is the best version of the DVD to date, despite MGM releasing another DVD issue once they gained rights to the film, but only in full-frame.
SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991)
Of course the film has a few VHS issues and also issued in the 12" Laserdisc format with a THX approved Criterion Edition in that format as well, which was quickly added to the DVD format and also went out-of-print on the Criterion DVD, which is still highly sought after. Though it does not have a 5.1 soundtrack the sound is still pretty good and the color looks really good for being an older DVD issue, mainly recycled from the Laserdisc. At this same time the film was also available in a really poor DVD edition from Image Entertainment. Both of those versions became unavailable once the MGM edition of the film was released with DD 5.1 upon the release of HANNIBAL in theaters. That version was an upgrade in both picture and sound, but still had problems. Recently MGM issued another DVD of the film called a 2-disc collectors edition, which has a sharper picture, and the same DD 5.1 mix from before. There seems to be more extras around as well. At times the sound on the original laserdisc still outperforms the more recent DD 5.1 mixes of the film. That laserdisc contains the Dolby SR 4.0 matrixed surround in some of the best PCM CD on the format. The 2.0 on the Criterion THX disc is decent, but missing some of the thicker bass and even the more recent DD 5.1 mixes on DVD are still lackluster at times. There is a DTS import DVD of the film, which is probably the best in sound, but does not have near the picture quality as the MGM edition or the color fidelity of the Criterion DVD.
HANNIBAL (2001)
Does not have near the history as the other films, in fact the MGM edition of the film on DVD is still the only version, unless you get the film packaged together with the other films. This 2-disc edition is still one of the best DVD's on the market and the DTS soundtrack is superb, plus one of the only times you get DTS on an MGM title. There are less than 10 MGM titles inside the US with DTS soundtracks and this was the first MGM title to get such treatment and it paid off. Too bad MGM did not stick with that trend!
RED DRAGON (2002)
Available on DVD from Universal and also on HD-DVD and there is also a Directors Edition of the DVD that was released simulateneous to the standard DVD edition. There are not too many differences between the two aside from the supplements. No edition inside the US contains a DTS soundtrack and the HD-DVD contains a Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 mix. Outside the US you can get the film with a DTS 5.1 mix that is far superior.
So how about HANNIBAL RISING?
I think the film will serve fairly well, but will not be nearly as great as anticipated. It will fill the gaps in the story and will hopefully complete the entire series. Here are my grades for the films thus far:
MANHUNTER A-
SILENCE OF THE LAMBS A+
HANNIBAL B+
RED DRAGON B-