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Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter is a Fictional Character appearing in four Novel s by author Thomas Harris and their film adaptations. Lecter appears in '' Red Dragon '' (published in 1981 , filmed in 1986 as '' Manhunter '' and in 2002 under its original title), '' The Silence Of The Lambs '' (published in 1988 , filmed in 1991 ), '' Hannibal '' (published in 1999 , filmed in 2001 ) and '' Behind The Mask '' (to be published in 2006 , and filmed as '' Young Hannibal ''). In Harris' novels and their film adaptations, Lecter is an extremely brilliant (''said to possess an I.Q. in excess of 200''), cultured Psychiatrist and Serial Killer , who practices Cannibalism upon his victims. He has often been put in the company of the greatest Villain s in literature and film, along with Satan from John Milton 's '' Paradise Lost '', Darth Vader from the '' Star Wars '' films, and Professor Moriarty from Arthur Conan Doyle 's Sherlock Holmes stories. Brian Cox was the first actor to play the character, taking the role in ''Manhunter'', but it is Anthony Hopkins whom most moviegoers recognize as Lecter. Hopkins first appeared in the role in ''The Silence of the Lambs'', winning the Academy Award for his performance. He also appeared as Lecter in ''Hannibal'' and ''Red Dragon''. Harris, who rarely gives '' as one inspiration for his interpretation of the character. Cox stated on the ''Manhunter'' DVD interview that his main inspiration for playing Lecter was Scottish serial killer Peter Manuel , who, according to Cox, "didn't have a sense of right or wrong." In 2003 , the American Film Institute named Lecter, as played by Hopkins, the number one film villain of all time. BIOGRAPHY :''It should be noted that the following account of the character's life is an interpretation of the novels by Thomas Harris, rather than any films or screenplays. Early life and murder spree Hannibal Lecter was born in Lithuania in 1938 to a wealthy, aristocratic family; His father was a count, his mother a descendent of the famous Visconti family of Milan . In ''Hannibal'' he is said to be a cousin of the artist Balthus . He had a younger sister named Mischa . When Lecter was six, a group of German deserters retreating from Russia shelled his family's estate, killing his parents and most of the servants. Lecter, his sister, and other local children were rounded up by the group of deserters to be used as sustenance during the cold Baltic winter. Mischa was killed and cannibalized, but young Lecter managed to escape. It is believed that this event would shape the rest of Lecter's life; Harris writes that it destroyed his faith in God , and he believed from then on that there was no real Justice in the world. Years later, he would come to see his nemesis (and obsession) Clarice Starling as a surrogate for his sister. In ''Red Dragon'', Harris wrote that, as a child, Lecter showed the first and earliest sign of 's checklist; he shows only two, a lack of Remorse and habitual deceitfulness (''though this is a point of debate, as he can be perfectly honest when he feels the need''). It should be noted, however, that Harris also wrote in ''Red Dragon'' that Lecter did not really fit any existing psychological profile, so psychiatrists called him a sociopath for lack of another appropriate label. Lecter established a psychiatric practice in Baltimore , Maryland in the 1970s . He became a leading figure in Baltimore society and indulged his extravagant tastes (no Pun intended), which he financed by influencing some of his patients to bequeath him large sums of money in their Will s. He became world-renowned as a brilliant psychiatrist, even as he himself apparently had nothing but disdain for the field; he would later criticize it as "puerile" and "on level with Phrenology ," and other psychiatrists as " Ham Radio enthusiasts and other personality-deficient buffs." Lecter killed at least nine people before his capture, becoming known in the Baltimore area as "The Chesapeake Ripper." Only three of his victims survived, including Will Graham , an FBI profiler who was Lecter's captor and who figures largely in the Plot of ''Red Dragon''. Another one of these, Mason Verger , figures largely in the plot of ''Hannibal''. Only two of his 12 victims are known by name in the books: Benjamin Raspail and Verger. Verger was the scion of a wealthy and influential family who controlled a meat-packing empire. Verger went through psychiatric counseling with Lecter after being convicted of Child Molestation . Lecter drugged Verger and suggested he try cutting off his