MovieChat Forums > The Silence of the Lambs (1991) Discussion > Unlike this movie suggests, psychos ain'...

Unlike this movie suggests, psychos ain't complex nor mysterious...

posted 9 years ago by al666940-3
22 replies | jump to latest

The movie Insomnia with Pacino had one nugget of 100% truth on this:
"You're about as mysterious to me as a backed up toilet is to a plumber"

Can't get more real and direct than that (they're nothing but piles of crap worthy of nothing but a flush)

That's how fascinating/mysterious/intriguing these types are to law enforcement, whom unlike what people may think, DO deal with psychos/sociopaths daily (gang bangers, muggers, wife beaters, etc). They just ain't glamorous enough to make much out of them.

But they are all just as pathetic and insignificant as even the most notorious ones (Bundy, Ridgeway, BTK, etc)

Heck, even Bob Kepler, that writer dude about Ted Bundy, or whomever wrote The Riverman (when Ted offered to help catch the Green River Killer), points out that when Ted began begging for one final stay of execution (his appeals had run out) by appealing to scientific curiosity "For you to truly understand why I liked such things and why I did such things", Kepler 's reply was more or less "unless that helps me catch others like you before they kill people, I really don't care about any of your particulars one way or the other".

I'm not knocking the movie, loved it, but characters like Lecter simply are phonies and conmen (pretending there's anything worthwhile about them), nothing more. Unfortunately idiots like Clarice (and eventually Harris himself whom clearly fell in love with his own creation and the rolling cash it produced) fall for their act.

[–] The_White_Hotel 9 years ago

That all makes the assumption that Lecter is a common or garden psychopath in the mold of Ted Bundy, which he clearly isn't. Anyone with the mental prowess that Lecter is depicted as having is interesting, psychopath or not.

Reality is the new fiction they say, truth is truer these days, truth is man-made

[–] al666940-3 9 years ago

"a common or garden psychopath in the mold of Ted Bundy"

If Ted was "a common or garden psychopath", how come he's the most infamous one (or just behind Manson)? It's not because he's so "common". It's because NOBODY saw him coming, and couldn't believe it once he was exposed.

The "a common or garden psychopath" is your friendly neighbourhood crack dealer, gang banger, wife beater, CEO, televangelist, you name it. They're everywhere, and are common enough to bore the cops with their particulars, only the gruesomeness of their violent crimes are noteworthy.

"Anyone with the mental prowess that Lecter is depicted as having is interesting, psychopath or not"

The closest there was was a man named Carl Panzram. As fascinating as he was, even he knew his particulars didn't matter to anyone else and was honest enough not to pretend they did.

Lecter is clearly acting up for Clarice, and he succeeded in bamboozling her out of her mind (at least in the sequel book). Nothing mysterious or fascinating about his particulars (the whole Mischa business fell flat and most people wish Harris had never addressed them to begin with).

Buffalo Bill (Jamie Gum), is far more true to what one of these freaks truly is (up close and personal) than Lecter. I am truly surprised Ted Levine dared to go as far as he did and that he was denied even a nomination (only Harvey Keitel comes to mind as an actor willing to go that far, and maybe Christian Bale)

[–] The_White_Hotel 9 years ago

Pick whatever phrase you like for your standard psychopath and whichever example of one that pleases you, that's not the point. The way Lecter is depicted makes him unusual, exceptional even, and therefore interesting.

Reality is the new fiction they say, truth is truer these days, truth is man-made

[–] al666940-3 9 years ago

"The way Lecter is depicted makes him unusual, exceptional even, and therefore interesting"

Obviously since Hopkins made that. BUT Did you truly want to know more about the character in the movie?

As much as I liked his portrayal, I really couldn't care less about his background. I had hoped the sequel Hannibal would focus on the present (him and Clarice, their dynamic), NOT on his past.

I enjoyed Hopkins, not the character (seemed too unrealistic, only Hopkins could play him juts right).

In Manhunter however, he's written differently (very understated and low key), and Cox played him to perfection. THERE I actually felt like knowing more about him.

[–] CyberpunkCentral 9 years ago

Mads Mikkelsen was a better Hannibal Lecter.

http://www.g7gaming.net/

[–] ForTheNonce 9 years ago

If Ted was "a common or garden psychopath", how come he's the most infamous one

By your own logic then, why is Hannibal such a point of interest?

Just because someone is evil or a criminal doesn't mean they aren't complex or mysterious.

It doesn't mean they ARE either, mind you.

[–] robertrmeiers 9 years ago

This is NOT an "ordinary" psycho, that is the whole point. Like the oversized shark in JAWS...He was thinking at a genius level and had lots of time on his hands to use that super brain for evil pursuits.

[–] wylierichardson 9 years ago

But what exactly did (author Thomas) Harris 'fall' for? If he wrote a phenomalally popular novel, turned into a even MORE popular movie, then clearly he knew what he was doing.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] JohnnyDoe67 9 years ago

What about those that manipulate others into doing their dirty work. i.e. those that pull the strings, the puppet masters etc?

[–] rmoriarty97 9 years ago

The active interest in these types of characters is due to the desire to prevent these types of crimes from happening. That's why the FBI's BSU exists. Of course the average cop on the street is going to say they're nothing but a piece of *beep* - yeah they are but *beep* we want behind bars, not loose on the streets.

[–] 9 years ago

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[–] MydnightRose 9 years ago

This is a generic juvenile bigoted view that usually comes from people who don't want to delve into why a person would do these kinds of things. Bundy Ramirez Gacy etc. were people who chose to do evil and enjoyed it. Calling them crap isn't going to make the hundreds of others just like them dissapear and cease being a threat to us.

 Superman & Wonder Woman

[–] Chefeetaboopers 9 years ago

Hun, troll all you want, but no one is really black and white. Even the most bland and generic person has some sort of secret or mindset that you don't know about. Quit pretending you know everything.