Red Dragon (2002) – WTF Happened to This Horror Movie?

The Red Dragon episode of WTF Happened to This Horror Movie? was Written by Ric Solomon, Narrated by Adam Walton, Edited by Juan Jimenez, Produced by Andrew Hatfield and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

Hannibal Lecter… a name that has been cemented forever in the hearts of horror fans alike. We’ve seen him in some truly gruesome, yet unforgettable films. The most well known is The Silence of the Lambs, which was followed up in 2001 with the mostly disliked, self-titled Hannibal. But the very next year, in 2002, we were treated to somewhat of a redemption story of Hannibal Lecter in the form of Red Dragon (watch it HERE). Did you know though, that this wasn’t the first time Red Dragon was made? Did you also know that none other than Brett Ratner, of then Rush Hour fame, directed this psychological thriller? Let’s look back, sip some chianti, and find out WTF Happened To This Horror Movie.

Let’s get this settled right off the bat. Red Dragon is based on the novel of the same name written by Thomas Harris. But, this is the second time it’s been adapted for theaters. The first was back in 1986 titled Manhunter. It was directed by Michael Mann, who went on to direct such classics as Heat and Collateral. The film follows William Graham, whose a former FBI criminal profiler whose gone into retirement, after being attacked by a cannibalistic serial known as Dr. Hannibal Lecktor. William goes to Lecktor for help to catch a serial killer known as The Tooth Fairy aka Francis Dollarhyde. For those of you who haven’t seen the film, you’d be surprised to know that Hannibal wasn’t portrayed by Anthony Hopkins here. Instead, he was played by Brian Cox. You know… Logan Roy from Succession. The film was well received but performed poorly at the box office. It later received a cult following and was rediscovered on home video. Brian Cox basically walked so Anthony Hopkins could run, and it shows. During production, it held the title of Red Dragon, to match its source material. However, during its release, the title was changed to Manhunter to avoid confusion with another film that was in production at the time titled, you guessed it, Red Dragon.

In 2001, Anthony Hopkins returned to star in Hannibal. A fun, gorier and more outrageous sequel to Silence of the Lambs. It was even directed by Ridley Scott, and Julianne Moore took on the role of Clarice Starling this time. Critics weren’t too kind, but audiences ran for a second helping of Hannibal Lecter.

Husband and wife producers, Dino and Martha De Laurentiis decided that they wanted to produce a film based on novel Red Dragon. People thought Dino was crazy for wanting to adapt a book that had previously been adapted.

Anthony Hopkins was hesitant to sign on because he believed three Hannibal films might be too much for audiences. Screenwriter Ted Tally, who wrote The Silence of the Lambs, came back to write the script for Red Dragon. He liked the idea of Hopkins’ Lecter films becoming a trilogy. Tally would go on and add scenes with Lecter that weren’t even in the novel, calling it a “commercial reality”. Thomas Harris even gave Tally his support for the script. There were many changes made which caused concerns among fans of the book, who preferred a more faithful adaptation. The cast only signed on after hearing that Tally was writing the screenplay.

Brett Ratner was hired to direct the film. He would take on this challenge of aiming to deliver a faithful and gripping portrayal of the story. Anthony Hopkins would sign on one last time as Dr Lecter. Edward Norton was hired to play Will Graham, even though Ethan Hawke was the first choice. Ralph Fiennes took on the role of Francis Dolarhyde aka The Tooth Fairy. Harvey Keitel would play this movie’s iteration of Jack Crawford, who is the head of the Behavioral Science Unit of the FBI. He enlists Graham to capture the Tooth Fairy. Emily Watson plays Reba McClane, who’s a blind woman that becomes romantically involved with Francis. Mary-Louise Parker plays Graham’s wife Molly and Philip Seymour Hoffman dons the role of Freddy Lounds who’s a sleazy tabloid report that becomes entangled in the investigation.

