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RED DRAGON Review
I saw RED DRAGON as the closing night film of Sitges with Dino De Laurentis and Martha De Laurentis and Anthony Hopkins and Brett Ratner and Ralph Fiennes sitting directly behind Father Geek and I on Jury Row. Before the film was a huge celebration of Dino's career from La Strada to his recent Lecter outings and as I sat there watching clips from BARBARELLA, WAR AND PEACE, the Fellini films, FLASH GORDON, the Kong remake and on and on and on... I just couldn't help but get giddy. I mean, right behind me was the man that produced CONAN THE BARBARIAN.... which was shot in SPAIN, where I was!!! Literally I began having geek attacks. After an hour and a half long ceremony or so, the movie finally began. The script was once brilliant... what would Ratner do to it?
RED DRAGON does exactly what it set out to do… it starts off the Hopkins/Lecter trilogy with an adequate setup to lead into SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.
It isn’t as great a work of original cinema as Michael Mann’s MANHUNTER, nor is it the precision work of tension that was Jonathan Demme’s SILENCE OF THE LAMBS… and still it isn’t the epic Grand Guignol Gothic Romance of Ridley Scott’s HANNIBAL. It is actually the most pedestrian of all the Thomas Harris LECTER WORKS – but in a way that’s exactly what it should have been to open the Hopkins series.
Once you have all three films on DVD you can put in RED DRAGON, be impressed with Ralph Fiennes’ amazing work, along with the brilliance that is Emily Watson. You can watch Hopkins seemingly sleepwalk through the film. You can be stunned at how utterly uninvolving a performance that Ratner coaxed out of normally brilliant actor Ed Norton, with the noted exception of his final showdown with Fiennes… but was that really Ratner’s doing or Norton raising his game in a scene opposite Fiennes? Hmmmm…
It has been noted in the press that Ratner took this film to have a high profile pay day and to begin to shift from being that “RUSH HOUR” guy. Wanting to change directions as a filmmaker is noble, however having a legitimate passion for the material is also needed, and the lack of passion is notable in this film. The film is exactly what it set out to be… a by the numbers cleanly and soberly directed stylistically vapid safe telling of RED DRAGON.
Here you won’t see the ‘Dragon’ placing shards of mirror into eye sockets… You won’t see reflections of the ‘Dragon’ raping the bleeding near death corpses of the women, nor the reflections of his actions in the eyes of the children and the father. You won’t see the ‘Dragon’ kill the household pets. Matter of fact, you won’t see the ‘Dragon’ actually do anything.
Like I said, this is an extremely sanitary film about grisly things. After the wild trip that Ridley Scott took us on in HANNIBAL, this has that same ‘Safeness’ feeling that you got when you saw Schumacher’s BATMAN FOREVER… The film that pulled back the edge from BATMAN RETURNS and steered us towards the eventual train wreck that was BATMAN & ROBIN.
Now there is only one reason to see this film in theaters and that’s to watch Ralph Fiennes and Emily Watson. Those two actors are actually in a better film than the rest of the movie. Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Harvey Keitel and Anthony Hopkins and Mary-Louise Parker and Ed Norton all seem completely and utterly bored. Meanwhile Fiennes and Watson create a wonderful play on the work of O.P. Heggie and Boris Karloff in THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. Watching those two actually thrilled me throughout the film and made my time truly worthwhile.
I can imagine a few times in my life watching this film as the opening act for my Hopkins/Lecter series. It isn’t bad, it isn’t mediocre. It’s actually pretty good, but in a series known for greatness… that is a set back. I’m worried that if there are any more in the series, we might end up seeing the self-parody of other extended series continued here again. And that would be a shame.
Thinking back upon the promise of Ted Tally’s script, I can’t help but wonder what someone like John Carpenter or Tobe Hooper or Wes Craven or Brian DePalma or George Romero could have done with a script of this quality. Imagining what someone like Hideo Nakata or Guillermo Del Toro would do with it boggles the mind. People with a true passion for the genre, a true knowledge of its mechanics, as well as having the dream of realizing the potential that was there in the script.
