Intermission: Hopkins offers up another delectable Lecter entree

Jim Wunderle is a Springfield free-lance writer and musician.

Everyone's favorite cannibal is back, and even though Dr. Hannibal Lecter looks much older than he did in "The Silence of the Lambs," his latest escapades (and culinary acumen) actually precede the tale told in that film. "Red Dragon" sees Anthony Hopkins reprise his role for a third time in this adaptation of the novel that introduced the world to Lecter, Thomas Harris' "Red Dragon."

Written for the screen by "Lambs" screenwriter Ted Tally, this is the second time the book has been turned into a film. The first was in 1986 when "Miami Vice" creator Michael Mann gave us "Manhunter."

That film was done in a glitzy 1980s style with a somewhat annoying synthesizer-laden soundtrack and featured Brian Cox as Lecter. While it was a fine movie, Brett Ratner's new offering is much more faithful in look and feel to Harris' intensely creepy novel.

"Red Dragon" also is a darn site better than Ridley Scott's "Hannibal," but the novel that movie was based on seemed fairly gratuitous to begin with.

While "Red Dragon" and "The Silence of the Lambs" are, for the most part, believable, there are scenes in "Hannibal" that are far, far over the top.

In the prologue to "Red Dragon" we're offered a rare treat: We get to see Lecter while he was still a respected member of society. The film opens with Lecter in the audience at a performance of the Baltimore Symphony. We see him eyeing, with great annoyance, a particularly inept flautist.

It's a simple scene, but when one knows the nature of Lecter, it becomes terrifying. We next see Lecter hosting a dinner party for the symphony board. When he serves the elegant gourmet meal, one of the women asks what the main course might be. "I'm afraid if I told you," Lecter dryly replies, "you wouldn't eat it."

Later that evening Lecter gets a visit from FBI agent Will Graham (Edward Norton). Graham has enlisted Lecter to help profile a serial killer on the loose. He's come to the conclusion that this killer isn't just butchering his victims for the sadistic pleasure, he's eating the parts he cuts out. This scene gets very intense with its "does he know that I know that he knows that I know?" structure.

Jump forward several months. Lecter has been tried, convicted and jailed. Graham has taken early retirement, and now lives in Florida with his wife and child. He's living on the seashore, repairing boat engines and just trying to relax.

All is well until his old boss, Jack Crawford (Harvey Keitel), pays a visit to enlist Graham's help in tracking down the latest grizzly serial killer, nicknamed "The Tooth Fairy." Will wants none of it, but after seeing photos of the victims he simply can't refuse.

In parallel action we're introduced to Francis Dollarhyde, a tech at a photo lab/video dubbing facility. He's strong, quiet, has a facial scar and stays mostly to himself. Francis is deeply scarred emotionally, to the point of madness. He also has a fairly "nice" side to him, but he's growing increasingly at odds with himself.

The cops and a sleazy tabloid newspaper call the killer "The Tooth Fairy," but he actually fancies himself as "The Red Dragon," and he believes he is about to be transformed.

A reporter for the tabloid, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, figures prominently and has one of the most memorable scenes in the novel, Mann's film and this latest adaptation. It's a unique and utterly frightening scenario.

The cat and mouse game throughout the film is tightly executed and thankfully Ratner realizes that films such as this derive their terror from tension and emotion. This is no "splatter" film, and there are few scenes that feature blood and gore. But it's scarier by far than any teen slasher film.

Lecter's relationship with Graham is much like the one he has with agent Starling in "Silence of the Lambs." He helps with solving the crime, but also toys with these people for his own pleasure. Hopkins plays the part with his usual droll wit and literate bent. Lecter is indeed the most well-educated, best-spoken madman to ever grace the screen.

Readers of the novels and lovers of "Lamb" will find that Ratner's "Red Dragon" fits in quite well with the best of the lot. While it won't win the five Oscars that were awarded "The Silence of the Lambs," it will do big box office and does not disappoint the faithful.