Hannibal

I have just suffered through Hannibal. I also dozed. As I looked around at the victims in the audience, some as young as ten, I wondered what the lure was that Hollywood dangled to bring in its prey and why does Hollywood need to commit the atrocity of film flagellation on all of them? It couldn't be the "brilliant" story line. Even Silence of the Lambs wasn't very well constructed, but grotesqueness and good acting seemed to make the moviegoers happy. So, Anthony Hopkins returns, as creepy as ever, but with more gore and guts and a story line more ludicrous than before. I haven't heard anyone RAVE over the film, so it IS possible that eating the brain of a man while still living kind of turned people off, thank God. So, why DOES Hollywood continue to venture down this road of repulsive filmmaking? To get into the psychology of this, let's drop in on another ugly film, Quills.

Quills is purported to be an "intellectual" film featuring the mind of the Marquis de Sade. We observe the Marquis as he obsessively pens pornography and perversion to the delight of the public and bored scullery maids. Meanwhile, the Abbe who overseas the nuthouse, tries to be tolerant of the madman and even, in a most progressive manner, encourages his writing so as to purge himself of his wicked, vile thoughts. Now, along comes a spider, in the form of a repressive psychologist (alienist, in those days), who tries to prevent the poor boy from writing his drivel. Of course, we soon discover that the good doctor is quite the sadist himself in that he stifles folks and this is an ungodly torture in the eyes of Hollywood. Meanwhile, his wife is reading the naughty tales and committing adultery and the Abbe is overwrought with lust for the laundry maid whilst she is being titillated by the tales of the Marquis, by and by. Finally, in the bizarre ending of the film ::SPOILER HERE::, the Marquis enlists others in carrying his story (as he has no quills in his possession any longer) to the young maiden to write down and in the process of passing bits of the story along, another madman gets so hot and aroused, that he rapes and brutally murders the curious little virgin. The Marquis is then tortured to death by the doctor, the Abbe goes mad from the loss of his love (and has sex with her corpse), and the bad, bad psychologist becomes head of the institution and makes a load of money off the dead sadist's writings.

So, my exhausted reading audience, what IS the moral of this story? Is it that sick and demented thoughts bring horrible consequences? Is it that young ladies who consort with evil might have their lives brought to horrific conclusions? Oh, heaven's no, dear reader! The moral of THIS distorted history, brought-to-you-by-the-righteous-of-Hollywood, is the importance of the freedom of speech. The one true line of the film "Marquis, you are just a malcontent with a pen" (paraphrased), is mocked and the Marquis is elevated along with his lovely laundry lady as the protectors of freedom of speech and thought. The Abbe is elevated to savior at the end by raping a corpse and carrying on the pornographic writings of the Marquis as his contribution to the world. The psychologist is considered evil incarnate for having no interest in free speech until it makes him money (um, hmm…Hollywood…what is YOUR problem with that?)

I come to my conclusion now, we have an answer as to why Hannibal is brought to our theaters. Hannibal is yet another example of Hollywood being a bad little boy. LOOK, what I can do! I can say a BAD word! I can BURP real loud! I can show my TUSHY! Grow up, Hollywood! Just because you CAN think and show nasty thoughts doesn't make it all that interesting, necessary, or brilliant. It is as mundane as mundane can get. Unfortunately, the viewing public, for some reason, seems to have that same adolescent foolishness as well. We simply have to sneak a peek at a no-no! Control yourselves! Hannibal and Quills are two exercises in pitiful base behavior and contain no great messages or ideas that you need to visit. Put the Marquis de Sade side by side with Michelangelo, and Hannibal or Quills side by side with Les Miserables and it is hardly a competition. Save your money and your senses, folks, and head out to see Oh, Brother Where art Thou or any other movie that has some redeeming value, a heart, a script, and a sense of decency.

In Theaters now... unfortunately

Pat Brown
The Sexual Homicide Exchange

The Sexual Homicide Exchange
1730 New Brighton Blvd #325
Minneapolis, MN 55413
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