History Trivia / RedDragon

* TechnologyMarchesOn: Dolarhyde chooses his victims through their home movies, which are shot on film and are sent to his company for processing. While it made sense in 1981 (when the book was published) and 1979 (when the book was set), when 8mm and 16mm cameras were still commonly used for home movies, this plot device quickly became outdated by 1983 when the camcorder became a reality, thanks to the fact that videotape doesn't need any post-processing and can be played back as soon as a recording is finished. While 1986's ''Manhunter'' retains the book's use of film-based home movies despite its contemporary setting, the 2002 adaptation updates the story to Dolarhyde's company compositing shorter home movies into VHS tapes (as the timeframe set by ''The Silence of the Lambs'' meant the movie had to take place in the mid-80s instead of 1979). Of course, that too is wildly outdated today, with the rise of digital cameras, smartphones, and video-editing software like [=iMovie=] and Windows Movie Maker all rendering this practice obsolete. Today, Dolarhyde would likely stalk victims on social media sites like [=YouTube=], Twitter, Instagram, or [=TikTok=].

* TheOtherDarrin: Harvey Keitel replaced Scott Glenn as Jack Crawford.

** Music/MichaelJackson of all people lobbied to play Dolarhyde! Considering Jackson's own lifelong self-image issues and alleged eccentricities, there ''is'' an admitted parallel, but it's still somewhat jarring to think about. Creator/PaulBettany was also offered the role, but he wasn't busy with ''Film/{{Dogville}}''. Creator/NicolasCage and Creator/SeanPenn were also considered, while Creator/JeremyPiven auditioned.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The plot hinges on Dolarhyde's employment at a film processing facility. He discovers his victims via the home movies they send in for processing and uses the home movies to learn the layouts of the home and any obstacles in his way. His job quickly became obsolete with the rise of camcorders just a few years later, and nowadays the ubiquity of smartphones and video editing software makes his job next-to-nonfunctional. The 2002 film adaptation pushed him slightly ahead of his literary counterpart: in the book he processes film for use in projectors, while in the movie he edits multiple home videotapes onto one tape. Of note is that the original book was set in 1979, while both film adaptations shoot for a mid-80's setting (which was contemporary for ''Manhunter'', but in the 2002 film's case is done to preserve continuity with ''Literature/TheSilenceOfTheLambs''; the latter case is an AvertedTrope though, given that the 2002 film is an ''intentional'' period piece).

* AnachronismStew: When Graham is investigating the Leeds' entertainment cabinet, a VHS copy of ''Film/MrsDoubtfire'' can be seen, a film released in 1993. The prologue for this film takes place in 1980, with the bulk of the story occurring "several years later" (with ''Manhunter'' before it establishing a three-year gap and the original novel a four-year one). It's doubtful 12 years were meant to have passed, especially since this story occurs before ''Film/TheSilenceOfTheLambs'', which took place around 1990.

** According to the commentary track for the 2002 film, Creator/PhilipSeymourHoffman very much wanted to play Dolarhyde; he ended up being cast as Lounds instead.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The plot hinges on Dolarhyde's employment at a film processing facility. He discovers his victims via the home movies they send in for processing and uses the home movies to learn the layouts of the home and any obstacles in his way. His job quickly became obsolete with the rise of camcorders just a few years later, and nowadays the ubiquity of smartphones and video editing software makes his job next-to-nonfunctional. The 2002 film adaptation pushed him slightly ahead of his literary counterpart: in the book he processes film for use in projectors, while in the movie he edits multiple home videotapes onto one tape. Of note is that the original book was set in 1979, while both film adaptations shoot for a mid-80's setting (which was contemporary for ''Manhunter'', but in the 2002 film's case is done to preserve continuity with ''Literature/TheSilenceOfTheLambs'').

* TechnologyMarchesOn: Dolarhyde chooses his victims through their home movies, which are shot on film and are sent to his company for processing. While it made sense in 1981 (when the book was published) and 1979 (when the book was set), when 8mm and 16mm cameras were still commonly used for home movies, this plot device quickly became outdated by the mid-80s when the camcorder became a reality, thanks to the fact that videotape doesn't need any post-processing and can be played back as soon as a recording is finished. While 1986's ''Manhunter'' retains the book's use of film-based home movies despite its contemporary setting, the 2002 adaptation updates the story to Dolarhyde's company compositing shorter home movies into VHS tapes (as the timeframe set by ''The Silence of the Lambs'' meant the movie had to take place in the mid-80s instead of 1979). Of course, that too is wildly outdated today, with the rise of digital cameras, smartphones, and video-editing software like [=iMovie=] and Windows Movie Maker all rendering this practice obsolete. Today, Dolarhyde would likely stalk victims on social media sites like [=YouTube=], Twitter, Instagram, or [=TikTok=].

