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CNN Live Today

'Red Dragon' Opens

Aired October 04, 2002 - 10:43   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: As if real life weren't scary enough, Hannibal Lecter is back on the big screen hoping to scare up big business at the box office with the movie "Red Dragon." Here's a preview right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY HOPKINS, ACTOR: Then by implication you think you're smarter than I am. Since it was you who caught me.

EDWARD NORTON, ACTOR: No, I know I'm not smarter than you.

HOPKINS: Then how did you catch me?

NORTON: You had disadvantages.

HOPKINS: What disadvantages?

NORTON: You're insane.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: "Red Dragon" is just one of the movies opening this weekend. And Mr. Moviefone, Russ Leatherman, joins us now to talk about what else is playing.

But let's talk about "Red Dragon" first.

RUSS LEATHERMAN, MR. MOVIEFONE: Well, frankly, I haven't been sleeping well, and in fact, when I'm sleeping, I'm sleeping with my blanky which is weird. This is the prequel, first "Silence of the Lambs," then "Hannibal." This is the prequel. And I have to tell you, it is not quite as good as "Silence of the Lambs" because it doesn't exactly -- we already saw this stuff for the first time which was so cool. But this is much better than "Hannibal."

It's definitely worth checking out. You have Anthony Hopkins who is great, scary as hell. You've got Ed Norton, Emily Watson's terrific. Philip Seymour Hoffman, some bad things happen to him in this movie that you're going to want to check out. I would say, everybody go see it. It is spooky, it's kind of back to the original. It has been at least six months since I messed myself, and this movie did it to me again. It was awful.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh. And is it Ralph Fiennes, he's in it as well? We just saw...

LEATHERMAN: Yes, Ralph Fiennes is the serial killer. And he's been...

WHITFIELD: And looking creepy.

LEATHERMAN: Oh, my god -- he's been...

WHITFIELD: But he's so personally good.

LEATHERMAN: He really is. And it was nice to see somebody really kind of sink their teeth into that role, if you know what I mean. But he was totally creeped -- he was totally creeped out and, like I said, I'm spending a lot of time with my blanky.

WHITFIELD: OK. Well, maybe something that will uplift everybody. What is this Jonah, Veggie Tales? I don't know about this.

LEATHERMAN: Well, it's a good detox from "Red Dragon." In fact, if you go see "Red Dragon," maybe you should force yourself to grab the kids ...

WHITFIELD: An animated, yes.

LEATHERMAN: It is. Go see "Jonah," the Veggie Tales movie. It's a very cute, very animated feature. You know, I kind of was worried going into it. I was thinking maybe it was like just going to be some Bible thumping broccoli and stuff, because it is kind of religiously based. But it's not that at all. In fact it's a very cute, very well done little animated movie. And I think it's going to do OK this weekend. And you're definitely going to need something to lighten you up after "Red Dragon," for sure.

WHITFIELD: Yes. No kidding. That looks cute.

Well, another movie to kind of lighten the load of everybody -- and it opened last weekend, I think, is "Sweet Home Alabama." And still looking like it's going to be fairly popular heading into this weekend too.

LEATHERMAN: Well, it is -- it's going to be really popular. I mean, again, you've got "Red Dragon," you're going to need something else, go see "Sweet Home Alabama." A huge movie, biggest opening in September and everyone loves Reece Witherspoon. Everybody loves her, she's great, She does well in this movie. It is a nice little romantic triangle story and it is perfectly well done. So there are a lot of good movies out there right now, and "Red Dragon," "Sweet Home Alabama," even The Veggie Tales movie. It's all good at the movies this week, so that's kind of cool..

WHITFIELD: All right. Mr. Leatherman, thanks very much.

LEATHERMAN: No more "Red Dragon." No more "Red Dragon."

WHITFIELD: No, you're not going to catch me going to that anyway. That's way too creepy for me. Thanks a lot.