face. Verger complied and, again at Lecter's suggestion, ate his own nose, feeding the rest of his face to two dogs. Lecter then broke Verger's neck and left him to die. Verger survived, but was forever confined to a Life Support machine. Raspail was Lecter's ninth and final (known) victim before his Incarceration . Raspail was a not-so-talented Flautist with the Baltimore Philharmonic Orchestra, and it is believed that Lecter killed Raspail because his musicianship, or lack thereof, spoiled his enjoyment of the orchestra's concerts. Raspail's body would be discovered sitting in a Church Pew with his Thymus and Pancreas missing, and his Heart pierced. It is believed Lecter served these organs at a dinner party he held for the orchestra's Board Of Directors . Raspail claimed to have killed a man whose head was found years later in Raspail's rented storage garage in Baltimore, but Lecter suspected him of covering up for his former lover, Jame Gumb, who would later be involved in Lecter's life as the serial killer dubbed " Buffalo Bill ." The novels also mention a few details about Lecter's other victims. One, who initially survived, was taken to a private Mental Hospital in Denver, Colorado . Others include a bow hunter, a Census taker he famously ate with " Fava Beans and a big Amarone ", (in the movie, the wine he had for this particular meal was "a nice Chianti ") and a Princeton student whom he buried. Lecter was given Sodium Amytal by the FBI in the hopes of learning where he buried the student; he gave them a Recipe for Potato Chip dip. He committed his last three known murders within nine days. Lecter was caught in March or April of 1975 by FBI Special Investigator Will Graham. Graham was investigating a series of murders in the Baltimore area committed by a serial killer, and had turned to Lecter for professional advice. When Graham questioned Lecter at his psychiatric practice, he noticed some Antique medical books in his office. Upon seeing these, Graham knew Lecter was the killer he sought; the sixth victim had been killed in his workshop and laced to a pegboard in a manner reminiscent of the Wound Man – an illustration used in many early medical books. Graham left to call the police, but while he was on the phone Lecter attacked him with a Linoleum knife. The courts found Lecter Insane . Thus, he was spared Prison and sent to the Baltimore State Forensic Hospital (later the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane.) Many of the families of his victims pursued Lawsuit s against Lecter to have their files destroyed. The FBI investigated four more patients who had died under Lecter's care. He was nicknamed "Hannibal the Cannibal" in the ''National Tattler'', a Tabloid that also published unauthorized photos of Graham in the hospital after being attacked by Lecter. Another officer retired from the FBI after being the first to discover Lecter's basement. Lecter's Electroencephalogram (EEG) showed a bizarre pattern and, given his history, was ultimately branded "a pure sociopath" by the hospital's administrator, Frederick Chilton (who was not a certified doctor). Ultimately, Lecter remained an enigma; he was far "too sophisticated" for most forms of psychological evaluation, especially considering the fact that he enjoyed staying abreast of all of the latest developments in his field. Since he knew how the tests worked, no one could use them on him. Lecter was a model patient until the afternoon of July 8 , 1976 . Upon complaining of chest pains, he was taken to the infirmary where his restraints were removed. He attacked a Nurse who was then placing leads for an Electrocardiogram (ECG) onto his chest, tore out her eye, dislocated her jaw and ate her tongue. His Pulse never went above 85 Beats Per Minute . During the struggle with the orderlies, his shoulder was Dislocated . Following the incident, Lecter was treated very carefully by the hospital staff. He was often confined to heavy restraints, a Straitjacket and Muzzle , and he was only transported when strapped to a hand-truck. Chilton and Lecter's relationship was marked by mutual hatred; Chilton's mediocrity and inflated self-importance offended Lecter, who often humiliated his keeper, while Lecter's constant mind games and slipperiness infuriated Chilton, who punished him by removing his books and toilet seat. (Chilton once claimed Lecter saw him as his nemesis; this was clearly a case of s. Helping the FBI , portrayed by Jodie Foster .]] During his stay in the hospital, Lecter would help with two FBI cases. Graham came out of retirement in 1978 to help out with the "Tooth Fairy" case and, while at a dead