Lecter's upright stance shows sophistication and power in scene
This sense of power that the director imposes on Hannibal is further built upon through the use of mise-en-scene as Clarice is walking through the prison to reach her subject’s cell. I feel as if the director purposely employs atracking shot, which allows the audience to become acquainted with the rest of the prisoners as well as Lecter’s cell, where the majority of the scene takes place. His cell is the last in the hallway, and is the only cell with a glass wall instead of bars separating him from the outside world. This allows Lecter to not only be viewed as more important than the other inmates, but also does not reduce him to the status of a common criminal behind bars; instead, he sees Clarice face to face as a normal person would, allowing him to keep his dignity while imprisoned, and thus his authority over his encounter with Clarice. The tracking shot and the establishment of the idea that Lecter’s cell is different, and in this case superior to the rest of the prisoner’s relays the notion that Hannibal Lecter is a powerful character not only in this scene, but also throughout the film’s entirety.
Hannibal Lecter’s sense of superiority, sophistication and importance in the film is also achieved through Demme’s use of editing. Throughout this scene, the director uses many close-up and extreme close-up shots to emphasize both characters’ roles. One thing that I could not help but notice, was that while Clarice is introducing herself to Hannibal, the director uses extreme close-ups on the shots of
Hannibal looking down at Clarice, high-angle shot
Hannibal, while only usingclose-up or evenmedium close-up shotsof Clarice. I think the director’s shot selection was intentional, with the intent of bringing the audience closer to Hannibal than to Clarice, and by doing this conveying Hannibal’s power over Clarice in their encounter. Allowing the audience to be in a closer proximity to Lecter ingrains his sense of importance in their minds. In addition, the director also uses ahigh-angle shot to further convey Hannibal’s superiority over Calrice in this scene. Shortly after Clarice introduces herself to Lecter, he asks her to take a seat (which illustrates that he has the power in the encounter in it of itself), the camera angles down from his perspective to be looking down at her slightly. Although this may not be overly obvious, the slight notion that Hannibal is looking down on her gives him power throughout the scene which relates to the ultimate theme of the movie, in which Hannibal, despite being a psychotic serial killer, is all-important.
Following extreme close-up of Hannibal there is a farther away shot of Clarice, emphasizing Lecter's power
Extreme Close-Up of Lecter
Cinematography is another key component that contributes to this scene’s overall importance in the film. Perhaps the most obvious characteristic of the lighting in this scene is the fact that Lecter’s cell is very well lit compared to the other inmates, allowing him to be seen in a much more flattering light than the other inmates. This relates back to the notion that Lecter has a sense of sophistication to him, one that the other prisoners lack. Demme also masterfully uses three-point-lighting, as Lecter has as an obvious key light on him at all times and is backlit from a high perspective; his fill lighting varies depending on his exact position in the cell, though. The constant use of a key light on Lecter focuses the attention of the audience on this character giving him power throughout the scene.
While the cinematography lends itself to the feeling of Lecter’s authority in the scene, it also conveys his terrifying nature. The surrounding walls of Lecter’s cells are not what a viewer would normally expect from a movie prison. Rather than having uniformed brick walls painted in one or two basic colors, Lecter’s prison walls are made of stone that are left with their natural color and basic shape, a choice that almost
Lecter's "cave" (stone cell, glass window)- metaphor for cannibalism
puts the scene in touch with nature. This makes the setting almost a metaphor for a cave, and Lecter is a fierce animal in his natural habitat and is just waiting to pounce on his prey. This notion Lecter being synonymous being a predator waiting to pounce ties in with the overall storyline, that Hannibal Lecter is in fact a serial killer that practices cannibalism.
The use of sound in this scene also contributes to the director’s desired notion of fear in the character Hannibal Lecter. Although the overall sound in the scene is relatively unsophisticated, it is the simplicity that contributes to the success in making the scene terrifying. Throughout the scene, aside from the non-digeticforeboding music that plays during Lecter’s monologue, the only noise that is audible throughout is the hum of the ambient noise in the prison itself and the sound of the dialogue. However, the cell that Hannibal is in allows his dialogue to have a slight echo to it that gives it a sort of threatening factor. Another aspect of the sound in this scene that makes it terrifying at times is the contrast between the near silence and jumpy loud noises. For example, at one point in the scene, Hannibal is talking in a low voice, while his surroundings are silent, and without warning, he places Clarice’s papers in the drop box and slams it closed. The contrast of the silence and the loud noise is frightening and was used as a stylistic way to scare the audience. The sound throughout this scene plays a huge role in helping Hannibal Lecter establish himself as the terrifying character that he will portray for the rest of the film to come.
Jonathan Demme’s Silence of the Lambs, is not only a well-known title throughout the movie industry, but represents perhaps one of the most highly-regarded, award winning masterpieces ever made. In one of the earliest scenes of the film, although not the main character, one of the most important characters to the overall movie, Hannibal Lecter was established through the masterful use of mise-en scène, editing, cinematography, and sound. Within just a few minutes Lecter’s powerful, yet terrifying presence is established and sets the tone for the duration of the film. Without these powerful stylistic approaches, the film would not be the great success that it continues to be known as to this day, and the slight mention of the name “Hannibal Lecture” would perhaps not give chills to those who know his character.
by
jchenn14 (student)
