The Hannibal Lecter Collection (1986)

I Ate His Liver...

I bought this with Pepsi Stuff points a few months back and never got to giving it the proper attention it deserved. I originally purchased this collection because of how much I loved Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal Rising, but never saw the other two here.

The first thing I will say, above all else, is that if you have not entered yourself in with Pepsi Stuff yet, do it. It's much better than Coke Rewards and you can get gems in a matter of weeks.

Now, as said before, I avidly loved Silence of the Lambs. Who doesn't, even if they are disgusted? The many quotable lines, memorable acting and enticing story are like crack, for lack of a better term.

I have had my eyes on Manhunter for a long time and, based on what I have heard from others, am very glad they decided to include this underrated masterpiece in with the collection rather than the Anthony Hopkins remake. The undertone of the movie as a whole is truly creepy, which is strange in that such an atmosphere is usually not created in a thriller film. Brian Cox's Lecter (or Lektor, if you pay attention or use subtitles) is surprisingly on par with Hopkins' to a point where it cannot be truthfully described unless you saw it for yourself. If you liked Silence, you will love this movie.

Hannibal I also had been long interested in, however I could not help but worry. And then my fears were confirmed: the movie falls apart in places. Certain things are not explained very well, some you would not understand unless you had read the novel for Red Dragon (or else, like me, looked it up online) and then, well...Lecter just doesn't seem to act like Lecter. He's still cunning, still a little odd, but his oddities seem almost to the point of being purely childish and his overall actions seem to stray away from the intelligently frightening man we came to know in Silence. Despite this, it is still a worthwhile watch.

All in all, I cannot recommend this highly enough if you enjoy movies to any extent. If you drink Pepsi, collect points and get it for free. If you don't and have to buy it, that's fine too. This collection is very cheap and is most certainly moreso than going to a local store and purchasing all of these movies separately.

****/4.5 stars out of 5**** May 2, 2008

The Hannibal Lecter Collection (Complaint)

This set contains:

Manhunter

The Silence of the Lambs

Hannibal

This contains a great collection of one of Horror's most violent iconic madman. I have one small complaint though...

I just purchased this collection today and when I opened "The Silence of the Lambs" DVD, I noticed there was a disc empty. I assume there was a second DVD. I'm not sure if it was supposed to be contained in this set or if I received a cheap version without a second disc. If anyone has any idea what happened to the second disc on "The Silence of the Lambs" you can just reply to this.... April 12, 2008

Manhunter is the Red Dragon, all three brilliant

Manhunter actually corresponds to the book featuring the Red Dragon.

This is one of the most interesting mind-thrillers I have ever enjoyed. The books, links below, are also recommended for those whose imaginations can create a richer tapestry than any DVD might offer.

Red Dragon

Silence of the Lambs

Hannibal

The new DVD, Hannibal Rising, is also superb and credible and I review it separately. Here is the link to the book and the DVD.

Book:

Hannibal Rising

DVD:

Hannibal Rising (Full Screen Edition)

Anthony Hopkins is the gold standard, but I must give full credit to the actors in Manhunter and Hannibal Rising, they are superb. While I missed Jody Foster, whose Silence of the Lambs performance was extraordinary, Julianne Moore is amazing, and fully her equal.

This set, both books and DVDs, is for the intellectual connosieur. February 2, 2008

The Hannibal Lecter Collection

I love Thomas Harris, but also love Anthony Hopkins and wish he was in all 3 movies. Also, I prefer the other actor who plays Graham in Red Dragon to the one in Manhunter. I have seen these movies enough that it doesn't seem right to see different stars in it, especially Graham. January 14, 2008

The Hannibal Lecter Collection

Three exceptional films of terror and supense, brand new, at a reasonable price. Michael Mann's film that started it all 'Manhunter', Johnathan Demme's supreme masterpiece 'The Silence of the Lambs', and Ridley Scott's unsettling 'Hannibal'. Can't beat the collection. January 13, 2008

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