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Hannibal (TV Series), finally a depiction that lives up to Silence of the Lambs

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I don't know if anyone watches this show, but it is, IMO, stupefyingly horrific.

From the eery soundscapes, blue cinema filters, sublime acting, trenchant dialogue, visceral horror tableaus, up-close and-personal human organ and body part food preparation complete with truffle garnishes (using actual pig lung to simulate human lung), and last but not least, Mads Mikkelsen.

Just about every episode, I feel like I am experiencing a nightmare, and often through Will Graham's perceptive.

Bravo.
 

Totenkindly

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It's a pretty wonderful series, mainly because it chose to not try to copy TSotL and just tell the story in its own way, including recasting some characters differently (such as Freddie being female and Crawford not just being black but also have a different personality than in the movie).

Hopkins and Mikkelsen each have their own interpretation of the character, but I think both work excellently. And I totally agree about all the visuals, the stylisms, the editing, and acting. Hugh Dancy is great as Will; I never found the character compelling in the book, but here he makes so much sense. What the editing, visuals, sound, and everything else contributes to is presenting us the subjective view from inside Will's head.

And I think the focus on food as a running motif (and even the episode titles) was genius. It all seems so obvious in hindsight, but well, I can't say enough good about this show.

I was a huge fan of Millennium (with Lance Henricksen) when it came out in the late 90's, but it was flawed in some ways -- mostly where the writers didn't know quite what to do with it -- and it only lasted a few seasons. This show has taken the same kind of unsettling tone and perfected it.
 
G

Ginkgo

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I don't know if anyone watches this show, but it is, IMO, stupefyingly horrific.

From the eery soundscapes, blue cinema filters, sublime acting, trenchant dialogue, visceral horror tableaus, up-close and-personal human organ and body part food preparation complete with truffle garnishes (using actual pig lung to simulate human lung), and last but not least, Mads Mikkelsen.

Just about every episode, I feel like I am experiencing a nightmare, and often through Will Graham's perceptive.

Bravo.


I feel the same way. I'm only in the middle of season one, but I think it would be entertaining for Silence of the Lambs fans and those who haven't seen the movie or read the book. I think if I were to watch this series without any prior knowledge about Hannibal Lector, then the story would become a suspenseful puzzle to be figured out. But as it stands with me, it's a psychological thriller, sprinkled with entertaining headgames. Its only drawback is its level of pretentiousness, and dizzying nightmarishness. Then again, there's no accounting for... taste... :happy2:
 
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Then again, there's no accounting for... taste...
nyuk nyuk

I think if I were to watch this series without any prior knowledge about Hannibal Lector, then the story would become a suspenseful puzzle to be figured out.

Wat you mean? Still a puzzle to figure out? As I understand it (and I could be wrong) the TV series has a story arc of it's own, plot wise, unrelated to the plots and stories of the books and movies, though keeping with the mythos.
 
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Then again, there's no accounting for... taste...
nyuk nyuk

I think if I were to watch this series without any prior knowledge about Hannibal Lector, then the story would become a suspenseful puzzle to be figured out.

Wat you mean? Still a puzzle to figure out? As I understand it (and I could be wrong) the TV series has a story arc of it's own, plot wise, unrelated to the plots and stories of the books and movies, though keeping with the mythos.
 
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Ginkgo

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Wat you mean? Still a puzzle to figure out? As I understand it (and I could be wrong) the TV series has a story arc of it's own, plot wise, unrelated to the plots and stories of the books and movies, though keeping with the mythos.

Hannibal's involvement with the series of murders.
 

Forever_Jung

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I started it, and it seemed really good, but I lost a little interest at about the 4th episode. Is it worth picking back up?
 

Totenkindly

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I started it, and it seemed really good, but I lost a little interest at about the 4th episode. Is it worth picking back up?

Well, based on the conversation, pretty much everyone posting in this thread is thinking so.

I don't even remember what happened at Episode #4, we're most of the way through Season #2 now.
 

Forever_Jung

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Well, based on the conversation, pretty much everyone posting in this thread is thinking so.

I don't even remember what happened at Episode #4, we're most of the way through Season #2 now.

Yeah, stupid question, given this is a thread for people who obviously think it's worth a person's time. I think I need to go to bed.
 
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Yeah, stupid question, given this is a thread for people who obviously think it's worth a person's time. I think I need to go to bed.

