Blu-ray Review HTF BLU-RAY REVIEW: The Hannibal Lecter Collection (1 Viewer)

[Citizen87645]

The Hannibal Lecter Collection

Release Date: Available now
Studio: MGM Home Entertainment
Packaging/Materials: Three-disc Blu-ray case
Year: 1986 / 1991 / 2001
Rating: R
Running Time: 2h00m / 1h58m / 2h11m
MSRP: $69.98

	THE FEATURES	SPECIAL FEATURES
Video	1080p high definition 16x9 2.35:1 / 1.85:1 / 1.85:1	480i or 480p standard definition; 1080p high definition
Audio	DTS-HD Master Audio: English 5.1 / Dolby Digital: French 5.1, Spanish 2.1	Stereo
Subtitles	English SDH, Spanish / Additionally Cantonese, Korean, Mandarin on "Silence of the Lambs"	None

 

[Michael Reuben]

Thanks, Cameron. You just saved me some money.

Since I already own Silence, the only reason for me to get this collection is for a decent treatment of Hannibal (which I rate more highly than most people). But a single layer isn't nearly enough to give the film its visual due, and the failure to include any of the wealth of special features from the DVD edition is . . . I would say "shocking" if it weren't so typical for Fox's handling of the MGM catalogue.

As for Manhunter, you're going to get this question anyway; so it might as well come from a friendly source: There have been numerous versions over the years, and I've given up trying to keep track. Is there any indication (or any way for you to determine) which version of the film has been used here? If it's the theatrical cut, there are people who may buy this trilogy for that alone.

 

[Worth]

"Manhunter" is definitely the theatrical cut. It's the same as the previous MGM dvd. I saw the film several times upon theatrical release and became very familiar with it. It's also an excellent transfer - very film-like.

 

[Michael Reuben]

Thanks, Nick. Maybe we'll get lucky and see a single-disc release down the line.

 

[bosque]

This is also being discussed in Robert Harris' thread about the trilogy. Although I too would rather get a single-disc release of Manhunter, it appears that MGM have the rights to the original theatrical cut (which is the best IMO). A UK 2 disc set released by Momentum in 2003 also contains what is described as a "theatrical" cut which is different to the MGM release (it's missing Wil Graham's lines about the killer, "his heart bleeding for him, someone took a kid and made him into a monster". I'm sure I recall that Michael Mann was no longer happy with those lines and, where he was able to, got them removed. This gives me the impression that the MGM theatrical may go OOP for a while rather than be re-issued as a stand-alone disc.

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

This collection is available at Amazon for just $31.99 (click on the link in the review to buy) - thats just a smidge over ten bucks each...Just in time for my Halloween movie marathon !