Hannibal :: essays research papers

- North American moviegoers were hungry for Hannibal the Cannibal at the weekend."Hannibal," a thriller feature Sir Anthony Hopkins in a long-awaited follow-up to the 1991 hit "The Silence of the Lambs," grossed a best $58 million in its first three days of spillway in the United States and Canada, according to studio estimates issued on Sunday.If the numbers wee-wee when final data are issued on Monday, "Hannibal" will replace 2000s " burster Impossible II" ($57.9 million) as the third-highest bow in movie history, subsequently 1997s "The Lost World Jurassic Park" ($72 million) and 1999s "Star Wars chance One -- The Phantom Menace" ($64.8 million). It also set new records for a non-summer opening, an R-rated release and for a release by domestic distributor Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc."I must confess I expected it to be big, but not this big," "Hannibal" producer Dino De Laurentiis told Reuters from Berlin.Indeed mos t industry expectations were in the $35 million- $40 million range. MGM distribution president Larry Gleason said he had hoped to surpass the $42 million bow of the 2000 horror spoof "Scary Movie," which held the record for an R-rated release. listening LOVES THE VILLAINThe film stars Hopkins as elegant cannibal Hannibal Lecter. When hes not disemboweling or dining on his hapless victims, he engages in a transatlantic cat-and-mouse game with FBI agent Clarice Starling, played by Julianne Moore. Jodie Foster played Starling in "Lambs," but opted not to return, reportedly because of the new films violence. Ridley Scott ("Gladiator") say. The original was directed by Jonathan Demme.De Laurentiis, in Berlin for the films screening on Sunday night at the German capitals annual film festival, said audiences have conferred hero status on Hannibal Lecter."When hes forced to kill, he kills somebody the audience wants to kill too," he said. "Hannibal is a picture in its own. Its a picture that will be remembered forever."He said Hopkins, who received a $10 million-plus salary for "Hannibal," had asked to be in a sequel. This was confirmed by MGMs Gleason. Whereas "Silence" and "Hannibal" were based on novels by Thomas Harris, the new project would probably bypass the control stage and go straight to script, Gleason said.As for the violent scenes, both De Laurentiis and Gleason remark that they were staged in an understated way with irony and humor."Its playing a administer more fun than violent, in a weird way," Gleason said. "Theres a lot of nervous laughter (among the audience).