Hannibal. The magic of a stunning character
Women want to be with an attractive man like him; men want to be him.
What kind of character was created by the authors of the series that had such a stunning success and became an icon, a cult hero?
"Hannibal Lecter" is a fictitious character in a series of tension books by Thomas Harris, fiction’s most likeable villain. Based on this book series, Bryan Fuller created one of the most adventurous network television shows ever made, starring Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen in the titular role. This great TV series went off the air in 2015 after three seasons, but it never really went away, thanks in part to its still-obsessed online fan base (Fannibals, of course!). The great swathe of fans demonstrates how deeply Lecter has sunk his fangs into the culture.
Mads Mikkelsen successfully embodied the image of the witty, charming, charismatic, whip-smart forensic psychiatrist who loves fine wines, art and classical music. He created an attractive image that combined respectability, power, intelligence, masculinity, elegance and sophistication, all that attracts in Hannibal physically as well as an intellectual and emotional attraction.
Mads' boundless talent and appearance are superbly complemented by the external surroundings, style and chic interior of his house. All personal space is luxurious. Hannibal Lecter's office is the mix of antiques and modern we’re seeing so much of these days.
He admires beautiful things from all periods, has a particular eye for things English and European. He also loves and understands art. His home is a space of beauty and harmony, with aesthetics in food and in the objects around him. Hannibal is a true expert in the field of elegance, his taste in food, clothing, wines - flawless.
A man of good taste has special interior details that convey the hero's worldview and his specific affection.
Hannibal hosts exquisite dinner parties. He has a desire to control nature, which is seen through the use of floral arrangements and an herb wall within his home- every dinner party has themed florals and animal style decoration. The animal imagery is most prominent in the living room, so much so that the chairs have carved horse's hooves for feet. So it is no coincidence that a sculpture of a horse appears in the official shooting. See how she highlights his power and dominance- also his confidence and status. The horse is in the perfect place in his house.
Production designer Podesta’s specification sheets for the Lecter office included antiques and a dramatic pair of curtains that are 13 feet high. “They were risky, too bold for a psychiatrist’s office,” Patti Podesta said, “but not for Lecter, who challenges whoever walks into the room.”
The horizontal striped curtains are a surprising and interesting detail, a combination of white and red imitating the classic polo arc.
Brian's script describes Sir John Soane's library as Lecter's office. Soane was an English architect and designed buildings in the style of neoclassicism, so the concept is of a stunning library that has become a symbol of demonstrative, straightforward art and object collecting that reflect the course of a person's entire life.
Interest in the series has definitely skyrocketed thanks to its placement on Netflix last year. Fans of this fantastic character don’t give up hoping for another season. That is also the dream of the cast and creator and we hope Netflix will make that happen.