end, he went to Lecter for help. Lecter "helped" by sending a Code d message to the killer, Francis Dolarhyde , to kill Graham and his family, resulting in Graham being permanently disfigured. Five years later, Jack Crawford sent FBI trainee Clarice Starling to Lecter. Starling thought she was there for a class assignment, hoping to get Lecter to take a questionnaire, but she ended up getting him to help her in the Buffalo Bill case. In both of these cases, Lecter used word play and subtle clues to help Graham and Starling figure it out themselves. It is his relationship with Starling, equal parts antagonism and seduction, around which ''' The Silence Of The Lambs '' and '' Hannibal '' revolve. Harris based the Lecter-Starling relationship on the "consultations" between Profiler Robert Keppel and serial killer Ted Bundy , in which Bundy offered to help the FBI track down the Green River Serial Killer . Gumb's latest kidnappee was Catherine Martin, daughter of Sen. Ruth Martin. Lecter told Chilton he would reveal Buffalo Bill's real name to Martin and was promptly flown to Memphis and held at the Shelby County Courthouse. During his stay in Memphis, Lecter lied to Martin, giving her the fake name "William Rubin." ( Bilirubin is a Pigment found in Feces , the same colour as Chilton's hair, Lecter's hint that the name was fake; the movie changed the name to "Louis Friend," an Anagram for "iron sulfide" - Fool's Gold .) Starling then visited Lecter at his makeshift cell, and he gave her some final clues before making a bloody escape, killing two police officers during the ordeal. He escaped by making a "mask" from parts of the faces of the officers. After Plastic Surgery and the removal of a distinctive Sixth Finger , Lecter relocated in Florence, Italy . Lecter avoided reconstruction of his nose to protect his unctuous enjoyment of fragrances. In Florence, he took the Pseudonym "Dr. Fell," a reference to the Tom Brown translation of Martial 's Epigram "Non amo te, Sabidi" ("I do not love thee, Doctor Fell / The reason why, I cannot tell.") As Dr. Fell, Lecter's dazzling charm won him the recently vacated position of museum Curator . Lecter murdered the previous curator. Winning Clarice Lecter's identity would be discovered by Florence detective Rinaldo Pazzi seven years after his escape from Memphis. Pazzi, who had been disgraced when he bungled the "Il Mostro" case, saw a chance for redemption when he realized the identity of Dr. Fell. Pazzi struck a deal with Verger to get Lecter alive so that Verger could feed Lecter to wild Boar s. In his efforts to capture Lecter, Pazzi inadvertently informed Lecter of his insight. After disemboweling and hanging Pazzi, Lecter went back to the United States. Both Verger and Starling would hunt him, hoping to get to him before the other. Lecter ended up being captured by Verger's men, but escaped once again, taking the wounded Starling with him and convincing Margot Verger (Mason's sister and a former patient, whom Mason had Rape d when they were teenagers) to kill her brother. Lecter left a voice message claiming responsibility for Verger's death. Although, in the movie ''Hannibal'', it was Mason's butler/caretaker who eventually kills Verger as Lecter offers to take the blame. Lecter kept Starling in total isolation during the next few months, subjecting her to various Brainwashing and Conditioning techniques. His main goal was to systematically replace Starling's memories and personality and make her believe she was Lecter's deceased sister Mischa. After breaking Starling down, Lecter kidnapped her nemesis, Paul Krendler , who was trying to discredit her, as a final test. At the rented home that Lecter was living in, Lecter performed a Lobotomy on Krendler and tastefully prepared and shared his Brain s with Starling while Krendler was still alive. However, Lecter's plan to brainwash Starling ultimately failed, as he utterly underestimated her strong will; Starling refused to have her own personality Sublimated , mocking his efforts to turn her into his sister. Then, in the novel's most controversial moment, she seduced Lecter, and the two became lovers. The couple then vanished. Lecter's former caretaker, Barney Matthews, spotted the two in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2000 . It is stated that Starling was able to use sex to tame Lecter's darker impulses and literally domesticate the serial killer, with the two living an affluent lifestyle. The ending of ''Hannibal'' sparked much controversy. Harris wrote an alternate ending for the film adaptation: in the new ending, Lecter didn't try to brainwash Starling, and the infamous