Thomas Harris created a cash cow with the fictional character of Hannibal Lecter. Most people came to know Lecter through the Oscar winning film, The Silence of the Lambs (based on the book of the same name), thanks to the intense performance by Anthony Hopkins (which also garnered him a Best Actor award despite only having consumed less that twenty minutes of screen time). Others might be familiar with him thanks to a brief appearance in the 1986 Michael Mann adaptation of Harris’ novel, Red Dragon, which was entitled Manhunter (a very underrated film with a spooky performance by Brian Cox in the role of Lecter). Hopkins, however, seemed made for the role and reprised it in the 2001 sequel to Lambs’, Hannibal as well as the following year’s Red Dragon.
NBC’s ‘Hannibal‘ is based on the characters Harris created in Red Dragon but acts as a prequel to the novel (and, therefore, both Manhunter and the film of the same name in which FBI agent Will Graham had already put Lecter in prison and was psychologically scarred as a result of their prior relationship).
Generally, I’m leery of prequels (as well as remakes and reboots) because: 1) we already know how the story ends and 2) the earlier incarnations have already left an indelible mark on us that’s extremely difficult to wash away with any new version of the tale. In fact, I disliked Red Dragon and prefer Manhunter simply because not only had I already seen the original film (as well as read the book), but Hopkins was much too old to play the role at that point and Edward Norton was too young to play a disturbed, world weary seasoned FBI agent. So seeing the new TV version of ‘Hannibal’ was not high on my list of priorities in an otherwise jam packed season of television.
But I programmed the DVR to record it anyway out of sheer curiosity.
Thanks to a busy weekend, I found time to watch it on Sunday and I have to say that I’m really pleased with the new version. Creator and showrunner Bryan Fuller has built his career on critically acclaimed, offbeat and (unfortunately) seldom watched series such as ‘Wonderfalls’, ‘Dead Like Me’ and ‘Pushing Daisies’ and he brings a new energy to a tale that’s been around for more than 30 years. We are immediately introduced to his version by profiler Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) who “sees” visions of how the killer operates and declares how he did it with the words “This is my design”. Graham has an uncanny knack for completely identifying and empathizing with the murderer and notes that he is on the Asperger‘s part of the autism spectrum. In this incarnation, he is unlike the previous versions in that he is portrayed as somewhat shy and quirky with a dread of most human interaction rather than a determined and tough individual.
Mads Mikkelsen takes over the titular role this time around and is asked by Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne) to secretly offer up a psychological profile on Graham as well as lend his services to solving cases involving serial killers. Mikkelsen tamps down the grandiosity of the character (so far anyway) and plays it with aloofness and steely reserve, simultaneously learning about Graham as well as studying him.
‘Hannibal’ wisely doesn’t play around with either the transformation of Lecter into a killer. He already is one and we get some glimpses into his culinary delights as he prepares parts of the victims for various meals. The series also nods to what will come when Graham and Lecter share breakfast together one morning. Graham tells the doctor he doesn’t find him interesting to which Lecter replies, “You will”.
Overall, this is a pretty grisly series with plenty of blood and gore for genre fans as well as a creepy atmosphere filled with dread for the inevitable confrontation. I hope that if each episode is this well written, the series will last a while and allow Fuller to gain the audience he so richly deserves. This is his design and I’m along for the ride.
Episodes can be seen Thursdays at 10pm on NBC or at the ‘Hannibal’ website.
This Old Haunted House 