What Went Wrong with HANNIBAL?
by Bruce Cantwell
What went wrong with the sequel to SILENCE OF THE LAMBS?
Thomas Harris's second novel, RED DRAGON, introduced a genteel doctor who had been imprisoned for unspoken, despicable deeds. MIAMI VICE creator Michael Mann directed the film: MANHUNTER. It was well reviewed and grossed $8.9 million. And somewhere deep in the fine print of the contracts, film mogul Dino DeLaurentiis, who released the film, acquired the rights to the character Hannibal Lecter.
Someone liked the character of the doctor because Harris recycled the plot. The FBI character's sex was changed. Harris created Clarice Starling as a southerner who the establishment treated as white trash, something the author's Mississippi roots might have inspired.
Jonathan Demme a director who switched back and forth between concert films (Talking Heads, Spalding Gray, Laurie Anderson), Public Television, and the occasional theatrical movie (MELVIN AND HOWARD, MARRIED TO THE MOB), was signed to direct. Anthony Hopkins and Jodi Foster climbed on board and the gruesome little thriller clicked. Everyone won Oscars. But more importantly, the film grossed over 100 million dollars and a sequel became inevitable. Especially when Dino DeLaurentiis owned the rights to the leading character.
Now DeLaurentiis isn't averse to making good films. He made some good ones with Federico Fellini. His American films include THE VALACHI PAPERS, MANDINGO, KING KONG, THE SHOOTIST, FLASH GORDON, RAGTIME, CONAN THE BARBARIAN, THE DEAD ZONE, FIRESTARTER, DUNE, CAT'S EYE, and the recent U-571. A mixed bag?
There is no clearer indication of Thomas Harris's reluctance to write a third cannibal novel than the novel itself, which took 10 years to complete. He created a story so gruesome and so ridiculous that no Oscar winning actor or director would touch it with a ten foot pole. Is it an accident that Hannibal Lecter's nemesis seeks to finish him off by feeding him to swine? The publishers didn't balk because anything they printed with FROM THE CREATOR OF SILENCE OF THE LAMBS on the cover would be a best seller and the film rights were in the bag. The handicaps against its film's success began to mount.
1. HANNIBAL'S source story would be a piece of crap.
Some people find even a discussion of the book's gruesome set pieces distasteful, which, I think, is the point. If you're too sensitive, don't click here.
Since Dino DeLaurentiis owned the rights to the novel and creative control of the film, Jonathan Demme had no trouble walking, especially after reading the silly thing.
2. HANNIBAL would go without the director who crafted the suspenseful mood of the SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.
DeLaurentiis convinced Ridley Scott to stand in. Before GLADIATOR, Scott's last three freatures were 1492: CONQUEST OF PARADISE, WHITE SQUALL and GI JANE. He's not a bad director, but he hadn't seen a hit in a while.
DeLaurentiis couldn't justify $20 million paydays for Hopkins AND Foster so one of them would have to go. Thomas Harris, probably made aware of the potential casting problem by DeLaurentiis, had Hannibal Lecter undergo plastic surgery to disguise his identity. In the end, Sir Anthony would stay and Foster would go. Who won?
3. HANNIBAL would go without the chemistry between the lead actors, the most effective aspect of SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.
I don't know if screen writing duties were ever offered to Ted Tally who won an Oscar for adapting SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. Get another playwright. How about David Mamet?
4. HANNIBAL would go without a screenplay by Ted Tally who won an Oscar for SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.
In the final analysis, Dino DeLaurentiis's siren's song was able to lure Thomas Harris to write a crappy book. Sir Anthony Hopkins would reprise his role even though his character had changed from a tragically flawed genteel doctor to a man who kills in particularly inventive ways to defend his ambition to work as a museum curator. He has lured Julianne Moore who alternates superb performances with stints in high profile dungheeps (THE LOST WORLD, PSYCHO). He has lured Ridley Scott, whose Oscar chances for GLADIATOR may be compromised by the release of this turkey before the votes are in. He has lured David Mamet and Steve Zaillian (SCHINDLER'S LIST).
I actually read the book and saw the movie to report on this cheerful little piece of pop culture. The movie is a big, handsome shipwreck.
Tina Jordan Writes: After reading the article "What went wrong with Hannibal?", I noted that money ($20 million) was the contributing factor as to why Jodi Foster was not in this movie. After seeing the movie, I was curious as to why Jodi was not playing "Clarice" (after all she did so well in SLOL). Was money the only reason? Please advise.
BC: I think that there were a couple of reasons Jodi Foster didn't do the part. She was every bit as important to the success of the first film as Anthony Hopkins but studio execs are male chauvinists when it comes to paying actresses star salaries. It's news when Demi Moore gets $12 million for STRIPTEASE, NOT news when Jim Carrey gets $25 million for LIAR, LIAR. Jodi Foster was in good company in those who opted out of participating in the sequel. Among others were the director Jonathan Demme, the screenwriter Ted Tally, and I it's pretty clear that Thomas Harris only went along for the money.
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