‘Manhunter’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan
April 13, 2021 · Manhunter (1986) · Crime · Mystery · Thriller · 1:36:37 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsMichael 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▶ 12:13
Chris RyanMichael 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.'▶ 16:03
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsDiscussed the opening scene with Peterson and Farina, and Will goes to the victim's house scene as nominees, with extensive commentary on both▶ 36:04
Chris RyanPraised the opening Peterson/Farina scene for establishing Will Graham's character and the world-building approach, comparing it to Silence of the Lambs▶ 36:53
Sean FennesseyFocused on favorite moments from the opening scene, particularly Kim Greist's interaction with Farina, and discussed Dennis Farina's career extensively▶ 37:57
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsJohn 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▶ 1:09:40
Chris RyanBrian Cox — Discusses Brian Cox's sanguine attitude about not getting Silence of the Lambs role, sharing the agent story about Hopkins getting the part▶ 1:10:17
Joey Pants Award
Bill SimmonsJim Zubiena — Nominated Jim Zubiena (FBI SWAT team member) and unnamed actor who was Crockett's first partner in Miami Vice▶ 1:11:43
Chris RyanDan Butler — Suggested Dan Butler (who plays Jimmy) and agreed that everyone in the FBI conference room qualifies as 'that guy' actors▶ 1:12:20
Sean FennesseyStephen Lang — Discussed Steven Lang but agreed he doesn't count since people know his name from Avatar▶ 1:12:09
Dion Waiters Award
Sean FennesseyMentions a female character as 'low key Dion waiters winner' but doesn't name her specifically, says she's quite good but quiet▶ 1:16:01
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsWilliam 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▶ 1:21:54
Chris RyanTom Noonan — Yes for Tom Noonan, compares Petersen in Manhunter to 'Quentin Tarantino directing a CSI episode', agrees on sprinting through a window apex mountain▶ 1:21:57
Sean FennesseyNo 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▶ 1:23:17
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsMultiple 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▶ 1:31:38
Chris RyanMultiple 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▶ 1:32:12
Sean FennesseyMultiple 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▶ 1:31:32
Best Quote
Bill SimmonsAgrees with Farina quotes and mentions Dolarhyde has good lines in the scene with Freddie, plus references a creepy letter▶ 1:34:52
Chris RyanWhen 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▶ 1:34:37
Sean FennesseyAll the crazy Dolarhyde lines like 'you owe me all' - says there are a couple of really good Dolarhyde lines▶ 1:34:55
Movies Referenced (34)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Vice (2006) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 27 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 3:20 |
| Red Dragon (2002) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 16 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 9:49 |
| The Beach (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | ▶ 16:50 |
| Hannibal (2001) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 12:30 |
| Blade Runner (1982) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 15:28 |
| Grease (1978) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 58:45 |
| The Killer (2023) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 2:18 |
| Avatar (2009) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 1:12:28 |
| Midnight Run (1988) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 40:13 |
| The Father (2020) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | ▶ 57:18 |
| The Interview (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey | ▶ 39:11 |
| Public Enemies (2009) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 27:41 |
Directors Referenced (15)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Mann | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 38 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | The Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans | ▶ 2:44 |
| Brett Ratner | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Red Dragon, Rush Hour | ▶ 11:03 |
| Ridley Scott | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | The Martian, Blade Runner | ▶ 13:11 |
| William Friedkin | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | To Live and Die in L.A., The French Connection, The Exorcist | ▶ 11:29 |
| Clint Eastwood | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven | ▶ 7:52 |
| Lowell Bergman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey | The Insider | ▶ 18:20 |
| Roger Goodell | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | Draft Day | ▶ 21:01 |
| Tony Scott | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | Unstoppable, True Romance | ▶ 13:26 |
| David Lynch | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:10:54 | |
| Jonathan Demme | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Sean Fennessey | The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married | ▶ 13:11 |
| Ken Loach | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 56:31 | |
| Mark Bowden | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 25:17 |
Actors Referenced (51)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Cox | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 27 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | Troy | ▶ 44:16 |
| Anthony Hopkins | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 16 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey | The Silence of the Lambs | ▶ 14:01 |
| Dennis Farina | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 16 | Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons | Get Shorty, Manhunter, Snatch | ▶ 17:19 |
| Tom Noonan | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 14 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 29:12 | |
| Richard Gere | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Pretty Woman, An Officer and a Gentleman | ▶ 1:09:42 |
| Joan Allen | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | ▶ 31:01 | |
| John Lithgow | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | The World According to Garp, Cliffhanger | ▶ 1:09:52 |
| Brian Dennehy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | First Blood | ▶ 1:09:55 |
| Charles Bronson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Death Wish, Once Upon a Time in the West, The Great Escape | ▶ 7:45 |
| Chris Elliott | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey | Groundhog Day, There's Something About Mary, The Abyss | ▶ 51:28 |
| Christopher Plummer | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | The Insider | ▶ 56:55 |
| Jimmy Smith | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Event Horizon, Casino, Friday Night Lights | ▶ 9:32 |
Writers Referenced (4)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Harris | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan | The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal Rising, Manhunter | ▶ 10:41 |
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 33:44 | |
| Elmore Leonard | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Out of Sight, Get Shorty | ▶ 40:30 |
| William Blake | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 47:52 |
Cinematographers Referenced (2)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dante Spinotti | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan | L.A. Confidential, The Last of the Mohicans, The Insider | ▶ 1:02:12 |
| Michael Grantland | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Other Guys | ▶ 20:56 |