I also missed Howard Shore’s score… or the classy ensemble musical work of Scott’s HANNIBAL. Elfman’s music really didn’t make the film feel a part of the series, instead… much as Goldenthal did with BATMAN FOREVER, it simply felt over-orchestrated. I find it terribly sad to see the shoe being on the other foot nowadays.
Passing this up in theaters for the better films out there right now like RULES OF ATTRACTION, BELOW, BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE, PUNCHDRUNK LOVE and this weekend’s THE RING is highly recommended. Save this for rental, when you can see it as part of the overall trilogy, I think it’ll actually work better then.
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"Save for rental"?
Bollucks.
See it NOW, folks.
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Doesn't feel any different. I don't know what the big deal is...I really don't. Anyway, doesn't this review seem a bit pointless now other than for Harry to tell us what he thinks? It's been out for over two weeks now. It's not even one of his lovey dovey or hoity toity reviews. He's being a regular critic here and that's boring for this site. I can go all over the internet for reviews like this. Hell...I thought and wrote about that much on Epinions.com.
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not a lot else to say really.
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I would've been first. Maybe that's why I didn't feel any different. No sense of happiness or superiority... Am I doing something wrong here?
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I saw Red Dragon on a bootleg VCD...and for that act of piracy, I apologize. Trully, apo polly ogies. Red Dragon was ok, just as Swept Away was ok. There was no craft in the film, only one shots of two (or sometimes more!) people talking. The images in this film are boring...there is not one shot that I can think of that was of interest. Oh wait, there was one...the unholy ripoff (err, I mean tribute) of the zoo scene from Manhunter. Speaking of Manhunter, for all its "miami vice" appeal, is a vastly superior version. Right down to the flaming wheelchair, Mann does it better. If you want to see this film, a bootleg copy (which would easily fit up Dino's pretty little ass) is the way to go.
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That means good, my American chums.
Why doesn't everybody feel that. Is it me? -
FUCK FIRST POSTERS, FUCK THEM UP THEIR STUPID ASSES. Especially the ones who aren't even first; that's just about the saddest thing I've ever seen.
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Oct 17, 2002 4:24:46 PM CDT
I would pass this up to see Below or Rules of Attraction...
by sod off baldric
but they aren't playing anywhere near where I live. Fucking Wisconsin! Wisconsin, people! Is there anyone in a REAL state who needs a roommate? I'm quiet and clean.
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Oct 17, 2002 4:29:43 PM CDT
"Once you have all three films on DVD you can put in RED DRAGON,
by iamlegolas
Sorry, but my Lecter DVD collection will always start with MANHUNTER and end with SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. *** Can you believe Anthony Hopkins wrote a script for HANNIBAL IV??? (see DarkHorizons.com) Especially after he was talking about how he was done with the Lecter series? They must of drove a dump truck full of money to his house. Geezus! I can see the DVD box set now, it will rival The Nightmare On Elm Street Series.
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Ed Norton, except for Primal Fear, has sleepwalked through all his films. He wasn't too bad in snatch, but he basically slept thru that one as well. Brilliant? Uh uh. Ratner however is a brilliant director, his Family Man was first rate.
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perhaps you meant that literally. anywho, norton was the shit in 'amrican history x' and i can't wait to see what spike has in store for him with '25th hour'. speaking of which: why the hell does every recent film insist on dropping the 'the' from their name? (see 'fight club', 'panic room', etc.)
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RED DRAGON is definitely a step up, or ten, from the over the top HANNIBAL. Don't wait for the video, go see it in a theater. It deserves to outgross HANNIBAL. I mean at the box office, not in gore. ;-) But they definitely need to stop now. " I can see the DVD box set now, it will rival The Nightmare On Elm Street Series."- IAmLegolas. Right on. Can you imagine, "HANNIBAL VIII: THE LAST SUPPER"?
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but I'm sure any studio type that just read your post IS. If this comes to pass, we know who to blame. ;-p
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I was very entertained. I hated Norton's acting until I thought he was doing the male version of Clarice... very nervous and young-looking... I don't know. Hannibal was completely disinteresting (Hopkins forgot how to be Hannibal), he shot off ridiculous lines at an insane pace, like they're releasing a Hannibal talking doll and needed soundbites. The story with Fiennes was far better, though it was riddled with mediocrity. Ultimately it failed, though it entertained me for the time, it was not up to standards...it took the simple and dry way out. People who say it was too goofy, need to see Silence again!
