I am a big fan of Red Dragon the novel, the "real" Red Dragon as more pretentious souls than me might choose to refer to
it. In a recent review I held up
Thomas Harris' launching novel for the Hannibal Lector franchise as an under-credited masterpiece and one of my favourite novels of all time across all categories (see link below). That said, film adaptations and me don't do so well together. Another of my favourite novels of all time is Northern Lights and let's just say I would lose my user privileges on this site if I ever articulated my thoughts about the movie adaptation of that particular novel. So how does Red Dragon shape up as a film, and does it compare favorably to the book?
Worryingly enough the answer to those questions are surprisingly well and yes. There is a sense throughout that the De Laurentis crew have, by this third outing with Anthony Hopkins in the role of Hannibal Lector, are so comfortable with these stories that the transition from book to screen has become almost effortless. The first twenty minutes or so of this film are some of the most carefully composed and beautiful pieces of film I have watched. The opening, which sees Will Graham, played by Edward Norton, catching the good doctor at the height of his crimes, is simple but absolutely perfect to launch the movie. It also goes some way to fill the gaps from the novels, which never quite go as far as explaining how Lector was caught and why Will Graham was affected by the capture. Even the opening credits are divine, utilizing a swelling rush of violins in the soundtrack that suggest a composer truly enjoying the experience of tension building for the film.
But effortless does not mean complacent, and much of the credit must go to the cast. Edward Norton is one of the most outstanding actors of our time and perfectly suited to the role of Will Graham. Anthony Hopkins reprises the role of Hannibal Lector for the third and, in all probability, final time and once again looks like he was born to play the role. But all this would be incomplete without the amazing work by Ralph Fiennes as the Toothfairy, aka Red Dragon. The film holds a special place in my heart, being the first of only two Lector films I saw at the cinema. All I can say is: what an opening to the series.
For anyone a little confused at this stage, Red Dragon is the first novel but the third film to star Anthony Hopkins, due to Red Dragon having been made and retitled
Manhunter in 1986 starring the very talented Brian Cox as Lector. I won't be as harsh as some might as to this film's failings, I actually think there is plenty to enjoy, but it simply doesn't sing the way Red Dragon does. The "remake" of Red Dragon having ended up third in the running order, the film is able to create a pleasant sense of symmetry. The novel's line "a civilized society would either kill me or give me my books" becomes "or put me to some use" because of course we know that in Silence of the Lambs, it's chronological sequel, that is exactly what the FBI again choose to do with horrific consequences. The film also has a more overt nod that I won't spoil for those who haven't seen the film.
If you were to draw a comparison to the book you would have to conclude that there is an awful lot more Lector in the film than there is in the book. Film companies know their audiences well and the appeasement of long-time fans of the franchise is priority one. This comes at the cost of some of the more interesting details regarding the Red Dragon's background, although these details would likely have never made the film even without Hopkins' popularity. Some things just work better in text. In short, I would encourage everyone to read the book, preferably first, in addition to seeing the film but it is not a movie that takes great liberties with the source material.
Red Dragon is the culmination of these movies and having such an amazing book behind the plot only makes it the sweeter experience. It is rare for an adaptation to be so accurate to the original and still make sense, and I cannot praise the makers of this gem of a film enough. It's a must-watch and I hope if you haven't tried it yet you will do very soon.