He's horrible, but why do we sympathize with Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs?

Question

Is it Anthony Hopkins' performance or is it some tiny script nuance I haven't noticed. But Lecter is one of the screens most terrifying villains, so why do we like him/sympathize with him?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Anthony Hopkins gives an outstanding performance as Hannibal Lecter. It's as if the character were created just for him. Hannibal Lecter is a very scary and dangerous man but maybe one could consider him a superhero in some way. Look at what he does to Paul Krendler and Mason Verger, they in my mind were both bad men. He is trying to save Clarice a almost angelic soul from the clutches of the government evil. But in order to truly understand Hannibal Lecter you will have to wait till the new movie comes out about his cannibalistic orgins

Source(s):

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367959/

Answer 2

He seemed to be having it good and not any more miserable for it... what's there to sympathise?

Answer 3

Cause in a way he knows whats right and wrong.....
he is more like the rage of the nature....
Pure instinct with ability of a perfect judgment.....
Or maybe just because he is to good...lol

Answer 4

Because deep down inside, we all love fava beans and chianti.

Answer 5

Because he's so freakin' smart. And we respect intelligence, even when it gets twisted through a perversion like his

Answer 6

We respect his intelligence, for one thing...it's odd to imagine him being the lesser of two evils, but he does, if for his own reasons, help Clarice Starling solve the case...for the most part, he comes off as reasonably normal...which is makes him all the scarier...it is a remarkably smart script, but Hopkins' performance brings even more life to the character than one could (or should) imagine

Answer 7

I believe it's a combination of Sir Anthony's performance and Hannibal's intelligence. Hannibal's admiration for Starling's intelligence and strength/past vulnerability is also intriguing.

Answer 8

Because he is so lonely, and because he's the main character... :)

People often try to figure out creatures like this one, and find any kind of sign that he was human once. This is why.

But I seriously doubt that anyone really LIKES him.

Answer 9

I think its the dichotomy of his personality. He is completely insane, a total psychopath and a very evil guy, but he likes good classical music, gourmet cooking, classical Italian architecture. He is a serial killer and a cannibal, but yet well educated and well mannered. He apparently is capable of killing or maiming anybody at the drop of a hat yet he treats Clarisse Starling with decency, even affection.

We like our heroes to be a little "naughty," and our villains to be more "human."

It is a powerful technique to suddenly switch from the purely evil Monster, "Hannibal the Cannibal" to the erudite "Dr. Lecter."

All of the above plus the other characters (except for Clarisse) are never overly sympathetically portrayed, another trick to keep Lecter from becoming too overwhelmingly awful.

In the end I think it is all these things, plus as you noted, a masterful performance by Hopkins as well as a brilliant piece of work by the writers and directors!

(All in all, one of the all-time classic film "Greats!")

Answer 10

most villans in movies are these guys that arent that smart, rude, mean etc. hannibal is the opposite he is extremly bright, a gentlemen, classy and not necessarily mean until he lashes out. hes like the more coy villan and every1 think thats cool and when ui surrond him with ppl like dr chilton who r only after 4 themselfs u want 2 c lecter succed over that.