MovieChat Forums > Hannibal (2001) Discussion > Did the last scence go too far?

Did the last scence go too far?

posted 11 years ago by jmdris
28 replies | jump to latest

Does anybody else think the last scene with the child eating that piece of brain went too far? I understand that this is a horror film, and that anyone watching it can expect to get what they asked for. But there are some things that just don't need to be committed to film...

I think there is an analogy to be drawn here between the way the SOTL films and the way the Saw films have evolved. You have a horror film series that starts out scary in a chilling and thought-provoking sort of way. Then, as new movies come out, the elements that made the original so good are traded in for pure shock value; and what you are left with is just trash for trash sake.

[–] FirstBlood1982 11 years ago

Hannibal and the better SAW sequels are no less thematically interesting than their predecessors, more gore doesn't automatically mean less depth.

And since this movie centers more around Hannibal while he's on the loose, it should be expected that it's going to be more brutal than a movie where he's locked up throughout most of the movie.

+++by His wounds we are healed. - Isaiah 53:5+++

[–] 11 years ago

[deleted]

[–] graulaw 11 years ago

Its an allegoric morbophor. Works in this film beutifully

[–] coolbrett 11 years ago

I don't think it went too far. It fits in with Lecter's character description. It's exactly something someone as evil as him would do.

[–] Poltrgst 10 years ago

I agree. Except I thought his closing remark "It's important to always try new things" seemed rather dull and insipid for someone of Dr. Lecter's acumen. I think a far more humourous and poignant end note would have been for him to say something like, "As my mother used to tell me, you are what you eat."

[–] coolbrett 10 years ago

How about "eat up, this is brain food!"

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] LeeVing88 9 years ago

It would be far cheesier. Better suited for an 80's Arnold movie than a line from Hannibal Lecter.

[–] smithgdwg-164-181238 11 years ago

Im just not sure why the kid thought it looked good. Looked pretty disgusting to me without even knowing what it is. I don't know of any kid that would think that looked good.

[–] Doom 11 years ago

Well, he's a very unusual boy, isn't he?

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Wait a minute... who am I here?

[–] AarOnHisBox 11 years ago

LOL.

Well said. I do not see how it can be going too far. If the kid doesn't know what it is and never will because he will probably forget about it, then who cares? What does it hurt?

I am not a cannibal (wait - that's pathetic that I have to point that out), but I honestly doesn't see it being that much worse than eating cats and dogs and other intelligent mammals. And like it was mentioned a couple of times in the film, Hannibal usually eats rude or discourteous people. He is performing a service to human society. Yep yep.

[–] pkhbamel 10 years ago

Yep yep

[–] IzzyNoya 8 years ago

Dude, it's an Asian kid. They eats all sorts of strange looking sea life.

[–] ConstanceLambert 10 years ago

But there are some things that just don't need to be committed to film...

Do you have a for instance? I'm struggling to think of anything really. My own personal view is that if a thing exists, or happens, why would it NOT be ok to commit it to film?

It's a little bit like saying some things shouldn't be talked about...

[–] jmdris 10 years ago

Well, to clarify, I'm not saying it's immoral necessarily to put certain content in films.

As far as horror films go, I think there is a fine line between scenes that are effective in creating a sense of fear and suspense, and those that serve only to deliver shock value.

Good horror films try to creep you out. Bad horror films try to make you throw up.

Of course you're free to entertain yourself any way you want...

[–] xxhelterskelterxx 10 years ago

No. It was a relatively tame scene.

[–] agenericperson 10 years ago

considering the book had Starling and Lector running away together as lovers, I'd say no.

[–] hackt_tamui 10 years ago

A kid eating something nasty in a film will never be "Went too far" compared to any type of murder in a film. So in your opinion it is more acceptable to see a series of brutal murder and extreme gore than to see a kid eating something nasty?