The Cannibal We Love

Mmmm “Liver with some Fava Beans”
Robert Louis Stevenson once said, "The Devil, can sometimes do a very gentlemanly thing." In the movie Silence of the Lambs directed by Jonathan Demme, ex-psychiatrist Hannibal, the Cannibal, Lector acts as a poise gentleman to FBI agent Clarisse Starling. Armed with his psychiatric and manipulative background, Hannibal helps Clarisse with both her childhood past and tracking down the elusive serial killer, Buffalo Bill. Despite being a horrific killer, audiences are drawn to Hannibal Lector’s contrasting appeal, etiquette, dark humor, intelligence, his comparison to Buffalo Bill, and his relationship with Clarice Starling.
The audience is introduced to the contrast character of Doctor Hannibal Lector at the end of the basement of a mental asylum. The descending scenery of gates and doors is bathed in red, depicting the image of hell. Ironically at the end of the isle, expectations for a beastly devil are shattered when a calm and poised man with gray hair is grinning behind the glass. Well-rounded characters, such as Hannibal Lector, intrigue audience’s curiosity because of their uncommon persona.
The image of coldblooded killers are mostly ghastly and satanic; yet, Hannibal the Cannibal’s delicate etiquettes charm the audiences. In the first meeting with Clarice, Lector greets her with good manners, “Good morning…May I see your credentials?...Sit, please.” Unlike his rambunctious neighboring inmates, such as Miggs, Hannibal has an eerie charm attracting audiences as well Clarice.
The Cannibal’s dark humor is his most enjoyable personality. Hannibal eases the tension of audiences with his sharp remakes to the female characters of the movie. He nails Clarice on the head with his question about her relationship with Jack Crawford, “Do you think Jack Crawford wants you, sexually? True, he is much older, but do you think he visualizes scenarios, exchanges, fucking you?” This remark shows the dim funny side of the Cannibal. His twisted humor makes another appearance with his muzzled meeting with the Senator,
“Tell me, Senator. Did you nurse Catherine yourself?
- What?
-Did you breast-feed her?
-Yes, I did.
- Toughened your nipples, didn't it? Amputate a man's leg and he can still feel it tickling. Tell me, Mom, when your little girl is on the slab, where will it tickle you?”
The Senator was appalled by his words, yet the audiences were delighted at the disgust that Hannibal cooked up. His demented wittiness is demonstrated once more in the final scene, as he chats with Clarice while spying on Charlton, “I do wish we could chat longer but...I'm having an old friend for dinner.” This is the final pun of the film, for the reason that audiences know the Cannibal’s true motive.
Hannibal Lector’s brilliant and creative mind is an additional appalling characteristic. Hannibal shows his creativity as he escapes from his cell in the first climax scene of the film. With just the use of a pen clip, Lector frees himself desecrates two armed police officers in the process. Emotions collide as audiences cheer for his escape while berating the brutality he demonstrated. With the use of human skin, Hannibal disguise himself as a pulverized survivor of the massacre. This cunning resourcefulness wins the hearts of many audiences who are in awe of Lectors brilliance.
The comparison between Buffalo Bill and Hannibal Lector, leads to the approval of the Cannibal. One comparison between the two killers is music. Lector’s personal choice is the classical genre; meanwhile, Bill is the gritty Rock n Roll type. The taste of music leads audiences to lean towards the sophisticated Hannibal Lector while looking down upon the wild Buffalo Bill. The other comparison is the hygiene displayed by both of them. Hannibal was very tidy and neat, with his shirt tucked in, even being locked up. On the other hand, Buffalo was very messy and sloppy. Cleanliness leads to relaxation, for more people, while disorder disturbs.
The relationship between Hannibal Lector and Clarice Starling builds positive attraction that audiences have with Lector. Hannibal sees Clarice as an apprentice as he gives her encouragement to continue with the case of Buffalo Bill,
“I'll give you a chance for what you love most.
- And what is that?
- Advancement. Listen carefully. Look deep within yourself, Clarice Starling.”
The story unfolds with each encounter with Hannibal Lector, as if he holds the key to finding Buffalo Bill. Their relationship is larger than teacher and pupil as Lector begins to help Clarice with her with her childhood trauma, the screaming of the lambs.
“And you think, if you save poor Catherine, you could make them stop, don't you? You think if Catherine lives, you won't wake up in the dark ever again to that awful screaming of the lambs.”
He is interested in understanding Clarice because he is fascinated with her. This can be clearly seen with the gentle caressing touch Lector gives Clarice as they exchange the case file. In the final scene, Hannibal Lector shows acknowledgement of Clarice’s success by calling her and asking, “ Have the lambs stopped screaming?” He is proud of Clarice as though he had been testing her all along in this manhunt. Hannibal is the anti-hero audiences love to hate.