In 1981 Thomas Harris released a very dark thriller called
Red Dragon, about a gifted FBI profiler named Will Graham, who comes out of retirement to assist in the investigation of a serial killer known as "The Tooth Fairy" (for his habit of leaving bite marks on his victims). Throughout the novel, Graham reluctantly seeks help from another
serial killer, the brilliant if amoral psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter. The two had previously forced each other into mutual retirement, Graham by catching Lecter, and Lecter by nearly disemboweling Graham while trying to escape.
The novel was well-regarded for its unyielding gothic tone and the unnerving detail and care Harris put into the psychological dysfunctions of villain Francis Dolarhyde. The book was made into the movie
Manhunter in 1986, starring William Petersen (yes,
that one) as Graham and Brian Cox as Hannibal "Lecktor".
In 2002, there was a new film adaptation of
Red Dragon, starring Anthony Hopkins and Edward Norton and keeping the original name this time. It was a moderate success, although fans of
Manhunter complained that a remake was unnecessary. The film's tone is also much closer to the grounded American feel of
The Silence Of The Lambs when compared to
Hannibal, which was more upper-crust international. The film also included the focus on the Red Dragon's psychological torments, which was all but ignored in
Manhunter.
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