Hannibal's calmness and restraint are unattainable for ordinary people. The reason behind this should be that he has wisdom.
But wisdom is a word that is too abstract, itself complex and multi-meaning, and calmness and restraint are only two of its many properties.
Some people say that wisdom is insight into the world, some people say that it is knowledge and experience, and some people understand it as a combination of emotional intelligence and IQ. But in my understanding, it can be said to be a generalization of all "knowing".
Because of the lack of understanding of wisdom, it is difficult for us ordinary people to imagine what a person with true wisdom really looks like.
"The Silence of the Lambs" provides a model for people's imagination.
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First, Hannibal was calm and restrained. And these two attributes are part of the embodiment of wisdom. When he appeared in front of Starling's eyes in a straight posture, it was difficult to make people feel any contempt for him even in prison clothes, and his eyes were firm and cunning, with a mockery that seemed innate. Starling was like a schoolboy in front of him, and her ambitions and concealment of some embarrassing situation in the past were seen through by him.
He is a psychiatrist and has a Ph.D. The film points out another manifestation of his intelligence from his professional identity.
In addition to his professional expertise, the film portrays parts of Hannibal's personality through his appearances, such as his straight standing posture and neat as new attire (although wearing a prison uniform) – at least it can be seen that he is very disciplined in life. In addition, Hannibal's paintings, appreciation of classical literature and classical music are revealed. There is a classic scene in the film that reflects this, that is, after Killing two prison guards, Hannibal plays Bach's "Gothenburg Variations" while a large number of police forces have not yet arrived at the scene. Even, a look of enjoyment.
Through this scene, the audience can also clearly feel another (incredible) thing that exists in Hannibal - that is, excellent psychological qualities and adaptability, and of course, the devilish indifference (no concern for killing).
There are indications that Hannibal's image transcends the realm of ordinary people. This is a "wise man" with a very high IQ, insight into the psychology of people, and a heart as sensitive as an artist.
It can be said that Hannibal's "wisdom" in the film is all-encompassing.
Such a highly intelligent person, prison is naturally not his destination, his destination can only be "freedom". This is quite like Andy in "The Shawshank Redemption".
In fact, this is the brilliance of "The Silence of the Lambs" and its true value.
On the face of it, Hannibal's successful escape seems to challenge a real society with law as its core order. Moreover, Hannibal's horrible habit of cannibalism adds to this challenge.
If we can look back at many American films, we will find that movies like "The Silence of the Lambs" that end in an open-ended ending are actually not a minority. Whether it is Hopkins starring in "Flaws", or Sharon Stone's "Instinct", or Kevin Spacey's "Very Suspect", the protagonist role he plays is a suspect in the crime, but he can finally escape the punishment of the law, and these protagonists have a cool head and a super high IQ.
Movie "Instinct"
The result of this failure to seek sanctions for criminal acts is a feature of American cinema.
From this point of view, American films are more focused on showing people's desires, including people's black desires, and are also good at playing IQ games. In American films, justice and injustice are intertwined, and the policeman who is usually the representative of justice often has unknown moral flaws and bad motives, while criminals can always cross the boundaries of the law to exercise the cause of justice.
Letting Hannibal escape is the epitome of the theme of American cinema based on the principle of ideals into reality, and it is also the spiritual tradition of Hollywood in the United States.