When the film, The Silence of the Lambs (1991), based on Thomas Harris' novel was released, audiences were already anticipating his follow up book. It would be another eight years before Harris completed it. During those interim years, The Silence of the Lambs director Jonathan Demme, and the co-stars Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins all expressed their intent to participate in the sequel film. The resulting film, Hannibal (2001), based on Harris' new novel, ended up only having Hopkins return to reprise his iconic role as Hannibal Lecter. Both Demme and Foster declined due to the gory nature of the material. Demme was replaced by director Ridley Scott, and Foster was replaced by Julianne Moore in the role of FBI agent Clarice Starling. Decidedly different from it's predecessor, and naturally criticized because of it, the reception was somewhat mixed, though Hannibal did break some box office records (surely because of the high anticipation level). Reception aside, the film has a very stylish aesthetic and some particularly intriguing production locales... for example, the scenes shot in Florence, Italy are so beautiful, it makes one wish that the whole film had been made there.
Having escaped from custody, brilliant ex-psychiatrist, cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) has successfully eluded capture for eight years...
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| Hannibal. 2001: Anthony Hopkins |
He is currently residing in Florence, Italy under an assumed name, hoping to be appointed the new curator of the Capponi Library, a position made vacant by an academic who disappeared under "mysterious circumstances"...
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| Hannibal. 2001: Anthony Hopkins |
FBI agent Clarice Starling (Julianne Moore) has not stopped looking for Lecter during those eight years, however...
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| Hannibal. 2001: Julianne Moore |
Neither has Mason Verger (Gary Oldman), a victim of Lecter, left disfigured many years ago. Verger, an extremely wealthy man, has a standing reward offered for Lecter's capture. He wants Lecter alive, though, so that he can be tortured and Verger can enjoy his gory revenge...
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| Hannibal. 2001: Gary Oldman |
When Lecter's whereabouts is discovered, Clarice Starling is on a mission to get to Lecter before Verger does...
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| Hannibal. 2001: Julianne Moore |
But Lecter will not be caught easily...
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| Hannibal. 2001: Anthony Hopkins |
and has some plans of his own...
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| Hannibal. 2001: Anthony Hopkins |
