Grays Almanac

Home/Episodes/Manhunter

‘Manhunter’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan

April 13, 2021 · Manhunter (1986) · Crime · Mystery · Thriller · 1:36:37

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 12:13Michael Mann sued William Friedkin for plagiarism over To Live and Die in LA stealing from Miami Vice, lost the lawsuit, but they stayed friends and Mann considered Friedkin for Hannibal Lecter
Chris Ryan▶ 16:03Michael Mann quote about Manhunter: 'It bores me to present the events of the story in a realist style. My approach instead is to conceptualize the elements of the plot, taking into consideration the various torments of the human spirit. My aim is to exteriorize the spiritual in the expressionist manner.'

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 36:04Discussed the opening scene with Peterson and Farina, and Will goes to the victim's house scene as nominees, with extensive commentary on both
Chris Ryan▶ 36:53Praised the opening Peterson/Farina scene for establishing Will Graham's character and the world-building approach, comparing it to Silence of the Lambs
Sean Fennessey▶ 37:57Focused on favorite moments from the opening scene, particularly Kim Greist's interaction with Farina, and discussed Dennis Farina's career extensively

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:09:40John Lithgow — Provides extensive casting what-if information including Richard Gere/Mel Gibson/Paul Newman for Will Graham, John Lithgow/Mandy Patinkin/Brian Dennehy for Hannibal, and notes Lithgow would have been interesting and could have done it
Chris Ryan▶ 1:10:17Brian Cox — Discusses Brian Cox's sanguine attitude about not getting Silence of the Lambs role, sharing the agent story about Hopkins getting the part
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:10:00Brian Cox — Notes Brian Cox was confident he was the right choice for Hannibal in Manhunter, and suggests Lithgow basically did the role in Raising Cain five years later

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:11:43Jim Zubiena — Nominated Jim Zubiena (FBI SWAT team member) and unnamed actor who was Crockett's first partner in Miami Vice
Chris Ryan▶ 1:12:20Dan Butler — Suggested Dan Butler (who plays Jimmy) and agreed that everyone in the FBI conference room qualifies as 'that guy' actors
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:12:09Discussed Steven Lang but agreed he doesn't count since people know his name from Avatar

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:08Brian Cox — Cox - he's in the movie for 10 minutes
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:16:01Mentions a female character as 'low key Dion waiters winner' but doesn't name her specifically, says she's quite good but quiet

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:21:54William Petersen — Yes for William Petersen, No for Michael Mann and Joan Allen, Yes for criminal profiling (referencing Silence of the Lambs), Yes for sprinting through a window, Yes for Sanibel/Captiva Florida, Yes for Kim Greist, and Yes for cut-off gray t-shirts
Chris Ryan▶ 1:21:57Tom Noonan — Yes for Tom Noonan, compares Petersen in Manhunter to 'Quentin Tarantino directing a CSI episode', agrees on sprinting through a window apex mountain
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:23:17No for Iron Butterfly's 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida', argues the song is a creation myth of heavy metal so an obscure 1986 serial killer drama wouldn't be its apex mountain

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:31:38Multiple questions: Characters never discuss salary/money despite dangerous work, would you rather die quickly or listen to music for hours then get rescued, time continuity issues with the mirror scene
Chris Ryan▶ 1:32:12Multiple questions: Who's filming the home movies when whole family is in them, the home movies seem unrealistic for how people actually used camcorders, geographic confusion about Washington/Atlanta/Chicago locations
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:31:32Multiple questions: Do FBI agents get paid to come back, confusion about Dollarhyde's actions with the mirror glass - punches mirror without injury, breaks glass smaller, holds it for long time without using it

Who Won the Movie

Chris Ryan▶ 1:34:27Michael Mann — Michael Mann - 'He directs the shit out of this movie'

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 1:34:52Agrees with Farina quotes and mentions Dolarhyde has good lines in the scene with Freddie, plus references a creepy letter
Chris Ryan▶ 1:34:37When Will Graham says 'we tried so much sodium amytal on him three years ago to find where he buried a Princeton student. He gave him the recipe for potato chip dip' and anytime Farina opens his mouth
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:34:55All the crazy Dolarhyde lines like 'you owe me all' - says there are a couple of really good Dolarhyde lines

Movies Referenced (29)

Miami Vice (2006)

27 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 3:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Red Dragon (2002)

16 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 9:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Heat (1995)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 3:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Blade Runner (1982)

4 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 15:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Avatar (2009)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:12:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Collateral (2004)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 3:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Midnight Run (1988)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 40:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Vice (2018)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 14:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Internal Affairs (1990)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 1:16:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Public Enemies (2009)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 27:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Raising Cain (1992)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:10:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Risky Business (1983)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 15:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (15)

Michael Mann

38 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans▶ 2:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brett Ratner

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Red Dragon, Rush Hour▶ 11:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ridley Scott

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for The Martian, Blade Runner▶ 13:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

William Friedkin

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for To Live and Die in L.A., The French Connection, The Exorcist▶ 11:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Clint Eastwood

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven▶ 7:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lowell Bergman

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for The Insider▶ 18:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Goodell

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Draft Day▶ 21:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tony Scott

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Unstoppable, True Romance▶ 13:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Lynch

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:10:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jonathan Demme

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married▶ 13:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ken Loach

1 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 56:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mark Bowden

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Fisher King▶ 25:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (48)

Brian Cox

27 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Troy▶ 44:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Anthony Hopkins

16 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Silence of the Lambs▶ 14:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dennis Farina

16 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Get Shorty, Manhunter, Snatch▶ 17:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Noonan

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 29:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Richard Gere

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Chicago, Pretty Woman, An Officer and a Gentleman▶ 1:09:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joan Allen

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 31:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Lithgow

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for The World According to Garp, Cliffhanger▶ 1:09:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Brian Dennehy

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for First Blood▶ 1:09:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Charles Bronson

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Once Upon a Time in the West, The Great Escape▶ 7:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Elliott

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Groundhog Day, There's Something About Mary, The Abyss▶ 51:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Christopher Plummer

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Insider▶ 56:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Vincent Hanna

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 57:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (4)

Thomas Harris

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal Rising, Manhunter▶ 10:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 33:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Elmore Leonard

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Out of Sight, Get Shorty▶ 40:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

William Blake

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 47:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (2)

Dante Spinotti

2 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for L.A. Confidential, The Last of the Mohicans, The Insider▶ 1:02:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Grantland

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Other Guys▶ 20:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