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Hannibal (2001)
Starring Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, Ray Liotta, and Gary Oldman. Cinematography by John Mathieson. Editing by Pietro Scalia and Daniele Sordoni. Produced by Dino De Laurentiis, Martha De Laurentiis, and Ridley Scott. Written by David Mamet and Steven Zaillian. Directed by Ridley Scott.
Ten years ago Dr. Hannibal Lecter escaped his confines and vanished. He is now living a comfortable life disguised as an art curator in Florence. The past decade has also changed Agent Clarice Starling. The once young and vulnerable rookie is now a seasoned veteran who is credited with the most kills of any female agent. After years of living a double life, Lecter’s cover is broken and his whereabouts are reported to Mason Verger, who has become an unlikely survivor of Lecter’s wrath. Verger uses his millionaire’s influence to get Starling back on the case, but only intends to use her as bait so he can finally serve his revenge to his former doctor. Starling begins her investigation and the vicious game of cat and mouse begins.
Soon after graduating collage with a bachelor’s degree in English, Thomas Harris earned a job as a reporter for the Associated Press in New York. The experiences he had investigating crime and murder during this time would give him insight into a world that he would recreate in his second novel, Red Dragon. Harris’ book, with its incredibly detailed accounts of forensic sciences and glimpses into the darkest corners of human nature, was embraced by critics and earned a spot on the bestseller list. It also introduced readers to what would become one of the most loved and feared characters in modern literature, Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lecter. The film adaptation by Michael Mann, released five years later under the name Manhunter, did not find the same success, but has in subsequent years scraped together a decent cult following. Harris’ follow-up to Red Dragon,Silence of the Lambs, was an even bigger hit. The 1991 film version, directed by Jonathan Demme, was an overwhelming critical and financial success, earning the “Big Five” at the Academy Awards (best picture, director, screenplay, actor, and actress). After ten years of holding their collective breaths, fans were delighted to hear that Harris was working on a third installment in his “Lecter Series” titled Hannibal. There was a film adaptation in the works before the novel was even published.
When mega-producer Dino De Laurentiis went searching for a director to film the cinematic version of Harris’ newest novel, he went straight to Ridley Scott; a filmmaker he had been hoping to work with for years. Scott breezed through the six hundred page manuscript and immediately fell in love with the story. It was different enough from Silence of the Lambs to not be seen as a cheap knock off, but still retained much of the suspense and drama of its predecessor. It also operated on a larger canvas, giving Scott an opportunity to explore multiple locations in both the United States and Italy. Hannibal, the movie, was a great success at the box office, but left many fans of the franchise unsatisfied. Whether it was the deviation from the storyline of the novel, or the lack of intensity and sophistication compared to its precursor, it’s hard to say. But anyway you look at it; it’s no Silence of the Lambs.
Budget: $87,000,000
Total US Gross: $165,091,986
Genre: Thriller
Runtime: 131 Minutes
US Release Date: 2/9/01
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Awards: none
Tagline: Break The Silence.
Quote: “On a similar note I must confess to you, I'm giving very serious thought to eating your wife.”
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