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Studio executives aren't reading these talkbacks. They're too busy thinking up "brilliant ideas" like how to pair up Adam Sadler & Pauly Shore in a buddy cop film that takes place in the future. That way we can have poopy jokes as well as flying cars. ;-)
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Oct 17, 2002 6:57:54 PM CDT
Well, it seems that the "system maintenance" that they're doing
by bad guy
Somehow my last post ended up at the top of the talkback! Yet again! Nice job fellas! Keep up the good work!
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Actually I would see that! Lecter somehow travels back in time, kills Judas and replaces him among Jesus's ranks. Wacky mayhem ensues.
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Oct 17, 2002 8:03:33 PM CDT
What? You mean Harry saw Ratner and didn't jizz all over him.
by zod_is_back
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"Here you won
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It was soooo boring and dated. By the numbers is right. No risks here at all, could've been an x-files episode.
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Great film. Yeah I would've liked a little more gore and terror, not to mention the kick-ass Mary-Louise Parker, but it delivered all the way. Red Dragon was a tense, creepy thriller with awesome acting. It delivered totally, especially after watching the overrated, boring, suckass Insomnia and being dissappointed.
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Oct 17, 2002 11:00:58 PM CDT
RED DRAGON was simply an OK movie; not bad, but not great. It w
by johnnytremaine
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Red Dragon defined mediocrity. Raetner is the most pedestrian filmmaker working. I was bored, so were the actors. And I don't know why people keep saying how great the Tally script is...it really wasn't. The story was structured exactly like Manhunter, just with more Hannibal. The finale is silly and slasher movie-ish, though somewhat fun anyway. Ralph Fieness is great, everyone else is subpar. Hopkins and Norton are just sleepwalking. Manhunter was better, and I don't really like Manhunter that much (William Petersen was terrible, the movie is not pretty dated, and Brian Cox as Lecter was not scary or interesting, but at least it was made with some sort of style.) Red Dragon just defines mediocrity.
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until that fucking lame ass shootout at the end, totally took me out of the film. Mann was still riding the Miami Vice vibe. Ive never read Red Dragon, but I can't imagine the book ending in a more tired and pedestrian way than a fucking swat team vs killer shootout. Loved Manhunter save the end, Really enjoyed Red Dragon, Loved Silence, and Hannibal Rules!
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No series that has "Hannibal" in it is known for greatness. "Hannibal" was not a grand guignol romance, it was a cheap Troma slasher flick with a 50 million dollar budget. And I find it odd that you wonder what directors like "John Carpenter or Tobe Hooper or Wes Craven or Brian DePalma or George Romero" would do with this material, when all of their output of late has been mediocre to outright horrid. Sadly, "Hannibal" was exactly what the popcorn-munchers wanted; Hannibal Lecter front and center as a Freddy Krueger for the new millennium. And that's what they got, and it made money by the bucketfull. And that's exactly why the people who loved "Hannibal" will hate "Red Dragon".
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Harry would have loved to see A John Carpenter or George Romero or Tobe Hooper do Red Dragon. Which really shows his wonderful taste... Does he not realize that the magic of Silence was due to mr. Demme who in no way was a practitioner of the horror genre, and therefore took the film to new levels? I mean come on, call out the old generals of horror and what you get is just plain boring. In case you haven't noticed, Tobe Hooper did one good film after Chainsaw, and that was basically directed by Spielberg.
And George Romero? Seriously?
Have a little vision Harry. -
Everyone keeps using that word, but damn, if it isn't exactly the right word to use. It didn't suck (hell, being a huge Norton & Fiennes fan, they and Emily Watson could've sat around reading an angling magazine and I would've been glued to my seat), the ending was very good in my mind, but it failed or was just plain boring in so many other ways. I'll probably stick with Manhunter from now on, though that has it's faults too (e.g. Cox isn't that involving. Then again, Hopkins in this film wasn't that involving either. I guess both performances lose out to Hopkins in SotL.). Oh, and Harry? "a series known for its high quality" or whatever it is you said? The Lecter series is not renowned for being that good. "Hannibal" stunk like a mile-high pile of rotting portapotties! (It's terrible seeing a previously fantastic director like Scott reverting to crap films that look great but have nothing inside. Well, nothing good anyway. "Gladiator" sucked (the Elysian fields bits were especially dreadful), "Hannibal" made me seriously question the judgement of everyone involved, and "Blackhawk Down" was just one big action sequence that got tiring after a while.) But back to the unevenness of the Lecter trilogy and the awfulness of "Hannibal". Although considering the crappiness of the original book, you could say that you can't get gold out of a used diaper. Well, at least I can't. (And sorry for the above lavatory-references.)
