Harry reviews the Steven Zaillian draft of the HANNIBAL script!!! And appeals to Ms Foster!

Hey folks, Harry here... And this time I’ve got something of a treat to discuss with you.

Quite a while back we heard reports from folks about the set aside draft of HANNIBAL. The Mamet draft. There was belly-aching and angst all about how Lecter wasn’t introduced soon enough. In SILENCE, he was introduced about 12 minutes and 34 seconds into the film. And here... well according to those that wasted their time and words upon a script that was already... set aside... Lecter didn’t arrive on scene till... about page 40. Well... He now arrives on page 34.

Through the wonderfully fiendish plots of Dr Fu Manchu, I have the privilege of being the first person to tell you of the script that they ARE considering to make. The Steve Zaillian draft. The one that got Anthony Hopkins to sign on the dotted line... and the draft that Jodie Foster has, FOR SOME UNGODLY REASON, passed upon.

Now I happened to be one of those people that thoroughly enjoyed Thomas Harris’ novel, HANNIBAL. Bought it the second it arrived on shelves the first moment the bookstore opened.

Gone is the accented dialogue writing of Mamet, and in place is the voice of Lecter, Starling, Crawford... and our dear pitiful soul... Mr Verger.

Zaillian began at page one, and did a masterful job of adaptation.

In SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, Clarice is a fresh rookie... a deer in the fierce 90mph headlights of Lecter’s gaze. She’s lived since then. Worked her ass off, gone though the shit jobs at the FBI, doing field work and yadda yadda yadda...

The film opens exactly as Thomas Harris opened HANNIBAL, albeit with a curious quick start with Verger... That’s right... we’ll see Macarena and Fish Heads and HIV Peckinpah Blood flows.

Each change of scene though brings Hannibal Lecter M.D. closer to the light. His presence is felt everywhere.... Echoes of lines from the past filling Clarice’s mind as she begins to track him down. And then... Once she’s hot on the trail... We go to Dr Lecter. Sure... he may have an assumed name. Sure... He’s not quietly threatening in a white prison suit behind security glass in a dungeon deep and fowl.

After all.... In both MANHUNTER (RED DRAGON) and SILENCE OF THE LAMBS we’ve had to watch the imprisoned Lecter. The man in manacles and attached to handtrucks.

Not the seemingly cultured, brilliant man of the world. Not that nicely dressed, nice smelling man that just passed you with flared nostrils along a sidewalk.

That’s the Lecter here. Sure... He may have another name. And to some people that read only with their eyes upon blackened text... They may feel that Hannibal is not in the film that much... But that’s only because they aren’t watching Anthony Hopkins in their mind’s eye delivering all the lines.

It’s a bit of a prerequisite to be able to do accents and character voices to read Zaillian’s script. And it is best read aloud. It’s also nice to have SILENCE OF THE LAMBS playing in the background with nearly muted sound... So the spare glances will afford you the personification of Lecter.

One complaint heard about the Mamet draft was the lack of Quid Pro Quo. Well... gosh. Why don’t we just have em reperform the first film? Heh. Well, for the Quid Pro Quo fans there is an absolutely brilliant Cell Phone Cat And Mouse scene in HANNIBAL that will wash away the ham handed lamaties of the SCREAM cell phone moments.

Remember that moment in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS where Lecter’s finger grazes Clarice’s hand? This cell phone scene, is like that.... except as a game of thrilling hide and go seek verbal foreplay.

Remember the scene in Brian De Palma’s CARLITO’S WAY, when Al Pacino is trying to get to Penelope Ann Miller without getting killed. This scene in the hands of Ridley Scott will take a week or two to shoot, but will end up being BRILLIANT.

My favorite aspect of the script is that Lecter is hunted by everyone in the film. They all want him. Every conversation is about him. And he ‘seems’ completely oblivious to it all. Buying fine soaps made from whale blubber... Drinking the finest of wines. And of course consuming the most delightful of cuisine.

When Lecter kills... it’s a beautiful horrific thing. Every blow, saw and broken neck a brushstroke to some unseen camera. To be appreciated by those that study such bloody tapestries.

But... what I liked here more than in the HANNIBAL book, is the strength of character anointed upon Clarice. She’s grown. She piercingly intelligent. She’s on her own, no longer under the wing of Jack Crawford. She’s her own woman. She’s no longer doped up silly at the end. And things are not quite as they ended in HANNIBAL the book... but the ending is shocking and delicious. And the epilogue.... which occurs upon a plane is sure to delight, shock and make some people gape in horror, while others squeal in perverse joy.

Clarice’s character is NOT weak. Lecter’s character is everything he needs to be. We do get a look or two at Mason Verger.... all teeth and gristle to be sure.... and that unblinking stare. We hear of Mason’s indiscretions, but do not see them.

Personally it is my opinion that if Jodie Foster passes upon this film, it will be much akin to oh... let’s say if Al Pacino bowed out of GODFATHER II, feeling that he had nothing to gain from playing the character... yet again... and that it would be a critical flop.

Can the film be made without Jodie Foster.... Oh yeah. BUT only if Jodie Foster wants to be eclipsed by someone like Cate Blanchett, Hillary Swank, Ashley Judd, Kate Winslet, Nicole Kidman, etc.

This draft answers a whole bunch of the criticism about Clarice’s character in the third act of HANNIBAL... from both the Mamet draft as well as the Thomas Harris novel.

Lecter is still toying with her.... still playing... But, by the very end I got the distinct impression that the game was OVER for Clarice and Hannibal. To be sure there are other games to be had, but this particular game had been played through. No more Tic-Tac-Toe or Quid Pro Quo.... If there were to be a future game, it would most likely be the most dangerous game.

As Barney recalls in one conversation, “...she was charming the way a cub is charming - a small cub that will grow up to be a big cat - one that you can’t play with later,” when describing a bit of chat he and Lecter had about Clarice.

This is the last time that neighborhood girl and the little boy with a crush wrestled and played hide and go seek in their old stomping grounds. Perhaps the little girl grew tired of him or he of her... But when next they meet... if ever... it would be as on animal of prey to another. This isn’t the relationship as they had it last time. The dynamics have changed, as all dynamics between people change given time. It really is wonderful.

In Ridley Scott’s hands this movie should move as graceful and suspenseful as Demme’s... but should also be more stylish than Mann’s.

One last note.... to Joe Funicello (Jodie’s Agent). You need to seriously sit down with Jodie and take another look at Zaillian’s draft. It’s better than the novel, far better than Mamet’s draft and when brought to life by Jodie and Anthony... With the amazing eye for detail that Ridley Scott and crew will bring to this film. I could possibly be even better than the first film... which was more or less... just a first date.

And then, for you other lucky ladies that might be up for this one... What a delicious part!?!?! Perhaps Jodie is set to make you the luckiest actress in Hollywood. Though I have to say... I’m rooting for Jodie!