LEATHERMAN: See you next time. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired October 4, 2002 - 10:43   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: As if real life weren't scary enough, Hannibal Lecter is back on the big screen hoping to scare up big business at the box office with the movie "Red Dragon." Here's a preview right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY HOPKINS, ACTOR: Then by implication you think you're smarter than I am. Since it was you who caught me.

EDWARD NORTON, ACTOR: No, I know I'm not smarter than you.

HOPKINS: Then how did you catch me?

NORTON: You had disadvantages.

HOPKINS: What disadvantages?

NORTON: You're insane.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: "Red Dragon" is just one of the movies opening this weekend. And Mr. Moviefone, Russ Leatherman, joins us now to talk about what else is playing.

But let's talk about "Red Dragon" first.

RUSS LEATHERMAN, MR. MOVIEFONE: Well, frankly, I haven't been sleeping well, and in fact, when I'm sleeping, I'm sleeping with my blanky which is weird. This is the prequel, first "Silence of the Lambs," then "Hannibal." This is the prequel. And I have to tell you, it is not quite as good as "Silence of the Lambs" because it doesn't exactly -- we already saw this stuff for the first time which was so cool. But this is much better than "Hannibal."

It's definitely worth checking out. You have Anthony Hopkins who is great, scary as hell. You've got Ed Norton, Emily Watson's terrific. Philip Seymour Hoffman, some bad things happen to him in this movie that you're going to want to check out. I would say, everybody go see it. It is spooky, it's kind of back to the original. It has been at least six months since I messed myself, and this movie did it to me again. It was awful.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh. And is it Ralph Fiennes, he's in it as well? We just saw...

LEATHERMAN: Yes, Ralph Fiennes is the serial killer. And he's been...

WHITFIELD: And looking creepy.

LEATHERMAN: Oh, my god -- he's been...

WHITFIELD: But he's so personally good.

LEATHERMAN: He really is. And it was nice to see somebody really kind of sink their teeth into that role, if you know what I mean. But he was totally creeped -- he was totally creeped out and, like I said, I'm spending a lot of time with my blanky.

WHITFIELD: OK. Well, maybe something that will uplift everybody. What is this Jonah, Veggie Tales? I don't know about this.

LEATHERMAN: Well, it's a good detox from "Red Dragon." In fact, if you go see "Red Dragon," maybe you should force yourself to grab the kids ...

WHITFIELD: An animated, yes.

LEATHERMAN: It is. Go see "Jonah," the Veggie Tales movie. It's a very cute, very animated feature. You know, I kind of was worried going into it. I was thinking maybe it was like just going to be some Bible thumping broccoli and stuff, because it is kind of religiously based. But it's not that at all. In fact it's a very cute, very well done little animated movie. And I think it's going to do OK this weekend. And you're definitely going to need something to lighten you up after "Red Dragon," for sure.

WHITFIELD: Yes. No kidding. That looks cute.

Well, another movie to kind of lighten the load of everybody -- and it opened last weekend, I think, is "Sweet Home Alabama." And still looking like it's going to be fairly popular heading into this weekend too.

LEATHERMAN: Well, it is -- it's going to be really popular. I mean, again, you've got "Red Dragon," you're going to need something else, go see "Sweet Home Alabama." A huge movie, biggest opening in September and everyone loves Reece Witherspoon. Everybody loves her, she's great, She does well in this movie. It is a nice little romantic triangle story and it is perfectly well done. So there are a lot of good movies out there right now, and "Red Dragon," "Sweet Home Alabama," even The Veggie Tales movie. It's all good at the movies this week, so that's kind of cool..

WHITFIELD: All right. Mr. Leatherman, thanks very much.

LEATHERMAN: No more "Red Dragon." No more "Red Dragon."

WHITFIELD: No, you're not going to catch me going to that anyway. That's way too creepy for me. Thanks a lot.

LEATHERMAN: See you next time. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com