Mindgames and Movies: The New American Thriller?
With the ever-growing success of the Hannibal movie series, and in an age of ever more complex storylines and plots, Hollywood and the media have developed their own portrayal of the occupation of psychiatry through the character Dr. Hannibal Lector. I sat down with Professor McKellop of the Juniata Psychology department to delve into the mind of this subject.
Question
In the Hannibal movies, Hannibal's occupation is psychiatry; in which aspects did they portray him accurately?
Answer
I'm not sure, I haven't seen the new one, but I don't think they present him well at all. They present him as this master psychiatrist who has this insight into everyone and knows exactly what their weakness is. This is a common stereotype of psychiatrists in movies; Hollywood puts out this idea that psychiatrists have these superhero-like powers to peer into our psyche and either save or destroy us.
Q
What aspects did they portray him in a bad sense?
A
There is this tendency in psychiatrist movies for the therapist to have their own baggage; the idea that a psychiatrist is world renowned, but deep down he is more disturbed than his clients. The idea that one becomes a psychiatrist to make up for their own deficits, I don't think is based in reality.
Q
Do you think Hannibal was the "Godfather" of these gory movies?
A
No, I think the movies during the 70's or 80's, when I was in high school, such as "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", "Friday 13th", and "Halloween" started it all. These came out a decade before "Silence of the Lambs". The only thing is, these movies had killers who were fringe members of society, whereas Hannibal is an articulate, educated, lunatic. I believe that most people find that more interesting and scarier.
Q
So would you say that Hannibal Lector is the most lovable lunatic?
A
Most people are drawn to the movie because of the level of sophistication. He may get you and kill you, but you don't see it coming. He also has a MD, and we like to think people with MDs are the elite, so it almost seems like it couldn't be him; evil should be ugly. I think it scares people to think that it could be their doctor or dentist, so yes he could be the most popular.
Q
Does the intellectual storyline of the Hannibal series raise the need for a "sheen coating" on the plot?
A
I don't think necessarily, but there has become this differentiation of low budget "slasher" films vs. sophisticated thrillers. Like "Saw" or "Seven", what little I know, the bad guys are intelligent and almost philosophical about their killings. There is now an idea that there are super geniuses out there and we can't stop them. These new characters play on mental weaknesses; they aren't just guys with chainsaws.
Q
Will the Hannibal series lead to other gore movies with more serious storylines?
A
Probably, if for no other reason, it's because Hollywood learns. They see these movies becoming popular, and if Hollywood can make money again and again, they will. "Silence of the Lambs" was the ground breaker for intellectual thrillers. In today's age of cable TV with CSI and Law and Order, people are getting more sophisticated; they like the underlying theme, not just killing.
- Chris Bender '10, Student Reporter