Red Dragon (2002)

The psychological thriller, Red Dragon (2002), is an adaptation of Thomas Harris’s 1981 novel. Directed by Brett Ratner and written by Ted Tally, the story follows FBI agent Will Graham in 1980 as he seeks assistance from forensic psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter in a case. After working together on a psychological profile of a killer, Graham becomes convinced that the murderer is also a cannibal. However, when Lecter realizes Graham is getting close to discovering his true identity, he stabs him. Despite this attack, Graham manages to overpower him before passing out. As a result of the incident, Lecter is imprisoned in a mental institution while Graham retreats to Florida with his family, still grappling with the trauma. Several years later, another serial killer known as the Tooth Fairy strikes again on two consecutive full moons – targeting families named Jacobis and Leeds. Special agent Jack Crawford convinces Graham to assist in developing a profile for the killer and it becomes clear that he must seek out Lecter for further insight.

The infamous Tooth Fairy, also known as Francis Dolarhyde, follows the commands of his alter ego, the Great Red Dragon. This name is taken from the William Blake painting, The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed in Sun, which Dolarhyde has permanently inked on his back. His twisted belief is that each victim he claims brings him one step closer to embodying the ferocious Dragon. This deeply disturbed behavior stems from the abuse he suffered at the hands of his grandmother during childhood. In his cell, Lecter receives a letter from the Tooth Fairy expressing admiration for him and suggesting they communicate through a personals ad in the National Tattler. As Lecter responds using Graham’s home address, Graham’s wife Molly and son Josh are forced to relocate for their safety. In an attempt to draw out the killer, Graham agrees to an interview with tabloid reporter Freddy Lounds from the National Tattler, where he discredits Dolarhyde as an ineffective homosexual and notes that Lecter was merely pretending to be interested in him.