Hannibal the Cannibal. Whether an intentional rhyme or not,the pun was greatly appreciated by our members.   

Perhaps it is an odd point to comment upon, but film,
as well as being a visual art, engages the viewer’s other senses too. Sound is
equally as important. The whispering of Hannibal draws the audience in. We feel
as if at every moment we are being let into a secret, some hidden and
confidential information. The mystery of disturbed childhoods; how exactly the
elusive Hannibal ended up imprisoned; the character Buffalo Bill whom we chase
right from beginning to end: these moments are juxtaposed beautifully with his
hushed tones.  

It is not just words but the panting, hissing,
squeaking, thudding, echoing and even squelching that add so much to the film.
In fact the first sounds we hear are pants. The real-world sounds are oddly
refreshing to hear in a film. Nothing is clean, refined and overly edited.
Instead the gritty reality of a world with shocking acts of serial killers is
complimented with natural and yet highly uncomfortable sounds.  

In fact they create an illusion of an accurate
portrayal. We almost forget we are watching a contrived film set. Killers
similar to those from a figment of Thomas Harris’s imagination do exist. The
depicted grotesque and torturous methods used upon victims both alive and post
mortem have most probably have been carried out. And yet we are gripped,
following avidly. If there is one thing a serial killer can ensure it is
notoriety and so the film’s success in a sardonic way mirrors true life.  

Isabella Fernandes
President of Film Club