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damn brilliant joke, man! I can just imagine the trailer for that movie. Could be great if done ironically, but something tells me that if ever a film like that got made, they'd screw it up trying to make it all serious. In the end, the Christian Right probably wouldn't even bother picketing such a lousy movie. ***Aah, but we can dream...
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Dare I say it? I didn't think that much of Manhunter. It wasnt faithful enough and was at times just plain silly. But in truth, there were certain things that it did much better than Red Dragon. The actors seemed miore convincing for a start and not to overdone. The cinematography though dated was more powerful. This was a very faithful adaption. But it just didn't have any edge. I can't put my finger on what it was missing. Hard to say isn't it. I felt Dollerhyde was if anything overwritten. Too stereotypical. And showing the Dragon tatoos on all the posters certainly took away a lot of the surprise. When Dollerhyde does reveal his back, it should be a shock. Instead the audiences simply said, "oh yeah, just like the poster" instead of gasping. I just can't say what went wrong. Don't get me wrong its a good film. Just not as good as it could/should have been. My e-mail is changed to:akj2:aber.ac.uk. I thankyou.
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What's your screen name on Epinions? Mine is (take a wild guess) imokliel.
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In fact, since Manhunter is now available for rent at my local Blockbuster Video, I think I'll watch that again! Bored performances from Hopkins and Norton? Criminy, they CAN DO BETTER, I've seen it! For shame, for shame.
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OR THEY'D HAVE GOTTEN A RAVE
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Oct 18, 2002 5:26:17 PM CDT
Red Dragon... everything it should be? How about SCARY? Shouldn'
by the grin
It didn't raise a single bead of sweat, nor a single hair on my head... I was utterly bored by the entire affair, and sorely disappointed in most of the cast.
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William Peterson will always be Will Graham to me. Though the film took liberties with the book, it was still engrossing. Petersen's potrayal of Graham set the standard (which since has become almost a cliche) of the investigator who can put themselves in the mind of the killer.
Another troublesome aspect of the film Red Dragon is that the dialogue was so similar to that of Manhunter that at times it seemed a remake of Manhunter rather than an adaption of the book. -
Okay, red dragon we decent. Its clearly no silence of the lambs, but not much will ever be. It was better then the over gaudy Hannibal, but it still nothing special. Was it worth seeing in theaters, i saw it free, thank God for us folks who do seat counts, and trailer checks, lol. Any how, as far as black hawk down? That movie was great, and ridley did a excellent job. That is a war flick at its finest. With about as much realism as you can have.
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Oct 19, 2002 4:30:34 AM CDT
John Carpenter, Tobe Hooper and George Romero??? Are you F'in k
by dexter cornell
Don't get me wrong, Ratner IS a hack, but those 3 are so past their prime it's sick. All of them have had chances to redeem themselves in recent years and venture back to their cult status days and have failed MISERABLY. Carpenter and Hooper are honestly two of the WORST directors working today, it's a shame you fan boys can't see past their prime work and look at their present crap. They are older and are not the directors they once were, their vision is shot. Romero has just vanished and that's fine as a few walking dead movies and a Stephen King adaption do not a good director make. Honestly, Ed Norton is grossly overrated and can't hold a candle to Petersen's Graham, but to say that those hacks could have made a better movie is simply moronic, Harry. Get out of your cult closet and get in the now!!! Jesus
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I wanted to like this movie... but as it's built, it's a bunch of wasted opportunities and an example of the law of diminishing artistic returns... no, you do not need to buy this to complete your Hannibal collection.. you're not required.. instead of sitting down and watching this with the other two, just grab a used copy of the book, you can probably read it in two hours anyway.
