Hannibal (2001)
AKA: –
Year: 2001
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Starring: Anthony Hopkins (Hannibal Lecter), Julianne Moore (Clarice Starling), Gary Oldman (Mason Verger), Ray Liotta (Paul Krendler), Giancarlo Giannini (Chief Inspector Rinaldo Pazzi), Francesca Neri (Allegra Pazzi)
Country: United States
Language: English (English Subtitles)
Runtime: 02:11:23
Genres: Serial Killers, Detective-Mystery, Psychological Thrillers, Cannibalism
Plot – Spoilers:
The third and final part in the Hannibal Lecter movie series focuses solely on Lecter unlike the previous flicks which had other serial killers sharing the spotlight. Whether this is a good thing is up for debate because by now, Lecter has been built up as this master killer and seeing him in actual action can lead to inevitable disappointments. All that rhetoric aside, ‘Hannibal’ sees Lecter settling down in Florence masquerading as a temp curator at a historical library having most probably eaten the previous caretaker.
Clarice Starling meanwhile hasn’t got too many friends in the FBI and Justice Department and is bullied into taking up the case of tracking Hannibal. There are vested interests pushing this assignment in the form of a powerful and rich former patient of Lecter, Mason Verger, who is his only victim to have survived. A sexual deviant, Mason who is disfigured and paralyzed, fantasizes about handing Lecter a painful death. Lecter also has a suspicious Italian police chief on his tail and the ageing master is tested as to whether he still has got it.
Favourite Scenes:
Hannibal feeding Krendler a piece of his own brain. Whether or not this is medically possible, the very idea is laudable.
HANNIBAL LECTER SERIES:
1. Hannibal Rising
2.1 Manhunter (1986 Red Dragon version)
2.2 Red Dragon (2002)
3. The Silence of the Lambs
4. Hannibal
Hannibal drugging and then convincing a faggot pedophile to cut off his own face will never not be funny.
On my second viewing, during the second half, it suddenly struck me what an incredible film this is, helped by the stunning opera scene – that glorious sound, which is replayed later and over the end credits, which had me feeling sorry for Lecter and the self-sacrifice he had to make at the end. If there was no real love between Clarice and Lecter, there was certainly something – maybe he respected for her loyalty to the force, and I’m sure she respected him for his intelligence and intellect, and if either of them had caused the death of the other, I feel sure they would have regretted it for the rest of their days. A terrific movie.
The cop finally using his brain at the end was quite a shocker! Brilliant performances!
The only criticism I have is the use of Strauss’s Blue Danube which can only ever belong to one movie, the most spectacular movie ever made.
Julianne Moore really makes us want to suck her tits in this movie.
An interestingly flawed film, all told… beautifully ethereal but savagely violent (quite intentionally, I’m sure). If you discard it as a sequel to ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ and view it instead as a Hannibal Lecter film in a different universe as it’s predecessor – in the same way as ‘… Lambs’ itself should be viewed as in a different universe to it’s predecessor ‘Manhunter’ – then it by default becomes an altogether better film. It’s more of a big-budget arthouse film than a mere popcorn flick.
A cinematic opera, a 24-frames-a-second grand guignol, a modern-day ‘Beauty and the Beast’ fable… look at it that way, and you’ll see it for what it is… a unique, unfairly maligned, criminally underrated, and widely misunderstood minor masterpiece.
hopkins put on 40ibs for this role – he misread the script – he thought lecter had let himself go
julianne moore is so much better than jodie foster but unfortunately hopkins is too fat and too much of a ham to do lecter justice
Loved the brain picking scene, very original. Anthony Hopkins was made for this role. Great watch.
One of my favorite out of the Thomas Harris series… albeit, Julianne Moore just isn’t Clarice Starling, in my book. She does a fine job filling the shoes… but as Agent Somebodyelse. Ray Liotta, just as slimey as ever. And Gary Oldman…. Gary Oldman… no matter how you slice it (pun intended) this guy just might be the most talented actor is Hollywood. Just compare Mason Verger and Drexel the Pimp from “True Romance” and deice for yourself. Or Stansfield from “Leon: The Professional”, for that matter.
A very smooth and enjoyable film… Though I thought that some of Hannibal’s; Starling insults, were a bit over the top for the charactor! And Gary Oldman as Mason Verger, I never guessed it was him! And I was thinking to myself, “who ever they have playing that role, they are great, oh well?… Great casting, direction, locatioins, mood, pace, all very seamless!… Doc Blake