With the new DVD release of Michael Mann's 1986 thriller "Manhunter" from Anchor Bay Entertainment, a new third version of the film is now being made available to audiences. The 120-minute version of the film that played theatrically is not the version featured on the Anchor Bay single-disc edition nor on disc 1 of the Limited Edition release. To help you better understand the differences between the various versions of the film released on video thus far, following is a brief history of the different incarnations of the film.

The Theatrical version ran 120 minutes and 14 seconds, and the now-discontinued letterboxed Laser Disc from Warner was the actual theatrical version. A Director's Cut version was aired exclusively on The Movie Channel in 1987 as part of their "Director's Cut" series. This version contained 4 minutes and 20 seconds of additional footage, and still plays on cable television occasionally. It is this version that can be found on disc 2 of Anchor Bay's Limited Edition DVD.

This Director's Cut version contains the following new scenes:

• Extended police briefing in Atlanta squad room. Graham speaks to the police about his theories on the "Tooth Fairy."
• A real estate agent shows Graham the empty (and now clean) house of the first family, before exploring the property.
• Graham on the phone with Molly, talking about painting the kitchen.
• Graham speaking with Dr. Chilton before visiting Lector.
• Extra lines included in Lector/Graham conversation concerning Graham's statement of being a "layman."
• Extra lines between Graham/Crawford after the Lounds interview about bringing in Molly for a visit.
• Graham and Molly in the hotel room together (where we see the scar Lector gave Graham)
• Graham visiting the Sherman family. Scenes cut or trimmed for "Director's Cut":
• Opening credits now run over conversation on beach between Graham and Crawford.
• Graham in the hotel elevator in Atlanta.
• Graham walking the route with ballistics agent has been trimmed.
• The final shootout with Dollarhyde is cut differently as Graham shoots him.
• The dialogue between Graham and Reba: "Who are you," 'I'm Graham. I'm Will Graham" has been removed.

The Anchor Bay "theatrical cut" is actually a slightly different version than either the true theatrical or director's cut versions, and runs 121 minutes. This latest cut follows the original theatrical version to a point, then includes two scenes from the"Director's Cut," and removes a hallway conversation between the Atlanta Police with Graham and Crawford that was included in the original theatrical cut and director's cut versions! This "Anchor Bay version" contains the following "Director's Cut" scenes:

• A real estate agent shows Graham the empty (and now clean) house of the first family, before exploring the property.
• Graham and Molly in the hotel room together (where we see the scar Lector gave Graham).
• The end shootout is the same as the theatrical cut.

So to wrap it up, It seems the version of "Manhunter" used for the Anchor Bay DVD was made from a different print than any previous theatrical or home releases. The inclusion of the Director's Cut on the Limited Edition is welcome, but the poor quality of the transfer does not invite repeat viewings. The key scene missing is Graham visiting the Sherman family, which would have been a welcome addition to the version on Disc 1. Where did Anchor Bay get the version they made their transfer from? Are they even aware of the changes that are included in it? Who supervised the project, and is Michael Mann aware of these changes?

Watch this space for further updates...

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