April Horror Films
by Dean Trail
Embedded Files
Manhunter (1986)
Content Warning
Minor violent & sexual content, all portrayed seriously. Some minor homophobia, if interpreted as such.
Review
Manhunter is an incredible psychological thriller/horror movie, and easily one of the best films I have ever seen. It is very well written, beautifully shot, impeccably scored (Acid Rock is rare in film), excellently acted, and has a very compelling plot. I would watch this film for its merits, not just because it has Hannibal Lecter, as he is relegated to a side character, and not played by Anthony Hopkins (who plays him in The Silence of The Lambs). This film is almost perfect, so I feel that I must give it a 9/10
Historical Significance
Manhunter is an adaptation of the novel The Red Dragon by Thomas Harris. Unfortunately, despite good critical response, Manhunter was (and still is) a relatively forgotten film. This resulted in an adaptation to the sequel of The Red Dragon; The Silence of The Lambs, being completely separate from this film.
The Silence of The Lambs (1991)
Content Warning
Major violent & sexual content, all portrayed seriously. Some minor transphobia, if interpreted as such.
Review
The Silence of the Lambs is easily one of the best and most well-known thriller/horror movies of all time, and is a worthy successor to Manhunter. The acting is incredible, winning two Oscars, being brilliantly filmed, and with an incredible story. This is one of the few films I would consider an absolute must-watch, partially due to its merits, and partially due to its influence on so many other movies. It is almost perfect, but falls short of literal perfection, so I must give it a 9/10.
Historical Insignificance
The Silence of the Lambs is the only horror film to win best picture in the Oscars, receiving five in its ceremony, which is particularly impressive for horror, a genre which is often treated poorly in critical circles. The film shot Hannibal Lecter into stardom, causing two more books to be written, alongside three other movies and three seasons of a TV show. It completely overshadowed Manhunter, to the point that few know of its existence. The Silence of the Lambs is one of the most iconic films ever, and elements of it seem to have inspired so many movies that have come after it.
Comparing the Two Films
These two films are both absolutely incredible, and absolutely worth watching. It is hard to say which I personally prefer, let alone what is better, and due to this, I will only compare aspects of the films in this segment. Manhunter feels much less gritty & realistic than The Silence of the Lambs, partially due to how Manhunter is filmed (much of it feeling almost symmetrical), how it is lit, and it having more exaggerated characters (other than Multiple Miggs and Chilton). If you could only watch one, Manhunter is better as an artsy crime thriller, and
The Silence of the Lambs is better as a gritty horror/thriller film.
Page updated
Report abuse