* AnachronismStew: When Graham is investigating the Leeds' entertainment cabinet, a VHS copy of ''Film/MrsDoubtfire'' can be seen, a film released in 1993. The prologue for this film takes place in 1980, with the bulk of the story occurring "several years later." It's doubtful 12 years were meant to have passed, especially since this story occurs before ''Film/TheSilenceOfTheLambs'', which took place around 1990.

* DyeingForYourArt: Creator/RalphFiennes gained fifteen pounds of muscle.

* TechnologyMarchesOn: Dolarhyde chooses his victims through their home movies, which are shot on film and are sent to his company for processing. This plot device was outdated by the mid-80s when the camcorder became a reality. The 2002 adaptation updates the story to Dolarhyde's company compositing shorter home movies into VHS tapes (as the timeframe set by ''The Silence of the Lambs'' meant the movie had to take place in the mid-80s instead of the late 70s). Of course, that too is wildly outdated. Today, Dolarhyde would likely stalk victims on Youtube.
** In the television version, made and set in the 2010's, it's made a plot point that film development is a more specialized field now thanks to digital, and Dolarhyde is one of the few left who knows how to do it.
* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The plot hinges on Dolarhyde's employment at a film processing facility. He discovers his victims via the home movies they send in for processing and uses the home movies to learn the layouts of the home and any obstacles in his way. Nowadays his job is obsolete. The movie ''Red Dragon'' pushed him slightly ahead of his literary counterpart. In the book he processes film for use in projectors, in the movie he edits multiple home videotapes onto one tape.

** According to the Red Dragon commentary, Creator/PhilipSeymourHoffman very much wanted to play Dolarhyde.

** Music/MichaelJackson lobbied to play Dolarhyde (!). Creator/PaulBettany. was offered the role, but he wasn't busy with ''Film/{{Dogville}}''. Creator/NicolasCage and Creator/SeanPenn were also considered, while Creator/JeremyPiven auditioned.

** Music/MichaelJackson lobbied to play Dolarhyde (!). Creator/PaulBettany. was offered the role, but he wasn't busy with ''Film/{{Dogville}}''. Creator/NicolasCage and Creator/SeanPenn were also considered.
** Creator/JackBlack was considered for Freddy Lounds. Had Creator/AnthonyHeald not been available, the role of Chilton would have gone to Creator/TimRoth.

* EnforcedMethodActing: Creator/PhilipSeymourHoffman was glued to the chair for real, at his own request.

* TheOtherDarrin: Everyone at some point.

* AwesomeDearBoy: As reported [[http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/2002-10-03-red-dragon-cover_x.htm here]], actors Creator/AnthonyHopkins, Creator/EdwardNorton, Creator/RalphFiennes, and Creator/EmilyWatson, and even Director Creator/BrettRatner have all said that they were very reluctant to do ''Red Dragon'', mostly due to how poorly ''Film/{{Hannibal}}'' had gone. What actually convinced them all to do it was the screenplay written by Ted Tally (the same screenplay writer from ''Film/SilenceOfTheLambs''), which they all thought was amazing.

* TechnologyMarchesOn: Dolarhyde chooses his victims through their home movies, which are shot on film and are sent to his company for processing. This plot device was outdated by the mid-80s when the camcorder became a reality. The 2002 adaptation updates the story to Dolarhyde's company compositing shorter home movies into VHS tapes (as the timeframe set by ''Silence of the Lambs'' meant the movie had to take place in the mid-80s instead of the late 70s). Of course, that too is wildly outdated. Today Dolarhyde would just stalk victims on Youtube.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The plot hinges on Dolarhyde's employment at a film processing facility. He discovers his victims via the home movies they send in for processing and uses the home movies to learn the layouts of the home and any obstacles in his way. Nowadays his job is obsolete. The movie ''Red Dragon'' pushed him slightly ahead of his literary counterpart. In the book he processes film for use in projectors, in the movie he processes film into videotapes.

** Creator/JackBlack was considered for Freddy Lounds. Had Anthony Heald not been available, the role of Chilton would have gone to Creator/TimRoth.

** In the television version, made and set in the 2010s, Francis has the option to go digital but prefers film.

* AwesomeDearBoy: Actors Creator/AnthonyHopkins, Creator/EdwardNorton, Creator/RalphFiennes, and Creator/EmilyWatson, and even Director Creator/BrettRatner have all said that they were very reluctant to do ''Red Dragon'', mostly due to how poorly ''Film/{{Hannibal}}'' had gone. What actually convinced them all to do it was the screenplay written by Ted Tally (the same screenplay writer from ''Film/SilenceOfTheLambs''), which they all thought was amazing.