Hannibal

Hannibal (2001)

Hannibal is a phychological thriller / horror film directed by Ridley Scott and it’s actually an adaptation from Thomas Harris novel “Hannibal”. Also, Hannibal is a sequel of the masterpiece film “The silence of the lambs” that presents as main character the serial killer Hannibal Lecter. The screenplay of Hannibal was written by David Mamet and Steven Zaillian. Among the cast of Hannibal film are Anthony Hopkins, Juliane Moore, Gary Oldman etc.

Synopsis of Hannibal

Mason Verger is a rich old man and ex victim of Dr. Lecter, is seeking revenges from Dr. Lecter. Verger wants to capture, torture and kill Dr. Lecter. The storyline of Hannibal is developed in United States and Europe (Italy).

The plot structure of Hannibal

The FBI Agentr Calurice Starling seven years after the capture of serial killer Jane Gumb (Silence of the Lambs) faces difficulties in hers career because of an unsuccessful anti drug operation. Mason Verger is the only alive ex victim of Dr. Lecter, he is wealthy and a child molester who is looking to take revenge from Dr. Lecter because Lecter had disfigured and paralyzed Mason Verger vary badly. The special relationship between Dr. Lecter and the FBI Agent Claurice Starling come to Mason Verger attention.

Mason Verger wants to use Starling to locate Dr. Lecter, he uses his financial resources and his political influence to reassigned the case of Dr. Lecter to Starling and he arranges a meeting at his mansion. Lecter posts to Starling a taunting letter to support her after hers public disgrace. On the letter are no available signs and evidence to locate Lecter but Starling detects a strange fragrance and latter an expert identities it as a very rare bespoke skin cream that can be found in few shops in the world. Starling reports to police departments of the cities where the shops are located requesting information and cooperation. In the city of Florence in Italy the Chief Inspector Rinaldo Pazzi investigates the disappearance of a local library curator. Pazzi recognizes Lecter, who is masquerading as “Dr. Fell” assistance curator of the library.

Pazzi studies also surveillance tapes and he recognizes “Dr. Fell” as Dr. Lecter, also Pazzi searched at the ViCap database of wanted fugitives. He is informed about Mason Verger’s reward, which is 3 million USD and higher than FBI’s reward.  Pazzi ignores Starling’s advices local police department to arrest Dr. Lecter alone and he wants to acquire evidence about the real identity of Dr. Fell. Chief inspector of Florence, Pazzi hires a local pickpocket to obtain a fingerprint of Dr. Lecter, to use it as evidence and then collect the reward. Lecter wounds the Italian pickpocket but he has obtained a fingerprint and gives it to Pazzi, the Italian inspector contacts Verger. Lecter traps Pazzi into an isolated library room, ties him up with electrical cards and hangs him from library’s balcony. Then Dr. Lecter escapes from Italy and travels back to United States.

Verger wants to use another one time the special relationship of Starling with Lecter and he bribes a corrupted Justice Department official Paul Krendler to accuse Starling. Dr. Lecter lures Starling to Union Station but Verger’s employees (a criminal family from Southern Italy, experts in kidnaps) capture and transport Dr. Lecter to Verger’s mansion. Starling wants to help Lecter and to safe his life but her superior disagrees finally she ignores orders and by her own initiative infiltrates the Verger’s estate.

Verger breeds a herd of wild boars, he plans to throw Lecter to boars and to be eaten alive by the herd. Starling starts shooting and killing in an effort to safe Lecter  but she is herself wounded, Lecter safe her. Verger orders his private physician to kill Lecter. Lecter uses his unique charisma to persuade and the private physician made up his mind and throws his heated boss into the “arena” and he is eaten alive by the herd of boars.

After the gunfight at Mason’s mansion, Lecter takes the wounded Starling to Knerdler’s lake house. Lecter is a doctor and treats Starling’s wounds. Kendler arrives at his lake house, and he is subdued and drugged by Dr. Lecter. Starling wakes and she finds Lecter cooking and Krendler in a wheelchair seated at the table. She is disoriented , by pain killers and she looks in horror Lecter removing the top of Krendler’s skull, cuts out part of Krendler’s frontal cortex, feeds Krendler with his own brain after he kills him.

Starling tries to arrest Lecter, but she is very weak because of the words, Lecter escapes. At the final film’s scene we see Dr. Lecter travelling by airplane with a lunch - box on his pull - down table. His lunch is into a special box, he is ready to eat his meal, that is assumed to be Krendler’s brain. A small boy who seats beside Lecter asks Lecter if he can try some of Lecter’s lunch. The boy is allowed to try some of Lecter’s food, finally Lecter says to young boy that Lecter’s mother used to advice him “that it’s important - always to try new things”.

The Casting of Hannibal

In the initial film “Silence of the Lambs” the part of FBI agent Clarice Starling was played by Jodie Foster and the part of Hannibal Lecter was performed by Anthony Hopkins. Their performance was exceptional, excellent almost perfect and they received an Academy Award for best actress / actor.  It was sure if Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins will participate in the Hannibal film.

The producers knew that could do without one of the original “stars” but without them it was sure that Hannibal project was going to be a failure. Later on an interview De Laurentiis said that with out Anthony Hopkins it was impossible to produce Hannibal.  Asa result the producers of Hannibal had to secure the participation of Anthony Hopkins.