No spoilers from me, but the bit that gave me the fright in the book is missing from the Manhunter film… So I would say the Red Dragon adaptation is the closest to the novel.
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Spoilers What Movie Are You Watching?
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No spoilers from me, but the bit that gave me the fright in the book is missing from the Manhunter film… So I would say the Red Dragon adaptation is the closest to the novel.
I've read the both Silence of the Lambs, and Red Dragon, and I have seen the movie of Silence of the Lambs.
Actually, I read Hannibal, as well.
Obviously, Jodie Foster (who was brilliant as Starling) and Anthony Hopkins (as Lecter) were superb in their respective roles in the Silence of the Lambs.
To answer @Huntn's question, I saw the movie, thought it well cast and well made, (clever, too), but didn't actually like it.
Moreover, I don't actually like the writing (or books) of Thomas Harris. At all.
Under the guise or mask of trying to work out (even attempting to argue that he is doing so scientifically, and dispassionately) what goes on in the mind of a certain type of serial killer, he takes far too great an interest in, an almost lascivious pleasure in - and seems to thoroughly enjoy penning - his detailed descriptions of the dismemberment, torture, humiliation and violent death of women. Actually, I am of the opinion that Harris enjoys this aspect of his own writing far too much.
And, I think - and here I am with @arkitect - he gives far too much leeway to the character of Lecter, (superbly played by Hopkins, who does give the character a disturbing and compelling three dimensional depth), whom, it is clear, he grows to like and empathise with and explain more and more as the books progress.
But, but, but, Lecter is an exceptionally educated, articulate, and self aware man, a polyglot and connoisseur of culture; yet, however much trauma he suffered as a child, he chooses to behave as he does (or did, Harris does attempt some degree of justification and redemption). Culture - while making a character a lot more attractive to my mind, does not excuse mass murder, least of all sadistic mass murder.
Come on: Reinhard Heydrich was a first class violinist - more than good enough to have been a professional from what I have read, and played the violin exquisitely at private parties as a member of a string quartet. That doesn't excuse or justify or allow what he did.
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@Scepticalscribe
The Lupin books are great. Charming strings of pearls and packets of diamonds out of bedrooms… Arsène Lupin is one of those ambiguous characters I love. I'm always partial to a bit of ambiguity.
Like Holmes, Lupin outgrew his fictional life with fact and fiction becoming blurred. The best kind of fictional character.
They are also both fortunate in having had two excellent actors portraying them on television — George Descrieres for Lupin and Jeremy Brett as Holmes.
Mid 70s there was also a French television series, Les brigades du Tigre about the first police to use motorcars. Alas, I am probably remembering this through rose tinted glasses.
Now, this is much more to my taste; elegance, and style, use of one's mind rather than invoking threats, crude violence and taking obscene pleasure in inflicting pain and humiliation on others.
Yes, agreed, Lupin, I loved, - (I also loved Psmith, but that is another story).
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No spoilers from me, but the bit that gave me the fright in the book is missing from the Manhunter film… So I would say the Red Dragon adaptation is the closest to the novel.
Thanks! It seems I need to read the book sometime soonish.
Hannibal.
Awful book. Talk about cashing in on the Hannibal Lecter bandwagon.
The whole bride of Frankenstein thing at the end with Lecter and Starling stepping out of a really tacky Maybach at the opera in Argentina. *puke*
Luckily the film managed to tone this down… a bit.
The unspeakable "prequel" Hannibal Rising, less said the better.
Well said!
And this leads to the TV series Hannibal. In fact it brings us to a lot of TV and films where suave and urbane killers are given spurious motivation so we can all revel along in the bloodbath.
Yikes. Not to my taste.
National Treasure 2 dissapointed me. It was harder for me to suspend my disbelief.
Three? I don’t know, but would give it a chance.
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National Treasure 2 dissapointed me. It was harder for me to suspend my disbelief.
Agreed, I didn’t really care for the second one.
I didn't like 2 that much either but when you set up a third so obviously like they did, I would at least netflix it.National Treasure 2 dissapointed me. It was harder for me to suspend my disbelief.
Bride of Frankenstein blended with the old Pygmalion idea: Marry that which you have moulded and whose "development" you have steered, guided, directed, and monitored. Ugh.
No, nor mine. Their violence, desire for control and sadism is not any the less for being delivered in cultured tones with a veneer of civilisation.
If anything, their education, culture, suave sophistication and urbane elegance should render them more responsible and restrained in their actions rather than less.
To my mind, the statement "I had to torture them, kill them and eat them" requires and calls for a different verb which is, I chose to torture them, kill them, and - in this case - eat them.
An educated, sophisticated, urbane and cultured individual has choice - the whole point of an educated middle class, or upper middle class existence is that it affords you choices (jobs, mates, partners, actions) and life chances others don't have, or have not had.
Diane Kruger for being German has an amazing, US (English) accent. I had a crush on her for a while.
The Little Girls Who Lives Down the Lane (1976), with a 13yo Jodie Foster and Martin Sheen. What a beautiful movie, the kind that it will never be produced in the XXI century. I had no idea what it was about, and despite the low-budget some things that are now cliche’d to the end, I found it intriguing, well made, and very philosophical in nature. Subject can be disturbing.
That is a genuine classic, a great story, superb cinematography, terrific script, brilliant soundtrack, an excellent cast and a dark, brooding and ultimately ambiguous and conflicted tale.
Are you going to buy the sequel? I’ve not made my mind up as to it’s worthiness.
I saw it in the theater and bought it on iTunes when it came out. I enjoy both movies.
Interesting.
This is because I had heard from some people (possibly purists) that the sequel did not quite meet the standard of the original.
We enjoyed the sequel. It was a good movie, but really seemed like they were using it as a springboard for a 3rd. There were questions left to be answered at the end. Still, I recommend it. It was a good movie.
I read the original source material (DADoES) when I was a kid (years before Blade Runner came out), I wrote a paper on post-modern sci-fi using it as an example, I've purchased the original several times across multiple formats and cuts, I've argued the ending for decades, I've listed Blade Runner as one of my Top 10 film of all time, across any genre ...
... and I'd say 2049 was a brilliant and masterful followup to a film I would've considered off limits for a sequel.
... and I'd say 2049 was a brilliant and masterful followup to a film I would've considered off limits for a sequel.
I've heard the same as well, but I didn't look into it that deep and just enjoyed it for what it was - a movie to entertain me for a little while. I rarely scrutinize any movie to the degree that I scrutinize anything Star Trek.
First half was good enough for a dumb action movie. But the second half was just dumb.Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom- It still sucks.