Yeeeuuh, buddy. Listen hear, you don't lack Hann-i-bol, you can git out.
 

r.a

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this new season is great so far. the black and white opening scene in episode 1 set the stage perfectly to where this season is going. and fucking Mikkelson is nailing it like a G. but as one user mentioned before, the show is a bit pretentious in its presentation. the swirling visuals are cool and they help elevate this show above pretty much everything on regular network television, but its so elaborate and overdone that it seems to take away from the amazing writing and performances. that pillar made of human bodies in season 1 was a bit overextending in my opinion. nevertheless, amazing show. i identify with will graham on many levels so the scenes with him are easy for me to step into and inhabit as if it were my own life. 4 out of 5 bowl hits.
 
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Riva

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I love it.

I am going not going elaborate as to why I like it so much since most of whom watches it would watch it and participatein this thread because they like it; so I am going to tell you what I don't like about the show:

They are trying to make it for 7 seasons whereas I believe 5 is long enough.
The part in which Hannibal manages to trick the FBI into thinking that the empath is the serial killer is a bit of a stretch.
and
It's a bit of a drag sometimes.

On slightly different notes: Mads Mikkelsen does such a brilliant job especially considering the fact that he is playing a role which was previously done by Anthony Hopkins, he is also so good looking he makes Anthony Hopkins kind of look funny which I realize is an unfair thing to say since Anthony Hopkins wasn't known for his looks.
 
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he is also so good looking he makes Anthony Hopkins kind of look funny

After Mikkelsen's performance in Casino Royale, he did such a good job of being creepy, I never really considered him attractive. And still don't really. But apparently he's like, the sexiest dude in Denmark and the ladies love him.

On another note, he's done some reeeaaallly amazing movies if you ever get the chance, The Hunt, After the Wedding (not a RomCom), Valhalla Rising (the coolest, though different and with so little dialogue, it may be record setting, Viking movie I've ever seen).
 

Totenkindly

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Maybe you can chalk Anthony Hopkins' horrible appearance to living in a hole in Dr. Chilton's dank basement without any sunlight for years, and without decent cuisine. Mikkelsen = before, Hopkins = after. :D
 
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he is also so good looking he makes Anthony Hopkins kind of look funny

Maybe you can chalk Anthony Hopkins' horrible appearance to living in a hole in Dr. Chilton's dank basement without any sunlight for years, and without decent cuisine. Mikkelsen = before, Hopkins = after.

Well as you've already mentioned, and well know, they're simply 2 different takes on the character. But if that's true, sunless dank basements really take a toll on the aging process. :D

Major Spoiler Alert from the last episode. Best line:
 

Totenkindly

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Kinda sad, the last episode. In my heart, I feared the worst. (*casts cloak over my head, like Gimli*)

Every time I think the show has shown the most artsy-fartsy death tableau possible, it manages to up the bar once again. I think this was one of the most disturbing things I've seen on the show, in spite of its clinical and precise presentation; it also was harder due to the emotional connection to the character.

I don't know how they could drag this show out for many more seasons, it seems like Crawford's gonna be onto Lecter sometime soon -- maybe as soon as next episode -- and also the season opened with that fight between the two, then cut back a number of weeks.

I think the grotesquery of the show is tempered slightly (and I even find it touching?) where in Will's visions, he's talking to some characters in the show who have passed on, they're almost like protective spirits guiding him through his journey along the outskirts of death.
 
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I think the grotesquery of the show is tempered slightly (and I even find it touching?) where in Will's visions,

Will is, rather obviously, Hannibal's virtual opposite, and it makes for the show's horrors to come alive all the more. He is so sensitive and empathizing, that he has basically made it a super power. Ordinarily, that kind of gift would be better for Will's health were he himself to be some sort of counselor or therapist, or someone that works in healthcare, yet it is used to "empathize" with serial killers and their crime scenes to such a freakish degree that he can virtually become them. That, for such a kind a sensitive soul, is an extra element that makes this show all the more skin crawling.

Though Crawford humanely unshackled Will from that lovely little Hopkins era straight jacket and bite mask, he still had his gun squarely aimed in his face. On top of this episode, Crawford saying "Hannibal, you're such a good friend" after Hannibal saves his wife-wow, what a dick move talking her into suicide then bringing her back to life. I loved that SLAP, in all of her weakness she manages to whip out on Hannibal.
 

PancakeMix

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I finished the first season a few months ago. I haven't watched the second season yet, but I'm probably going to start it up again real soon. It truly is such a great series, and it's very addicting to watch. The writers made the story very intriguing, although the visuals were the ones that caught my attention in the first place (even if they are a bit overdone). It's one of my top favourite series so far.
 
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I finished the first season a few months ago. I haven't watched the second season yet, but I'm probably going to start it up again real soon. It truly is such a great series, and it's very addicting to watch. The writers made the story very intriguing, although the visuals were the ones that caught my attention in the first place (even if they are a bit overdone). It's one of my top favourite series so far.


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