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Posted by MK from adsl-63-194-18-73.dsl.lsan03.pacbell.net on February 01, 2001 at 11:21:29:

In Reply to: Someone who's REALLY sorry for posting off-topic, but this was just TOO GOOD to pass up! Special movie review: H A N N I B A L posted by frequent indy contributor who wishes to remain anonymous on February 01, 2001 at 00:33:57:

: Surely the first "must see" movie of 2001 in terms of audience
: anticipation, HANNIBAL is the long-awaited sequel to Jonathan Demme's
: classic, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. It is no freak accident that the film
: is opening right before Valentine's Day -- the original opened almost
: ten years (to the day) prior to HANNIBAL's upcoming release.

: Based on Thomas Harris' very grisly book (which drew much attention
: and as much criticism for its seemingly relentless gratuity, as well
: as some far-fetched plot devices), screenwriter Steve Zaillian does an
: admirable job of condensing the novel to screenplay form. (David
: Mamet is credited as well, though his early draft -- more faithful to
: the elaborate nature of the book, if indeed silly -- was rejected.)

: Directed by visual auteur Ridley Scott, the film has a sleek,
: colorful, gorgeous look to it, vastly contrasting the claustrophobic,
: dark, subdued tones of the original film and replacing it with a
: painterly canvas of Italian scenery.

: Set ten years after SILENCE left off, Clarice Starling (Julianne
: Moore) leads an ill-fated FBI drug raid, resulting in several deaths
: and much bad publicity for the bureau. Unjustly forced into taking
: the fall for the tragedy, even though it wasn't her fault, Clarice is
: beckoned to the call of multi-millionaire Mason Verger (Gary Oldman).
: Verger, a deranged lunatic and pedophile, was the only one of Hannibal
: Lecter's victims to survive -- though severely disfigured, with
: virtually all the loose flesh ripped from his face. (Oldman's makeup
: job is perhaps the single most horrifying element to the film --
: looking like a cross between Mr. Rogers and Fire Marshall Bill, and
: speaking like a cross between Larry Flynt and Ross Perot, Oldman's
: psycho actually manages to upstage Hopkins in a few small moments.)
: Verger is hell-bent on finding and capturing the good Doctor for his
: own vengeful purposes (as if Lecter wasn't bad enough), and hopes that
: Clarice's recent public humiliation might be the key to luring the
: lion from his den.

: Thousands of miles away, Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) has been
: living incognito in Florence, Italy, assuming the position of curator
: to a classic Florentine Art library. (The original curator
: mysteriously disappeared...hmmm....how did that happen?) Learning of
: Clarice's fall from Grace, he carries on a mail correspondence with
: her. Meanwhile, a local Italian police investigator uncovers Lecter's
: true identity, and schemes up a plan to capture him so that he may
: collect Verger's $3 million reward.

: From there, things get really complicated, as Lecter outwits (and
: "out-does" -- literally) his opponents and returns to the US of A to
: find Clarice once again. With Verger on Clarice's trail, Hannibal is
: ultimately captured, and... well, the rest you'll have to see for
: yourself.

: SILENCE OF THE LAMBS was an extraordinary film, and while gruesome,
: there was an underlining sensitivity to the characters, and resonated
: with an incredible chemistry between Jodie Foster and Hopkins. One of
: the most intense and miraculous pairings between any two actors in
: film, Foster and Hopkins played off each other brilliantly. Demme
: directed the film from Clarice's point of view, giving us the
: picture's heart and soul, while Hopkins delivered its sinister yet
: delectible menace. Though only onscreen for 20 to 30 minutes,
: Hopkins' presence was felt throughout every moment.

: Ridley Scott's approach is far more visceral and gothically visual, if
: not quite as emotionally satisfying. Whereas SILENCE built relentless
: tension through quiet, unnervingly calm moments, Scott fuses HANNIBAL
: with pulsating, eye-dazzling freakshows. It is not Clarice's story,
: and even if this tale isn't meant to be from her perspective, the
: warmth and humanity that Demme and Foster had injected into the
: hellish world around them is sorely missed. HANNIBAL is many things:
: sadistically funny, clever, jaw-dropping, stomach-churning, thrilling,
: intense, and -- yes -- scary. But it isn't nearly as emotionally
: moving as the original.

: Given the parameters of Harris' story, much of the excessiveness (even
: to the point of caricature) has been wisely omitted. But what remains
: is STILL REALLY OUT THERE. Even if the thrills and screams come just
: as quickly as before, the emotional resonance seems empty by
: comparison. It's easy to understand why Foster backed out from
: reprising her role.

: As her successor, Julianne Moore is up to the task, and acquits
: herself well. With an accent that virtually mirrors Foster's West
: Virginian twang for SILENCE, Moore is radiant and refreshing. The
: nervous, vulnerable FBI student from the original has now matured into
: a determined, strong -- though psychologically scarred -- woman who
: manages to hold her ideals against the corrupt system she's supposed
: to support. Though I must admit to preferring Foster in the role,
: Moore's take is probably the best "second-best" out there, and we
: should be thankful for it.

: And, of course, Hopkins' Hannibal Lecter -- the virtual embodiment of
: sophisticated evil -- remains perhaps the most charming and sinister
: monster to grace the screen. No longer captive to prison glass walls,
: Lecter spends his time roaming about ancient cities, drinking
: expensive wines, and donning Armani suits. Hopkins is having the time
: of his life, and if he was indeed paid the sum of $25 million for the
: role (repudedly the largest up-front salary ever given to an actor),
: he has earned it. HE is the heart of the story, as well as the center
: of attention, this time '




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