dinner party where Krendler's brain was served took place days, not months, after the death of Mason Verger. The police tracked Lecter down, and, in order to buy time, Starling handcuffed herself to Lecter. In the film's , the film heavily implied it was left-overs from Krendler's brain. At the end of the film, Hannibal Lecter is still alive and at large. APPEARANCE In the books, Lecter has been described as short, but with noticeable wiry strength and dignity of bearing that makes him seem taller. He had Maroon Coloured Eyes that reflected light and even rows of small white teeth. His "most ardent fan," Francis Dolarhyde, remarks that he is "the dark portrait of a Renaissance prince," possibly a nod to Machiavelli . In ''The Silence of the Lambs'', he is mentioned to have a widow's peak, and dark hair. He had six fingers on his left hand, the middle finger perfectly replicated, until he underwent a surgery to better mask his identity. He tends to be very still, yet very quick when required, and tilts his head to one side when listening. He has excellent Hearing and Smell . His voice is described as having a metallic ring to it, as though he spoke with a perpetual tension. After plastic surgery, he looks little different, but is said to have different hair and a minor alteration to his nose and cheeks. At the end of ''Hannibal'', when he is spotted with Starling by his former orderely Barney, he has had his face altered again. His body count totals 21, 14 confirmed by the FBI, and 4 attempted murders. It is unknown whether he killed Chilton, although he went missing soon after Lecter's escape. An Italian musician also vanished not long before Pazzi's murder. LECTER AS CULTURAL FIGURE While Harris' novels ''Red Dragon'' and ''Silence of the Lambs'' were critically and commercially successful, it was not until the film adaptation of the latter was released in 1991 that Lecter, as played by Anthony Hopkins, became a cultural Icon . In many ways, the character became the Template for cinematic portrayals of serial killers from that point on as cold, calculating master criminals who live to play "cat and mouse" with the police, manipulating both their victims and the detectives who "hunt" them like pawns in a game of Chess . Many real-life serial killers, such as Andrei Chikatilo , BTK , and Jeffrey Dahmer , have been compared to Lecter. His relationship with Starling set a precedent for the relationships between fictional murderers and police officers; it has by now become almost Cliché for onscreen detectives to have "special relationships" with serial killers based on grudging respect and mutual obsession, and for police to consult with them in their cases in order to "think like their prey." Many Law Enforcement officers who have investigated serial killers have complained that Lecter is an inaccurate, romanticized Caricature of an especially brutal kind of criminal, and that the " Genius " with which he is portrayed committing sadistic, coldblooded murder, often getting away with it, glorifies and trivializes violence and the pain it causes. He has been the inspiration behind many subsequent villainous characters, primarily because he represents an unusually horrific brand of serial killer; while most real-life serial killers suffer from severe psychological difficulties which often impede their sociability and their capability to relate to other people (as exemplified by Francis Dolarhyde from ''Red Dragon''), Lecter fits in among an extremely limited range of sociopaths, one who appears on the surface to be completely normal, or perhaps even brilliant; and who just happens to have a penchant for gruesome murder. Indeed, Lecter's refined, Aristocrat ic charm has made him something of a romantic figure, and his relationship with Starling has drawn many comparisons with the Fairy Tale '' Beauty And The Beast .'' While portrayed as a sociopath, Lecter is not without Compassion ; he feels genuine concern and affection for Starling, respects his caretaker, Barney Matthews, and truly wants to help Margot Verger overcome her brother's Abuse . In this sense, he has evolved from a Villain into an Antihero whom audiences cheer for. ''Red Dragon'' director Brett Ratner called him "the huggy bear of serial killers." His line "I ate his liver with some Fava Beans and a nice Chianti " from ''Silence of the Lambs'' was voted as the 21st most famous movie quote of all time by the American Film Institute. The slurping sound he makes right after this line has also become a widely recognized, imitated, and parodied staple of pop culture. REFERENCES
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