The plot for Red Dragon follows Will Graham, who’s a former FBI agent that retired after capturing the infamous cannibalistic serial killer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter. However, Graham is reluctantly pulled back into duty when a new killer emerges, nicknamed the “Tooth Fairy” due to his habit of biting his victims. The Tooth Fairy’s real name is Francis Dolarhyde, and he has a disturbing fascination with William Blake’s painting “The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed with the Sun.”

Graham is known for his unique ability to empathize with killers, which enables him to understand their motives and methods. He seeks the assistance of Dr. Lecter, who is imprisoned in a high-security facility. Lecter provides insights into the mind of the Tooth Fairy but also manipulates Graham, as he is deeply fascinated by the profiler. As Graham delves into the case, he uncovers a pattern of violence and obsession in Dolarhyde’s life. Meanwhile, Dolarhyde becomes infatuated with a blind woman named Reba McClane, creating a conflict within him. Graham must race against time to identify and capture the Tooth Fairy before he can claim more victims.

Throughout the story, Red Dragon explores the complex psychological dynamics between Graham, Lecter, and Dolarhyde. It delves into themes of violence, obsession, and the blurred lines between good and evil. Graham’s pursuit of the Tooth Fairy takes a toll on his own sanity, as he must confront the darkness within himself to stop the killer.

Filming took place in 2001 lasting several months. Principal photography took place in various locations, including Baltimore, Maryland and Ashville, North Carolina. The production designed aimed to recreate the 1980s setting and the visual style was influenced by the previous films in the series, with a focus on creating a tense and psychologically charged atmosphere.

Edward Norton isn’t always the easiest person to get along with on set. He disagreed with Brett Ratner, most notably, the scene in which Graham visits Lecter in incarceration. Ratner wanted Norton to incorporate a gesture or even some type of look to indicate Graham’s fear. Norton felt the audience would not need this if it was filmed correctly. Instead, they compromised and showed Graham’s sweat stains when he removes his jacket in the next scene. Ralph Fiennes spent 90 minutes of each day for months building his physique. He even went as far as wearing a prosthetic that gave him a cleft palate.

Red Dragon employed practical effects to depict the violent and gruesome nature of the crimes committed by the serial killer. The special effects team worked on creating realistic crime scenes and practical prosthetics to showcase the aftermath of the killings. The attention to detail in these effects also added to the film’s visceral impact.

Red Dragon released in theaters on October 4, 2002. The film garnered praise for its performances, particularly Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter and Ralph Fiennes as Francis Dolarhyde. Edward Norton’s portrayal of Will Graham also received favorable reviews. Some felt that it did not quite reach the heights of the earlier film. However, others found Red Dragon to be a worthy addition to the franchise and a strong adaptation of the source material.

It performed well at the box office, grossing over $209 million worldwide! It’s financial success further demonstrated the enduring popularity of the Hannibal Lecter character and the interest in the psychological thriller genre… but it would be the last time Anthony Hopkins would play as Dr. Lecter.

Red Dragon would release on both VHS and DVD on April 1, 2003. For it’s DVD release, it would come in two editions. The first being a standard one disc release that included deleted scenes, director’s commentary by Brett Ratner and some featurettes on the making of the film. The two disc release was titled the “Director’s Edition”. It would have all the single disc special features as well as a video diary by Brett Ratner, a new featurette, screen tests and storyboard comparisons. Seven years later, it would release on Blu-ray with the same bonus features as the “Director’s Edition” with an updated 1080p picture.

While this isn’t my favorite outing of Doctor Lecter’s, it’s still a very fun time. Ralph Fiennes is both menacing and chilling as The Tooth Fairy and is one of the standout elements from this film. After being treated to a gruesome time in Hannibal, it’s nice to see that this a more restrained psychological thriller. I’m going to rate this a 7 out of 10 being a good middle ground for everyone’s favorite cannibal.

In conclusion, Red Dragon is a must-watch for fans of the psychological thriller genre. With its stellar performances, intense atmosphere, and thought-provoking narrative, it immerses viewers in a world of psychological terror. Brace yourself for a chilling and captivating journey into the mind of madness!

A couple of the previous episodes of WTF Happened to This Horror Movie? can be seen below. To see more, head over to our JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!