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Oct 19, 2002 12:11:03 PM CDT
Wait a minute, is Harry comparing "Red Dragon" to the Joel Schum
by corrigann_reborn
I also saw that Red Dragon VCD, and let me say this first of all: No matter what you can possibly say about Red Dragon, it is NOWHERE near as bad as ANYTHING made by Joel Schumacher. I mean really, at least the gross majority of people who go to see Red Dragon won't be running out of the theaters in dusgust of Chris O'Donnell as Robin!
That being said, I saw the Red Dragon VCD as well(sorry, I live 45 minutes away from any movie theater) amd I must say, that despite it's faults, it's not tremendously bad. Yes, Edward Norton did a lackluster job as Will Graham, and yes Anthony Hopkins was not entirely Hannibal in this movie, but it has some tremendously good imagery and pacing. Is this movie better than Silence? No. Not in any way, other than visually(I might argue). Anthony Hopkins really should have pulled out his copy of SOTL and watched his performance, because his performance reads like his performance from "Hannibal." You just stop, and go, "No, that's just not the way it would have gone." Although some people would argue that Hannibal could have maybe been possibly acting differently with Clarice Starling and Will Graham...after all, isn't he's supposed to be insane?
And I definitely agree that Ralph Fiennes does a tremendous job with Emily Watson, two actors who before now didn't really hold any interest for me. I mean really, was there anything good about "The Avengers?" How about "The English Patient"?
So it basically comes down to preference. Is this movie a Hannibal Lecter movie? I guess. Should this movie have probably been more about what it was named after, the "Red Dragon?" Oh God yes. -
and yet Harry's panning it? Is there actually a hint of pseudo-objectivity in the great red one after all?
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You don't see any of that stuff in Manhunter either. Is its lack in Red Dragon what makes it "pedestrian?"
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Oct 19, 2002 3:57:21 PM CDT
I totally agree with Harry about the score - it worked really we
by tall_boy
But I think the performances across the board are MUCH better than what Harry said. As for the flick itself, I saw it on a cheap tuesday in a full theatre and the place was rockin pretty hard. this is "Hannibal for the masses" but I just like it better than "Manhunter" due to it keeps it closer to the source and Sir Anthony. (though the "In Da Gatta Da Vitta" ending of "Manhunter" is still pretty cool.)
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Oct 19, 2002 9:17:54 PM CDT
i loved this film. Ratner did an amazing job, which isn't to say
by a goonie
i'm sorry. i hate when people make that asinine comment about "that one's a rental." no movie, no matter how good or bad, is "just a rental." some movies have to wait to be viewed on VHS or DVD simply cuz we can't see everything in theaters, but that doesn't mean they didn't deserve the full theatrical experience. especially a fine piece of work like Red Dragon. i do admit this picture has flaws. it isn't perfect. but it's intelligent. and Ratner has proven himself. i saw it in Rush Hour 2, oddly enough. when the news was first broke that he got the Red Dragon gig, i was on here posting that i believed he could do it based on what i had seen in Rush Hour 2. namely, the pacing and composition. it was efficient and it worked in Rush Hour 2. here, in Red Dragon, Brett takes this a few steps further. the composition in this movie is amazing. there are numerous gorgeous shots here at work that are just incredibly well-constructed. sure, it's not Demme's work in Silence, but that's to be expected. Silence is one of my favourite films. Composition-wise, Silence is one of the most perfect films i have ever seen. and Ratner is certainly no Ridley Scott (for the record, Ridley is my favourite director, making me a Ridley nut). but Red Dragon is a better film than Hannibal. don't get me wrong, Hannibal is good stuff. it is a fun and enjoyable interpretation of Harris's brilliant novel. but Red Dragon is far more solid as a film. Ralph Fiennes and Emily Watson are unbelieveable in this film. Hopkins and Norton and Hoffman and even Keitel are all wonderful as well. but perhaps the real star of this picture is Danny Elfman's score. i love Danny. this man rules. but he does share a lot in common with another wonderful composer, James Horner, in the sense that both of them have a very distinct, very defined sound. you can almost always tell when it's an Elfman or Horner score. and his Red Dragon score is no departure for Danny. but it's gorgeous. and what i love is that Ratner loves it, too. this movie is jam-packed with instrumental music from beginning to end. Ratner even goes so far to occassionally rely on the music to ellicit chills and thrills. you see, i am a big music guy when it comes to movies. a great score can elevate a good movie to greatness. some critics find too much music distracting and claim it is often intrusive, which is certainly the case in some pictures. John Williams's score in Born on the Fourth of July is constantly interrupting the drama with its weepy, treacly chords. and it's damn annoying. but here, Elfman's music heigtens each scene it accompanies. wonderful work. so no, this isn't the best movie playing in theaters right now. it's not the best of the Lecter film series. but it is an intelligent work with an amazing cast that actually each deliver a strong, charasmatic performance. it is a very good movie, and by no means one you should wait for on video.
