Well folks, there you have it, every Dr. Lecter film (Up-to this date), it may not be as long as past reviews but that’s a good thing, it’s not a franchise that should have carried on to the ranges of Hannibal: 30 Years Later or something to that effect.
When I usually do these overviews I talk about how great or bad a franchise is, but before I get to that I’d like to focus on one person, no not Anthony Hopkins (I will get to him later), I’d like to talk about Brian Cox. I’ve always thought about what if? What if Brian Cox had carried on the Lecter role? Here’s my thoughts…
I like to think that if Cox had carried on the role that the films would’ve still been huge box office successes, that Cox would’ve got the recognition he deserves for his portrayal of Hannibal The Cannibal, but truth be told it probably wouldn’t have happened, what would’ve probably happened is that the films would of stayed more of an indie vibe to them, which isn’t a bad thing.
I think it’s sad that Cox doesn’t get the praise he truly does deserve, he gave birth to one of Horrors most favorite characters and was excellent in the role, I would’ve liked to see him carry on the role but you can’t really complain, Hopkins was truly amazing and there’s no denying that, But before I get to Hopkins I’d like to talk about some of the other cast first.
First of all let’s start with my 2nd favourite character, Buffalo Bill. Ted Levine was truly outstanding in this role and who can forget the infamous line that get’s quoted constantly, “It rubs the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again”. It ‘s easily a role he will always be remembered for, the fact it’s still talked about today is proof of that.
Secondly, lets talk about the character Clarice Starling. Jodie Foster put in one hell of a performance in “Silence Of The Lambs” and it’s a shame she never carried it on as it would’ve been nice to see the chemistry between her and Hopkins carry on but you can’t really take anything away from Julianne Moore, she played a great Clarice, she showed us how the character had evolved into a seasoned agent and had become more hard skinned. Both actresses played their roles brilliantly and I think Julianne had more pressure on her and still pulled it off.
I got asked why I chose a thriller series for a horror review, well the Horror world embraced Hannibal Lecter with open arms, the guys a wise cracking, sarcastic, genius cannibal, what’s not to love?! I truly suggest that if you haven’t seen the series then make it a priority, if you have seen it then rewatch it to remind you how brilliant it is….but leave out Hannibal Rising.
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