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The Behrend Beacon
Ryan Adams demolishes musical
boundaries on new CD
by Kevin Fallon
asst. managing editor
Alt-country star Ryan Adams had
plenty of material to work with for
his third solo album, "Demolition."
Adams took five albums' worth of
demo tracks recorded from 2000-01
and reduced it to 13 tracks, all
recorded live in the studio.
Adams, former front man of
Hanni
desse
by Daniel J• Stasiewski
**l/2 out of ****
Hannibal Lecter is undoubtedly one of the finest,
most eccentric villains to ever appear on film. Just as
impressive is Anthony Hopkins' consistently sinister
portrayal of the appealingly appalling doctor. For those
reasons, I find it incredibly hard to say "Red Dragon"
has too much Hannibal Lecter.
Many critics said Lecter was overexposed in 2001's
"Hannibal," but unlike the "Lambs" sequel, "Red
Dragon" isn't a film about
the demented doctor. Like
"Silence of the Lambs,"
this film is about an FBI
agent's against-the-clock
battle to stop a serial killer.
Unfortunately, the story of
agent Will Graham is lost
in the dubious eleVation of
a worthy fan favorite.
After successfully cap
turing Hannibal "The Can
nibal" Lecter, a physically
and psychologically
scarred Graham (Edward
Norton) retires from law
enforcement. Maniacs,
however, don't retire, and the demand for Graham's
investigative skills brings Jack Crawford (Harvey
Keitel) to his doorstep. Crawford explains that a se
ries of gruesome murders has left the Bureau stumped.
Reluctantly, Graham agrees to help find the serial killer
known as "The Tooth Fairy."
Graham quickly uncovers previously overlooked
evidence, but it isn't enough to nab the murderer. The
only chance Graham has of ever catching "The Tooth
Fairy" is to take the case to his old psychiatrist friend,
Lecter. Though Lecter nudges Graham in the right
direction, it's really Graham who must enter the mind
of "The Tooth Fairy" to uncover the killer's identity.
Unknown to Graham, a secretive photo technician
named Francis Dolarhyde (Ralph Fiennes) is behind
the massacres. While being raised by his unremittingly
cruel grandmother, Dolarhyde suffered irreparable
emotional damage. Using William Blake's "Red
Dragon" painting as his motivation, Dolarhyde at
tempts to assume the godlike status the dragon em
bodies. However, a blind co-worker (Emily Watson)
begins to draw the man away from the monster.
Dolarhyde then faces an internal battle that's all too
similar to Agent Graham's external dilemma.
I find myself wanting to reaffirm my adoration of
Whiskeytown, released his first solo
album, "Heartbreaker," in 2000. He
exploded in 2001 with "Gold,"
featuring the anthem "New York,
New York."
"Demolition" shows off Adams'
songwriting gifts. He shifts from
rocker to romantic throughout the
CD. "This is where the summer ends,
in a flash of pure destruction," Adams
wails in the opening line of the CD.
The more upbeat alternative songs,
such as "Nuclear" and "Starting To
Hurt" sound a bit like the Gin
Blossoms. On the other hand, the
quiet, heartache tunes such as the
somber "Cry On Demand" and
"Tomorrow" show a softer side to
Adams. And "You Will Always Be
The Same" echoes the Beatles'
"Blackbird."
However, Adams truly shines when
he cuts across the rock and country
genres. Adams avoids the typical
country sound, and is rather a rock
artist who is in touch with rock 'n'
bal returns for
rt in 'Red Dragon'
staff writer
Hannibal eyes up his next meal
ti
I T
. mil . i--7111
both the character Hannibal Lecter and the actor An
thony Hopkins. Seeing Hopkins portray Lecter will
always be eerily entertaining. Hannibal will never be
come dull with Hopkins in charge. But in "Red
Dragon, - it's this love of Hannibal that gets in the way
of Graham's story.
Anyone who has seen 1986's "Manhunter" knows
how mesmerizing Graham's character can be. "Red
Dragon," a remake of "Manhunter," doesn't ever em
phasize the character's fight for sanity while dealing
with maniacs. Both writer Ted Tally and director Brett
Ratner treat Graham like accessory and don't give
Norton the room to take the character to the edge.
I'm more surprised by Tally's resistance than that of
Ratner. The "Rush Hour"
PHOTO FROM CITYSEARCH.COM
to tell the whole story
with the same concentration. He even serves up a con
trived ending (albeit loyal to the novel) that holds its
villains in higher regard than the hero.
If "Red Dragon" has one saving grace, it's Ralph
Fiennes' terrifying performance as the murderous
Francis Dolarhyde. Fiennes is as deeply immersed in
the psyche of his maniac as Hopkins is in Hannibal's.
He also manufactures a sick sense of sympathy for a
man whose crimes rival those of the good doctor. Once
Brett Ratner tones down the unnecessarily gory visu
als, Fiennes is able to take "The Tooth Fairy" where
Norton couldn't take Graham. If the rest of the film
weren't so insipid, Fiennes might have had a chance
at his overdo Oscar.
I still am a true Hannibal Lecter fan, and would prob
ably sit through "Red Dragon" again. There is just no
other character like Lecter in the history of cinema.
Even if "Red Dragon" isn't the film it could have been
with less Hannibal, I could always watch "Manhunter."
For the Lecter-phile in me, "Red Dragon" feeds the
insatiable appetite for a cannibalistic psychiatrist and
his maniacal mind games.
Friday, October 11, 2002
roll's country roots. The influence of
rock's pioneers such as Hank
Williams, Carl Perkins, and young
Elvis are heard in the twang of a steel
guitar and a hum of harmonica on
"Hallelujah," "Dear Chicago," and
"Chin Up, Cheer Up."
"Demolition," however, does have
some weak spots. "Desire" is a
cheesy love song that would sound
more at home on the "City of Angels"
soundtrack. And it could do without
"Jesus (Don't Touch My Baby)," an
artsy mood-music flop.
Although "Demolition" does not
have as much energy, emotion, or
creative spark as "Gold," it still holds
its own as an album.
The weaknesses of "Demolition"
are few and far between. Overall,
"Demolition" reestablishes Adams as
one of today's most talented
songwriters and shows that even a
thrown-together album of demo
tracks by Adams beats most music out
today.
director has never at
tempted any film as
deadly serious as "Red
Dragon," which accounts
for the insincere, almost
laughable treatment of
Graham and other minor
characters.
Tally, however,
should have known bet
ter. Even though his con
nection with Hannibal is
as intense as the day he
wrote "Silence of the
Lambs," Tally can't seem
Ryan Adams walks the line between alternative and country on
his newest CD, "Demoiliton."
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