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Oct 19, 2002 9:46:58 PM CDT
Harry is actually quite brilliant sometimes...Ratner has never b
by montauk16
I've been a AICN fan since the beginning, and I must say, what Harry said in his very accurate review of "Red Dragon" about a director having passion for the material is probably one of the more intelligent, intuitive, well said things to emanate from his chubby, little fingers.
Filmmakers are artists, at least they should be...Good one's are anyways...
What drives the performance of the actors, the crew, and the whole movie for that matter, is the passion, vision,
charisma, and talent of the director. without these things, regardless of how good your actors might be(Finnes and Watson in particular) you wind up with a "Red Dragon"
If Ratner would concentrate more on DIRECTING THE MOVIE rather than BEING THE DIRECTOR, he might have better results. Put the fucking cell phone down Brett!!! Stop posing behind the fucking camera while your entire crew laughs at you!!! Stop being so God damned concerned about what you look like in the article/photo shoot for Vanity Fair, and DIRECT THE FUCKING PICTURE!!!!
Wow!!! OOOHHH!!! My new buddy Tony Hopkins is playing Jorell ...Tell me Brett, Is he gonna' sleepwalk through that one too?
I read that Superman script, and I'll tell you this... Red Dragon was a much better read. Supes definitely needs a re-write, who's gonna' do it Brett? You?
The mere thought of Brett Ratner directing a Superman film makes me want to vomit...all over Ratner. -
I hesitate to think that Romero would get involved in a project so clearly created to make a buck. Sure, Bruiser sucked like a prom date on Ecstasy, but I would like to think that he would have a little more integrity than that. One of the best reviews of Red Dragon I read stated, "Ralph Fiennes couldn't have played a more cliche' psycho if he'd done all of his scenes in a bloody strait jacket being pursued by men in white coats waving butterfly nets.". Priceless.
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I always love to hear Manhunter get the props that I think it deserves. I still find Brian Cox's Lecter far superior to Hopkins. I worked so much better on many levels. Hopkins play Hannibal like he's Jason or Freddie Krueger or even Michael Myers. He's the incivible super hero/villian. I prefer the sad sick insanity that Cox exuded. Much more effective and much scarier in my humble opinion. With all that I said I will be seeing Red Dragon for Ralph Fiennes and Ed Norton.
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Sorry, but there are many films that should be "just a rental."
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sorry, but you're wrong.
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Single most shocking, grotesque moment of the visual media for me... Was when CNN or MSNBC or someone was talking about online movie critics and showed an interview with Harry and I realized for the first time that all the cartoons on the web site weren't exaggerating, but rather downplayed the absolute hideousness that is the malformed mug of Harry Knowles. I can't imagine him being frightened by any film at all really, what with the invention of mirrors and all. But pety, immature bashing aside... I'm just getting kind of fed up with his plummetting credibility. I agree the conclusion of the review about it being good but not as good as it could've been... BUT.. RED DRAGON NOT AS GOOD AS HANNIBAL??? That fucking tears it
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It pains me to say Ed Norton didnt do a great job in Red Dragon,he is my current favorite actor afterall,but he didnt even show a fraction of his potential in this movie.Like harry said,he seemed "bored".Great movie otherwise tho,I was glad to see that departure from cheap thrills & gore that made up Hannibal,Fiennes & Watson were brilliant.
