Prelude to a kill: Meet the 'Red Dragon'

Thomas Harris' novel "Red Dragon" is the reason why you should lock your door at night.

Universal Pictures' upcoming movie "Red Dragon"— opening this Friday, October 4th — is the reason why you should deadbolt it.

Publicized during recent months as "the prequel to 'The Silence of the Lambs,'" "Red Dragon" is based on the 1981 suspense thriller also written by Harris. It examines the origins of psychiatrist-turned-serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter prior to his debut in "The Silence of the Lambs." It also introduces an even more nightmarish psychopath/sociopath/serial killer/monster — Francis Dolarhyde.

Labeled by his pursuant detectives as "The Tooth Fairy," Dolarhyde makes Hannibal "the Cannibal" seem like Santa Claus.

The movie begins with a flashback to the first capture of Hannibal, in 1980. FBI detective Will Graham (Edward Norton) is consulting with renowned psychiatrist Dr. Lecter to develop a psychological profile for an at-large murderer. Will has a special knack for thinking like the psychopaths that he pursues, and when he realizes that Hannibal himself is the man that the FBI is after—it is too late. He endures a near-fatal attack by the crazed psychiatrist, but fortunately lives to see Dr. Lecter sentenced to life in a maximum security cell in the Maryland penitentiary.

Fast-forward several years later to Graham's idyllic life in Florida with his wife and young son. His days working for the FBI are far behind him—that is, until special agent Jack Crawford (Harvey Keitel) requests his help in a most disturbing case. "The Tooth Fairy" murderer—as deemed by the national tabloid—has already killed two entire families in Birmingham and Atlanta, and Crawford is certain that he will strike again. In the most gruesome of crime scenes, the Tooth Fairy leaves bite marks on the dead bodies, shattered mirrors throughout the households, and inserts the shards of glass in the eyes of his victims.

Dr. Lecter (portrayed masterfully, as always, by Anthony Hopkins) is somewhat of an auxiliary figure in this first novel of the Hannibal trilogy (finally rounded out by "Hannibal" in 1999). Much like Clarice (Jodie Foster) in "The Silence of the Lambs," Will resorts to bargaining games with the ex-psychiatrist in order to bring himself closer to the killer.

Although Hannibal is not the psycho at large in "Red Dragon," Hopkins nevertheless receives top billings for Universal's release. Audiences possess an affinity for Hannibal's hypnotic stare and quotable collection of one-liners ("I do wish we could chat longer but...I'm having an old friend for dinner."). The British Hopkins' notorious embodiment of insanity has been unparalleled since "The Silence of the Lambs" release. Audiences will therefore not expect Ralph Fiennes fierce portrayal of Francis Dolarhyde, the Tooth Fairy—or as he prefers to be known: the Red Dragon.

Fiennes ("Schindler's List") is a better Dolarhyde than the novel could have hoped. Understated, socially awkward, and slightly disfigured, Dolarhyde is a recluse residing in what used to be a nursing home run by his deceased grandmother. His fetishism for the subject of William Blake's painting entitled "The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed with the Sun" (c. 1805), puts Hannibal's claim to the "most severely disturbed man on earth" in jeopardy.

"Red Dragon" is flawlessly cast. Fiennes is both horrific and pitiful, and while certainly not as amusing as Hopkins, is every bit as engrossing. Edward Norton's boyish portrayal of Will Graham brings the seemingly stoic and ultra-focused novel persona to life. Harvey Keitel ("Reservoir Dogs") plays more of the authoritative, hardened boss in the film, and is an adequate complement to Norton.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman ("Boogie Nights", "The Talented Mr. Ripley", "Magnolia", "Almost Famous")—hailed as one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood—is appropriately the sleazy tabloid journalist Freddy Lounds. Unfortunately the movie does not have time to develop Freddy to the extent that the novel does, but he is nevertheless an enjoyable touch. Finally, Emily Watson portrays Reba McClane, a recent acquaintance of Dolarhyde's who happens to be blind. Dolarhyde uses her disability to flirt with the idea of exposing her, unknowingly, to the side of him that the rest of the world cannot see—that of the Great Red Dragon and his desire to achieve "The Becoming." This technique nearly parallels the culminating scene in "Silence," using the night vision goggles.

Universal's attempt is not the first to bring Harris' first psychological thriller to the big screen. "Manhunter," a Michael Mann film, was released in 1986. Needless to say, it was received nowhere near as favorably as the 1991 release of "The Silence of the Lambs." Perhaps this was due to Mann's underestimate of audiences' affinity for the character of Hannibal Lecter — portrayed in "Manhunter" by Brian Cox.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

Thomas Harris obviously realized the potential lurking within this minor character of Hannibal in the 1981 "Red Dragon," and made him the central focus of "The Silence of the Lambs," his next novel, written in 1988. The novel became the movie in 1991, and the rest, as they say, was Hollywood history. "Silence" earned five major Academy Awards: Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins), Best Actress (Jodie Foster), Best Director (Jonathan Demme), Best Adapted Screenplay (Ted Tally), and Best Picture.

To the same extent that "Silence" perfected the essence of Dr. Lecter, "Hannibal" probably corrupted it. The 1999 novel and the 2001 film sharing the same title received indifferent reviews, reminiscent of "Manhunter," and thus, the trilogy ended on a disappointing note.

Universal's "Red Dragon," nevertheless, successfully resurrects the legacy of Harris' Hannibal trilogy. Fortunately, it leans more towards the success of "Silence" rather than "Hannibal." I don't believe that a movie can adequately convey the patient developments, tantalizing red herrings, complex character motivations, and forensic evidence down-to-the-smallest-hair-fiber that constitute a Thomas Harris masterpiece. The film nonetheless excels in condensing all of these elements into a two-hour-long adrenaline rush, with a superb ending. Universal's "Red Dragon" finally does justice to what is perhaps the greatest psychological thriller ever written.