MANHUNTER
Michael Mann | 1986 | USA | 2h00m | Presented in the original English audio with English subtitles
Before THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, Michael Mann made the first Hannibal Lecter film, and it looks like almost nothing else in the genre.
William Petersen plays Will Graham, a former FBI profiler pulled back into an investigation when a serial killer begins murdering entire families. As Graham tries to reconstruct the killer’s thinking, Mann begins changing the world around him. The calm blues of Graham’s home and marriage give way to sickly greens, purples and magentas as he moves deeper into the case.
Mann and cinematographer Dante Spinotti use colour to map that psychological shift. The calm blues around Graham’s home and marriage suggest intimacy and safety, while greens, purples and magentas begin to dominate as he moves deeper into the investigation. The palette is not simply decorative. It tracks Graham’s movement away from ordinary life and toward the world of the man he is hunting.
Brian Cox plays Hannibal Lecktor years before Anthony Hopkins made the character famous. His version is quieter and less theatrical, which makes him more unsettling. Tom Noonan is equally memorable as Francis Dollarhyde, giving the killer a physical vulnerability that keeps him from becoming a simple monster.
MANHUNTER was overlooked on release, which is a sje.because it's a near perfect crime thriller. Thankfully, its reputation has grown steadily as Mann's earlier oeuvre seems to be finding an appreciative audience. Seen now, it feels like one of Michael Mann’s most complete films, a serial-killer thriller where colour, architecture and psychology are all doing the same work.
If you’ve been following what I’ve been programming lately, you’ll probably have noticed I’ve been leaning pretty heavily into 1980s cinema. Michael Mann is a big reason why. His films are beautifully shot, the editing is incredibly controlled, and even when they run long they rarely feel slow. He also gets remarkable performances from actors without ever letting the style overwhelm them. MANHUNTER is close to a perfect 80s crime thriller for me. It also laid so much of the groundwork for what came later. MANHUNTER walked so THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS could run.
FOOD AND DRINK POLICY: SHEREKILEBI Bar in FOMO Secret Cinema opens 1 hour before the first screening of the day and closes at 01:30, serving a wide selection of beer, wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic refreshments including coffee and tea, as well as fresh hot popcorn! Outside food is allowed in the bar but not in the cinema. No alcohol or drinks from outside are allowed. All guests are invited to arrive early and stay late!
LOCATION: FOMO Secret Cinema, Bazari Orbeliani, Tbilisi. A five minute walk from Liberty Square metro.
HOW TO FIND FOMO: Enter Bazari Orbeliani via Atoneli St above Carrefour and take the stairs on your left to Level 1. Signage on the door. You can also check our Instagram story highlights for a video showing exactly how to find us: https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3OTMzMTA2Mjk0MDI5MjM1
REFUND & CREDIT POLICY: If FOMO cancels a screening, all ticket holders will receive a full refund. If your plans change and you can no longer attend, we’ll issue you a credit for the value of your ticket, which can be used for any FOMO film screening within the following 30 days.
TICKETS are also available at SHEREKILIBER Bar on arrival unless sold out.
FOMO Secret Cinema • Bazari Orbeliani, 0105 Tbilisi, Georgia
