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Despite the criticism about showcasing themes of human sxuality and sxual politics, Jonathan Demme’sThe Silence of the Lambsis rightly considered a timeless classic. Released in 1991, the film tells the story of a young FBI trainer Clarice Starling who hunts a serial killer, Buffalo Bill. As she turns to an imprisoned psychiatrist/cannibal, Hannibal, for help, her life takes a rather dark yet transformative turn.
Played by the legendary Anthony Hopkins, Hannibal Lecter is a fan-favorite villain. Why did Jonathan Demme put the responsibility of bringing the man to life on Anthony Hopkins’ shoulders? A professor from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts has a theory.
Why was Anthony Hopkins cast inThe Silence of the Lambs?
The answer could be as simple as the fact that he’s a great actor! However, Professor Todd Boyd believes there is more to it than what meets the eye. Boyd teachesThe Silence of the Lambsto his students over at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts (viaVanity Fair).
It is pointed out that when Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine) eats dust in the film, the viewers rejoice but whenAnthony Hopkins‘ Hannibal Lecter offs two guards and escapes from prison, the world applauds. Hypocrisy much? After all, they’re both vicious killers.
Jodie Foster: “I avoided him as much as I could” on Her Relationship With Anthony Hopkins That Really Brought ‘Silence of the Lambs’ to Life
Boyd asks the important question,“So why is it funny when one person does it, and when another does it, it’s horrifying?”Well, he believes that in order forJonathan Demmeto pull this bit off, he had no choice but to cast a White actor in the role.
The professor claims, “You couldn’t imagine an actor of color playing the Hannibal Lecter role then.” As per Boyd, his race“allows him to be the point of view people look at the film through, even though he’s a criminal.”This point of view really makes a person think about how race may play a part in the way we perceive and react to different characters.
Anthony Hopkins talks about Hannibal Lecter
Last year, Hopkins sat down for a conversation withPEOPLEwhere he discussed what it was like playing Hannibal in the film. Even though over three decades have gone by since he was in the role, he believes that it is still“one of the best parts I’ve ever read.”
When his agent first handed over the script to him, Hopkins believed that it was a children’s story. He said,“I thought it was a children’s story”because of the film’s title.
Anthony Hopkins’ Silence of the Lambs Might Have Been Scary But It Doesn’t Even Hold a Candle to 1 Movie That Left its Director Fighting Murder Accusations
But when he came around to reading the thing, he realized that it exceeded his expectations unlike ever before. He recalled,
So I opened it. I sat in the dressing room in the theater, and I read through the first scene of Lecter. I said, ‘Is this an offer?’ He said, ‘I’m not sure.’ I said, ‘I’m not going to read anymore, because this is one of the best parts I’ve ever read.’
Well, as luck would have it, Demme really did want Hopkins to play Hannibal and he even flew all the from New York to London to see the actor in the play,M. Butterfly.The two had dinner together and the rest is history. Hopkins went on to win an Oscar for his role.
The Silence of the Lambsis available to rent/buy on Prime Video.
Mishkaat Khan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2257
A connoisseur of all things horror, fantasy, and the occasional chick flick, Mishkaat has been penning pieces for FandomWire since 2022. She started off as an intern and has worked her way up to a Senior Writer with over 2000 articles to her name.Outside of entertainment, she has also written well-researched medical content as a freelance writer and has experience in social media management.When not writing, you can find her relaxing with a romance novel and a tall glass of iced coffee in her hand or watching re-runs of ‘Supernatural’ and ‘The Office.’
