Dr. Hannibal Lector is a fictional character from a series of novels by Thomas Harris who has featured in The Silence of the Lambs [1991], Hannibal [2001] & Red Dragon [2002]. Though Brian Cox featured in the first adaptation “Manhunter [1986]” based on Red Dragon, it is Anthony Hopkins who has immortalized the character. He won an Oscar for the Best Actor category in “The silence of the Lambs”, which is one of the 3 movies in the history to accomplish the feat of winning major 5 Academy Awards. NBC has aired a T.V series “Hannibal” based on him.
He is a sociopath (varied reasons for his psyche) yet he is intelligent, charismatic, physically fit, smooth & sophisticated with his words. Hannibal has a passion & a classy flavor for Art/Music/Literature and History. He loves food and cooks exclusive gourmets from his victim’s bodies. He is also a master of languages who despises rude/ill-mannered people (and they become his easiest victims).
Anthony Hopkins describes him as: “He’s still the sort of Robin hood of killers. He kills the- what do they call them? The terminally rude.”
Dr. Hannibal has a romantic “Dark” affection for Clarice Starling whom he finds as a lonely woman amidst corruption. He attempts to heal her battled soul while providing her clues to solve the series of murders. The “Quid pro quo” scene in the movie predicts their instinctive proximity where he provides a clue in exchange for his queries about her past. She plays in his mind as he resumes his activities in Florence in the sequel after his escape from the clutches of FBI. Lector attends an opera adapted from Dante’s sonnets and meets detective Pazzi & his wife. She asks him “Do you believe a man could become so obsessed by a woman after a single encounter?” To which he replies “Yes, I believe he could… but would she see through the bars of his plight and ache for him?”
He is a Monster with a Moral who leaves you mesmerized with his straight looks, polished words & that “Hiss” of his tongue. Hannibal “The Cannibal” is as precise with his scalpel as he is with his insight into the people’s minds. No wonder he has movie-lovers like me composing for him apart from the countless re-runs of his Films over the years. Allow him to bestow his charms upon you………Grab the Books or simply watch his Movies. You will fall in love with this Notorious “Charmer” and many of his quotes.
Like he said “I do wish we could chat longer, but i’m having an old friend for dinner.”
Sharing the Climax scene where Hannibal confronts Clarice.