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The best way I know to explain why Manhunter worked(despite the changes from the book) and RD doesn't is to describe a scene from MH: Will Graham and his son are in a supermarket(after taking Graham's wife and son into hiding from the Tooth Fairy aka Red Dragon) and the conversation turns to stories the boy has heard about his dad being in a mental hospital: Graham explains to his son about capturing Lector and how the mindset he has to get into to find guys like that hurt him so much that he needed psychiactic help. The son understands this and his adjustment is shown by him asking"what kind of coffee do you like?" which surpises Graham but also relieves him.
Manhunter had many such scenes of emotional renonsence-Harry was right about the cast being bored*"going thru the motions*" and I did like Emily Watson & Ralph Finnes but it wasn't enough for me.
I did reread the book after seeing RD and the ending was close to it but no cigar-Graham never got a chance to say all that stuff to Dollarhyde. RD was OK but rather disappointing,plus the tie-in bit to Sotl was dripping Velveeta,IMHO. -
Harry's comment about Eliot Goldenthal's Batman score being over-orchestrated reminded me of the buffoon scene in Amadeus where Mozart is told by the uneducated (yet highly opinionated) royalty that his composition contained too many notes. So Harry, being the musical genius that you so clearly are, exactly which notes would you remove from Mr. Goldenthal's score?
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I can see it now ... Will Graham would be the searing FBI Agent, portrayed by one of Romero's unknowns. Maybe Jack Crawford could be played by Mr. T, or some other "token black man". Then the blind lady could be played by Lori Cardille, in her wonderfully "butch" style (she has more range than Jack Nicholson). Then The Tooth Fairy could be played by Tom Savini, and the rest of the cast could be Romero's family members and members of KNB's crew. Then they could use animatronic heads and sheep's guts to make all of the violence more believeable. They could use Savini's blood from DAWN ... you know, that red tempra-paint color with the consistancy of milk. Then after the Tooth Fairy attacks Graham and his family, the Venus probe will fall to Earth and the victims of the Tooth Fairy will rise and eat him alive. They will tear him in half and take his head off while he is still screaming! Then Graham and his family will run into a helicoptor with Jack Crawford (the token black guy), and they will fly off to an island ("What island?" "Any island!"). Then Hannibal will chew off his own arm so he can escape while the doctor is operating on him. Then he can pretend to be a zombie while he goes off to find victims. Just to convince the other zombies that he is legitamite, he can eat a few folks. Sounds like a winner to me!!!!
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Oct 20, 2002 1:11:11 PM CDT
They edited out a ten-minute anal rape scene from "Red Dragon".
by beautiful thing
But seriously, has anyone seen "Irreversible"? Monica Belluci gets brutally fucked up the ass for ten whole minutes by a guy who screams: "Call me Daddy!". Boner of the year, man.
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The only thing I really disagree with Harry about in this review is Hoffman. He's actually the most enjoyable thing in the whole movie, which is only slightly better than mediocre despite excellent efforts by Watson and Fiennes. It's not Ralph's fault the character comes off as sentimental more than creepy; blame Brett Crapner for pussyfooting around the gore.
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I like it.
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please look up the words subtext, pacing, tension, composition, mise-en-scene. they should be found in one of those text book thingys you got at film school. cheers.
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Dec 29, 2002 10:35:20 AM CST
I ordered a large SNAP DRAGON and got-a lil RED DRAGON
by martianmanhunter
ok,
after reading the book, I really was excited about this film. Althought I am a purist and don't believe in the remaking of good film,s cult classic or otherwise. However, when "BIG" ED NORTON signed on, I was salvating at that point.
I loved the fact that they did the back drop on the story of catching hannible, it needed to be told and it was really good. It's too bad that they couldn't do some prequels on that. However, I do think the book was slightly better.In the book, the contrast between Dolarhyde and the dragon was excellent, unfornately they kind of left that out of the movie. I think because they wanted to do it differently than how it had been done in the past. They also seem to make they audenice feel bad for Fiennes, I mean he did have a horrible childhood, but come one he's a MONSTER! To paraphrase VINCE VAUGHN, from the CELL "Alot worse things have happened to people, and not everyone grows up to be a monster"
Overall, it was a good adaptation. But let's face it, it was forced, so audience could get more lector. Something a little disturbing about that....
-Hey thanks for reading this. MM
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