Manhunter

If Red Dragon had been made in the 1980's it would be this film.

Oh, wait.

It has. It is.

You know what? This film is not bad at all. Sure, it isn't as stylish as the later incarnation of the book Red Dragon, or stylish in a distinct 1980's way (read: dated), but the actors are as stellar as the ones who play the same roles in 2002. Although some of them may have faded into obscurity.

Will Graham is here played by William Petersen (yes, he of CSI fame, basically inventing his later role here), the tooth fairy/red dragon is played Tom Noonan (you have seen him before, I am certain, but you may not remember the name), Joan Allen plays the blind woman and the late Dennis Farina is Jack Crawford. And, oh yes, there is Hannibal Lecter (on IMDB it is spelled Lecktor), a role forever associated with the brilliant Anthony Hopkins. How could poor Brian Cox (also a brilliant actor) ever stand a chance of being remembered for it.

The music is as 1980's as the clothes are. Everything that you have seen later is here, as well, Will Graham digging into the criminal mind, the journalist rolling downhill while on fire, the weird teeth bit.

The two films even have the same score on IMDB. I get that films fade into memory of those that have concsiously lived through the times they were made in and Red Dragon serves a valid purpose for later generations. Myself, I have lived through both incarnations (yes, I am that old) and am ok with both versions.

7/10

Labyrinth

What happens when you let David Bowie run loose in Jim Henson's Muppet land?

Well, magic, of course.

Teenager Sarah, who still lives in a child's dreamworld is upset with her father and stepmother for having her once again babysit her annoying little brother. He just won't stop crying and she just wishes the goblins would come and take him away.

And so they do.

Little Toby is taken to the castle of the goblin king Jareth and Sarah, now panicky about what she has done, has 13 hours to make her way to the castle and save the boy. Her quest leads her through a labyrinth (hence, the title) and many an adventure, helped and sometimes hindered by the strange creatures she encounters.

The story is set somewhere between The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland, but with the noticeable Jim Henson touch - with many awesome Muppets. And yes, awesome music.

I am not sure what they were on when they thought of this script but the final product is quite awesome.

7/10

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

This film is a quasi biography loosely based on real-life serial killer Henry Lee Lucas, who claimed to be responsible for some 600 murders (he wasn't).

Henry, who spend some time in prison for killing his mother, shares an apartment with Otis, also a former inmate. The story kicks off with Otis' sister Becky coming to stay when trying to get away from her husband.

Actually, the film starts with close ups of dead people, killed in different fashion ever time. The idea behind this is that the crimes are harder to connect if there is no clear modus operandi recognizable (Henry's words).

For a thriller/horror film it is relatively uneventful, with only very few killings on show. The ones we actually see involve Otis, who becomes Henry's sidekick after the two have two prostitutes in the car and one gets a little too loud for Henry's taste and he breaks her neck. Initially, Otis is shocked. He gets over it pretty quickly though and has no qualms about killing along with Henry.

The situation between the siblings is difficult, as they come out of a unloving family (including incest and all). When Henry one day walks in on Otis raping Becky, he kills and dismembers him and throws the remains off a bridge. Becky, convinced that Henry will take her to safety, doesn't make it much longer than her brother.

It is all very bleak and has a distinct 1980's feeling about it. Michael Rooker is great, though.

6/10