Red Dragon

by

debbie lynn elias

Set an extra place at the table and open up another bottle of Chianti because guess who’s coming to dinner. That’s right. He’s back. Everyone’s favorite dinner guest (and villain according to a recent poll conducted by Premier magazine), Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter returns to theaters everywhere this week in "Red Dragon", the Thomas Harris prequel to "Silence of the Lambs." Although previously brought to the screen by Michael Mann with the stylishly executed "Manhunter", it seems only appropriate that the penultimate Hannibal, Anthony Hopkins, complete the infamous "Lambs" trilogy and take another bite of the apple as Hannibal, this time in his early days.

Set in 1980, we meet Hannibal at the pinnacle of his "civilian" life. He is the toast of the town in Baltimore; so upper crust, so educated, so intelligent, so accomplished, so intolerable of imperfection and bad manners and...so tasteful (in more ways than one). Our "first glimpse" of the good doctor is while he is enjoying the beauteous strains of a symphony orchestra. Director Brett Ratner uses the camera to perfection, creating a rather ethereal feeling that gracefully segues into focus on Lecter, showing us his bliss and contentment which instantly and severely turns on a dime when an imperfect musician strikes an imperfect note. In that one moment, Ratner and Hopkins, capture you, drawing you into the complexity known as Hannibal Lecter.

Early on, Lecter is called upon brilliant FBI forensics expert, Will Graham, played to perfection by Edward Norton. It seems that the doctor has been assisting Graham in investigating a series of crimes which suddenly take on the form of cannibalistic ritualism. Both Lecter and Graham simultaneously come to the same conclusion as to who the cannibal may be. (Any guesses folks?)

Jumping ahead several years, we see Lecter in his now infamous prison cell. After almost being fatally wounded by Lecter during Lecter’s capture, and suffering from a severe case of Post Cannibal Stress Disorder, Will Graham has long since retired from the Bureau, moving to Florida for quality time with his family. Unfortunately, his respite is not long lasting and he is pulled from retirement at the request of his old boss Jack Crawford. Seems a new killer is on the loose. Labeled the "Tooth Fairy", this new psycho slaughters whole families during nights with a full moon, leaving jagged teeth marks left on the victims’ flesh as his "calling card." Knowing there is only person capable of assisting him in this investigation and with only three weeks before the next full moon, Graham turns to his old nemesis Lecter for assistance.

Also known as the "Red Dragon" because of a strange Chinese symbol he methodically leaves at each crime scene, the Tooth Fairy takes pleasure in writing to the imprisoned Dr. Lecter. Ralph Fiennes is mesmerizing giving a fearlessly frightening performance as the maniacal Tooth Fairy/Red Dragon and his alter ego, Francis Dolarhyde, a shy, retiring, seemingly anti-social, mild mannered photo processing employee (where have we have heard that before), suffering from an inferiority complex compounded with pyromaniacal tendencies, sexual identity crisis, an idolatry of Hannibal Lecter and a love of ancient tortures. (Okay, so idolozing Lecter and loving torture could theoretically be one in the same. ) With a superior physique covered with the tattoo of a dragon taken from a 200 year old drawing, Fiennes gives us one of the most sordid and sensually exciting cannibalistic characters in history.

Written by "Lambs" veteran Ted Talley, the script is superb and at times, superior to Harris’ novel. One of the things I enjoyed most about "Lambs" was Talley’s translation from book to script and Jonathan Demme’s visualization to the screen. Not until "Silence of the Lambs" (and only once since with "Harry Potter") had I ever seen a film as vividly and accurately depicted on screen as the visions and emotions seen and felt while reading the book. Here, although Talley gives more time to development of Lecter than in the book, and takes a bit of literary license, he is nevertheless, faithful to the overall storyline and its characters, once again evoking horror, fear, and even a Lecter’s dry humor with intelligent and passionate dialogue. The addition of Emily Watson as a young blind girl named Reba McClane who meets up with Dolarhyde, only adds to his multi-dimensional characterization, giving us explanation, empathy and even sympathy for who and what Dolarhyde has become. Definitely not a token addition to the storyline.

Not as shockingly or violently horrific as "Hannibal", director Ratner goes for the more cerebral and contemplative, electing to concentrate on his characters and their surroundings as opposed to an all out gourmet gross-out fest. (Fear not - you will, however, get your fill of gourmet gore!) Adding to the overall creepiness is the darkness and mystery created by cinematographer Dante Spinotti, who served in the same capacity on "Manhunter." What an effectively chilling combination of talent.

Luckily for us, Hannibal is serving nine consecutive life sentences which could give rise to more dinner parties and witty reparte with the engagingly enchanting doctor. And of course, one so loved and admired will undoubtedly get at least a visitor or two during the course of his "tenancy." What was that? "What is her name?" "Starling. Clarice Starling."