By Stephen Pytak 

     If you picked up a copy of Thomas Harris' novel 
"Red Dragon" and started reading about FBI Agent 
Will Graham, whose face would you ultimately 
picture in the role?
     For me, the face will always belong to actor 
William L. Peterson, who nailed the part in Michael 
Mann's masterpiece "Manhunter."
     The story is about the sane, the insane and those 
who fall in between. It's sort of like the good, the bad 
and the ugly. 
     Graham is a lawman who catches psychos by 
getting inside their heads. The problem is the bad 
has rubbed off on him somehow. So Graham is good, 
but also ugly.
     We're never sure exactly what kind of mental 
damage Graham is suffering from. But Peterson 
establishes it as something very real and intense.
     You can see the struggle in Petersons' eyes, 
which are sometimes focused, sometimes stuck in 
melancholy and sometimes staring into reflections 
of himself.
     Sometimes he even talks to those reflections. And 
whether he's indirectly talking to the killer he's 
tracking or his own shadow self, he makes it clear 
that confrontation is inevitable.
     "It's just you and me now sport."
     His demons surface when he confronts former 
nemesis Dr. Hannibal Lector (spelled "Lecktor" in 
Mann's film) through the bars of a mental institution. 
And when he sees them, he not only sweats, but runs, 
fast. 
     Whatever it is, it's driving him. He'll do anything 
to stop it, even run straight through a parlor window 
with gun in hand.
     But Peterson isn't the only reason "Manhunter" 
will stand the test of time. 
     The soundtrack is incredible, made up by cuts 
from various artists.
     Shriekback creates most of the moody techno 
score. But there are some heart pumping songs 
including "Strong As I Am" by The Prime Movers and 
"Heartbeat" by RED 7. Then there's Iron Butterfly's 
"In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida."
     It's an important factor. It's so intense, it's one of 
the film's signatures. Perhaps it's even a character. 
It's the voice of intensity.
     It's a shame it's not available in stores. It was 
released in limited form and you can acquire it from 
collectors at conventions or on Ebay.
     One other thing about "Manhunter" that's special 
is that it was made before "Hannibal Lector" 
became a superstar. This was the first flick which 
featured the character and the audience had no 
expectations.
     Brian Cox gives us a "Hannibal" that's more 
criminal than charming. But the real monster in this 
film is played by Tom Noonan.
     Noonan didn't  have much to work when he 
brought "Francis Dolarhyde" to life. The character 
is supposed to have this incredible "Red Dragon" 
tattoo and some pretty fierce looking false teeth. We 
don't really see these here. 
     But what we do get from Noonan is presence.
     It's hard to describe that something special 
Noonan had to offer.
     Sometimes it was his pure determination. 
     He was quick and strong. The shots of him 
ripping the cover off his dashboard and smashing the 
mirror in his bathroom stick in my head.
     Sometimes it was a pause of hesitation.
     When he has reporter "Freddy Lounds (played 
by Stephen Lang) tied up in his lair, he greets him 
with three words that have stuck in my head because 
of that seemingly pregnant pause.
     "Here I … am."