Is this Mann's best film? - Manhunter (1986) Discussion

[–] SeanJoyce 13 years ago

That would be his crime epic Heat, followed closely by The Insider.

It fits comfortably into his top 5 though, along with Collateral and The Last of the Mohicans.

"...if that was off, I'd be whoopin' your ass up and down this street." ~ an irate Tarantino

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[–] Tonic_Solution 13 years ago

Manhunter, an excellent thriller, is the best film I've seen from Mann's oeuvre. Heat is a vastly overrated mediocrity of a film rife with cliches and an implausible love subplot with the De Niro and Brenneman characters, among other numerous silly contrivances and digressions. It's a bloated Hollywood heist thriller. I haven't seen The Insider, yet, but have heard good things about it. Collateral is a merely passable thriller that features Cruise as a Hollywood villain who utters banal philosophy. Public Enemies is fun disposable entertainment.

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[–] PoppyTransfusion 13 years ago

I find Heat to be indulgently long. For me the scenes with Pacino and his cop's love affair with De Niro's character were the most unnecessary. The Insider is very, very good and is Mann's second best of those I've seen.

I'm a fountain of blood
In the shape of a girl

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[–] Doom 13 years ago

Love this film, but The Insider is my favorite from Mann.

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Wait a minute... who am I here?

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[–] outspiral 11 years ago

You have to be kidding me calling it a bloated hollywood thriller... I mean how much garbage comes out that no one remembers. Heat is an epic, incredibly well thought out masterpiece

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[–] PoppyTransfusion 13 years ago

It was innovative, imaginative and full of parallels between the criminal and investigative minds. Stylistically I think it rates very high too in its the use of light, architecture (and space) and colour.

I'm a fountain of blood
In the shape of a girl

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[–] gwnightscream 13 years ago

It's definitely one of Mann's best.

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[–] scottmc1971 13 years ago

I think you're definitely right about the stylistic appearance of the film as regards light, space and colour (to which the soundtrack added another dimension). This is something Mann does well, and it really gives his films an individual look and feel. You'd not watch this and think it was directed by anyone other than Michael Mann. And I thought it was a really creative adaptation of Harris' book, not just a slavish copy, unlike the later Red Dragon.

Added to that, I think the performances were really strong, not only from Petersen and Brian Cox, but also from old Mann favourites Dennis Farina and Stephen Lang - and it's certainly the best thing Tom Noonan's done.

All in all, a superior movie.

"Fear is not what you owe me. You owe me awe."

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[–] PoppyTransfusion 13 years ago

There was a thread on this board, not sure if it's still here, with screen shots on Mann's use of architecture in Manhunter and the shots were thrilling. Moments which happen quickly in the film so that it's hard to appreciate the beauty of the perspective and photography.

I'm glad you like the soundtrack - I love it! Even the cheesy ending number Heartbeat.

I am in complete agreement with what you write about Red Dragon and the actors in Manhunter. I would add Joan Allen who plays Reba as sensual and intelligent; Kim Greist who has an ethereal beauty in the film that contrasts with Petersen's earthy intensity; and the child who played Kevin.

Cox was far better as Lecter than Hopkins. As he has said, on the DVD extras, he played Lecter's evil as an absence of something whereas Hopkins is more conventional and plays evil as the presence of something. In most experiences evil occurs in the absence of something; it's very rare for evil to be the presence of something. The character of Lecter could not have lived as we are expected to believe behaving the way the character does in SoTl and RD.

I'm a fountain of blood
In the shape of a girl

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[–] jritty 12 years ago

every time I think of this flic in my head I heart it LOL "I can your heart beat.." EVERY time.

You Suck...now deal with it.

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[–] wiking5 13 years ago

Nobody's mentioned it yet, but I think THIEF is Mann's best film....

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[–] gibgezr 10 years ago

Thief is my second favourite Mann film, after Manhunter. Thief and Manhunter were made back when directors and editors weren't afraid to take time to develop the characters; compare the perfect pacing of Thief (slow enough to invest you in Caan's character and really let the tension build) with that of Heat (Hollywood bang-bang).

Red Dragon was awful.

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[–] Edward_de_Vere 13 years ago

Heat seems to be Mann's most critically acclaimed film, but I found it to be a good but conventional caper movie.

Manhunter, on the other hand, was an underappreciated ground-breaking film in its character study of a serial killer combined with attention to forensic detail. So I would rate it well above Heat.

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[–] SeanJoyce 13 years ago

Heat seems to be Mann's most critically acclaimed film, but I found it to be a good but conventional caper movie.

It's because you view it as a "caper movie" that you find it "good" and "conventional". Tsk tsk.

"...if that was off, I'd be whoopin' your ass up and down this street." ~ an irate Tarantino

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[–] 13 years ago

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[–] uzielis 13 years ago

I would choose Heat as my favorite. But there's just something about this baby that captures the essence of the 80s... I've watched it many times and despite the criticism it has received, it's just plain fascinating, especially the use of the shades of white and blue... And I really like the bedroom scene at night of Will and Molly, blue beings on a white bed with the silver ocean behind them... Classic.

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[–] whalekerry 12 years ago

Heat is definitely his best film to date. Mann is a brilliant director. I also loved this and "Collateral", I even loved the visuals in "Miami Vice". Some moments in "Public Enemies" were great but as a whole it was above average at best. Anyway, yes "HEAT" is rightfully regarded as his greatest work and I doubt he'll top it...frankly I doubt anyone will top it. I even prefer it over "The Godfather" and I LOVE "The Godfather".

My Blog: http://cinephilefix.wordpress.com/
Eyes Wide Shut deserves more recognition.

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[–] hnt_dnl 12 years ago

Collateral is my #1 Mann film.
Then Manhunter at #2.

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] lost-in-limbo 12 years ago

For me it's a toss of the coin between Manhunter and Thief.

"Don't... get... eliminated!"

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[–] 12 years ago

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[–] lost-in-limbo 12 years ago

... "Manhunter" and "Thief".

"Don't... get... eliminated!"

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[–] The_THX_Noise 12 years ago

Nothing could ever top The Insider.

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