Colts Win! Avoid "Hannibal Rising"
Well, the Indianapolis Colts won the big one last weekend. I know, where have I been. Been on vacation, and didn't really feel the need to comment on something everyone else has said over and over. Peyton Manning will no doubt be referred to as one of the greatest QBs in the history of the NFL, if not the greatest. But if he is dubbed "the greatest," is it because he actually was/is better than the legendary Dan Marino, or because he actually got a SuperBowl victory? It is sad how sports history more or less judges an athlete on how many championships they have won as opposed to just how much they gave to the sport, but then again, it is a business first and foremost.
While I was on vacation I had the "privilege" of reading Thomas Harris' latest Hannibal Lecter novel Hannibal Rising. The story is about the infamous Dr. Lecter in his youth and what his life was like before he became the character many people know from Silence of the Lambs. Having seen the lackluster previews for the new movie, and knowing that the great actor Anthony Hopkins was not involved, I decided the book would be enough for me. However, upon finishing the book yesterday afternoon, I noticed a showing of the movie was going to start in about half an hour. I got into a "why the hell not" mindset and attended a screening. The movie is faithful to the book, and that is not really a good thing. Both efforts are, in essence, a blatant attempt to milk as much money as possible from a franchise and character that has more or less run its course. Star Wars really started a trend of once you run out of story that moves forward, turn back the clock and tell what already happened. I blame you, George Lucas! Well, maybe not, but after that prequel trilogy I think he deserves to be blamed for something that isn't his fault. He just needs to be blamed!
The new movie eschews with all of the suspense and psychological elements that made Silence so satisfying and instead opts for flat out gore and splatter horror typically reserved for lesser movies. Obviously the filmmakers and author decided that's what the movie going public wants, and gave it to them. Dr. Lecter is no longer portrayed as the mysterious yet dangerous being he once was, but a horror baddie in league with Jason Voorhees and Freddy Kruger. It's no longer about the terror he creates as much as the punchline or one liner he cracks after commiting a grisly murder. Perhaps most disturbing is that as the movie's protagonist, Hannibal is turned into a dark vigilante avenger who only kills bad guys that have it coming (This actually started in the 2001 sequel Hannibal). Tell me, is this the route we are taking with movie heroes? Well, it seems our top action adventure character is currently a pirate that wears eye-liner. Go figure.
While I was on vacation I had the "privilege" of reading Thomas Harris' latest Hannibal Lecter novel Hannibal Rising. The story is about the infamous Dr. Lecter in his youth and what his life was like before he became the character many people know from Silence of the Lambs. Having seen the lackluster previews for the new movie, and knowing that the great actor Anthony Hopkins was not involved, I decided the book would be enough for me. However, upon finishing the book yesterday afternoon, I noticed a showing of the movie was going to start in about half an hour. I got into a "why the hell not" mindset and attended a screening. The movie is faithful to the book, and that is not really a good thing. Both efforts are, in essence, a blatant attempt to milk as much money as possible from a franchise and character that has more or less run its course. Star Wars really started a trend of once you run out of story that moves forward, turn back the clock and tell what already happened. I blame you, George Lucas! Well, maybe not, but after that prequel trilogy I think he deserves to be blamed for something that isn't his fault. He just needs to be blamed!
The new movie eschews with all of the suspense and psychological elements that made Silence so satisfying and instead opts for flat out gore and splatter horror typically reserved for lesser movies. Obviously the filmmakers and author decided that's what the movie going public wants, and gave it to them. Dr. Lecter is no longer portrayed as the mysterious yet dangerous being he once was, but a horror baddie in league with Jason Voorhees and Freddy Kruger. It's no longer about the terror he creates as much as the punchline or one liner he cracks after commiting a grisly murder. Perhaps most disturbing is that as the movie's protagonist, Hannibal is turned into a dark vigilante avenger who only kills bad guys that have it coming (This actually started in the 2001 sequel Hannibal). Tell me, is this the route we are taking with movie heroes? Well, it seems our top action adventure character is currently a pirate that wears eye-liner. Go figure.
posted by Darth Liberal at 10:32 AM
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