Hannibal (2001)

Director:

Ridley Scott

Writers (WGA):

Thomas Harris (novel)
David Mamet (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

9 February 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Break The Silence

Plot:

Hannibal returns to America and attempts to make contact with disgraced Agent Starling and survive a vengeful victim's plan.

Plot Keywords:

Italy | Hannibal Lecter | FBI | Revenge | Disfigurement

Awards:

5 wins & 14 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Nov. 22

4:30 PM

WGNAMER

Cast

Anthony Hopkins	...	Hannibal Lecter
Julianne Moore	...	Clarice Starling
Gary Oldman	...	Mason Verger
Ray Liotta	...	Paul Krendler
Frankie Faison	...	Nurse Barney (as Frankie R. Faison)
Giancarlo Giannini	...	Insp. Renaldo Pazzi
Francesca Neri	...	Allegra Pazzi
Zeljko Ivanek	...	Dr. Cordell Doemling
Hazelle Goodman	...	Evelda Drumgo
David Andrews	...	FBI Agent Pearsall
Francis Guinan	...	FBI Asst. Director Noonan
James Opher	...	DEA Agent John Eldridge
Enrico Lo Verso	...	Gnocco
Ivano Marescotti	...	Carlo
Fabrizio Gifuni	...	Matteo

Also Known As:

The Silence of the Lambs 2 (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong gruesome violence, some nudity and language.

Runtime:

131 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Italian | Japanese

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Mexico:C | Iceland:16 | Australia:MA (original rating) | Malaysia:18SG | USA:R (certificate #38000) | South Korea:18 (re-rating) (cut) (DVD rating) (uncut) | Philippines:R-18 | Italy:VM14 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Poland:18 | Austria:18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:R (re-rating) | Brazil:16 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Ontario) (special edition) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Germany:18 (w) | Hong Kong:III | Hungary:18 | India:A | Ireland:18 (widescreen edition) | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (original rating) (cut) | South Korea:(Banned) (original rating) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

When Jodie Foster declined to reprise the role of Clarice Starling, Julianne Moore beat Gillian Anderson, Cate Blanchett, Hilary Swank, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Heather Locklear, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Drew Barrymore, Winona Ryder, Sarah Jessica Parker, Brooke Shields, Kristin Davis, Bridget Fonda, Calista Flockhart, Helen Hunt, Sandra Bullock, Christina Applegate, Jennifer Connelly, Meg Ryan, Shannen Doherty, Jennifer Aniston, Nicole Eggert and Teri Hatcher for the role. Anderson fell out of the running early on when it was discovered her contract to "The X Files" (1993) prohibited her from playing another FBI agent. Davis and Parker both turned down the part due to their contract to HBO's "Sex and the City" (1998). Flockhart declined due to her contract to "Ally McBeal" (1997).

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When the letter is being read by Starling and there is a voiceover by Lecter, we see Lecter playing Bach's Goldberg Variations on piano. The keys struck by Lecter and the notes we hear do not match exactly, suggesting Anthony Hopkins mimicked playing the piano for the camera.

Quotes:

[apparently about to cut Starling's hand off with a cleaver]
Hannibal Lecter: This is really gonna hurt.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Let the Church Say, Amen (2004)

Soundtrack:

THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT

A lot to chew on

Many people were disappointed or flat-out disgusted by Ridley Scott's follow-up to "The Silence of the Lambs." I can certainly understand their disgust, but I preferred this to its Oscar winning predecessor. It had been a long, long time since a movie made me turn from the screen in genuine horror, and I didn't believe it was even possible. "Hannibal"'s deservedly controversial climax took me by surprise. It may have been revolting (okay, it was very definitely revolting) but so few movies these days have any lasting impact and I appreciate that this one did. And it is, after all, about a cannibal, is it not? At some point in a series of films about a man of Lector's inclinations, we should see him at work.

Of course, the horror of the climax is effective because the rest of the film is so good. Hopkins, a little chunkier than the last time we saw him in this role, positively exudes menace especially in his final confrontation with Pazzi (an excellent Giancarlo Giannini whose sad eyes make him the most sympathetic character in the film). Then there's Gary Oldman's Mason Verger who is so contemptible that he never elicits sympathy no matter how he suffered at the hands of Lector. And Julianne Moore is an improvement over Jodie Foster who I have always believed was overrated.

But the best thing about "Hannibal" is the atmosphere in which Scott and his team envelop the story. A cloud of dread hangs over this film, and beautiful Florence, Italy, though still beautiful, appears haunted by Lector's very presence in the city.