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Is the movie Hannibal homophobic? Troy and I have discussed this issue in private and we've arrived at different conclusions.
At www.fusionreviews.com, heterosexual film critic Andy Copp asserts that the movie HANNIBAL is homophobic, much in contrast to the book. Everyone should read his interesting review, found in the cinema reviews section.
It is claimed in the book that Mason Verger is a child molester who uses Christianity to keep kids at his side at all times. He invited Dr. Lector, his court-appointed psychiatrist over to his home in order to trap him. There is nothing homosexual about it. Yet the film presents this differently, making Mason appear to be gay and in the act of seducing Hannibal, for which is justly punished (according to the film's inferences) by having his face cut off and fed to dogs. The film also mentions in passing reference that Mason is a child molester, and thus draws parallels between homosexuals and pedophiles. The film is invited to cheer at Mason's punishment after he's hit on Hannibal.
Ray Liota plays a head honcho at the FBI who is a total prick. While he acts like a heterosexual man who wants women, the film suggests that this is a ruse. He makes constant remarks about other peoples homosexuality (much as repressed homosexuals do), and Hannibal later says that this man "hates women." So, he too seems to be presented as a homosexual. Likewise, the audience is invited to cheer his demise as well.
Is all this homophobic? Would straight audiences pick this up? Well, the straight film critic at Fusionreviews.com picked up on it. And several people I know (I'm the only out gay person they know) came back from the movies last week and felt that Mason Verger was "a gay guy." So, regardless of what the filmmakers intended, this is what audiences are getting out of this film in our current climate of accepted homophobia.
At www.fusionreviews.com, heterosexual film critic Andy Copp asserts that the movie HANNIBAL is homophobic, much in contrast to the book. Everyone should read his interesting review, found in the cinema reviews section.
It is claimed in the book that Mason Verger is a child molester who uses Christianity to keep kids at his side at all times. He invited Dr. Lector, his court-appointed psychiatrist over to his home in order to trap him. There is nothing homosexual about it. Yet the film presents this differently, making Mason appear to be gay and in the act of seducing Hannibal, for which is justly punished (according to the film's inferences) by having his face cut off and fed to dogs. The film also mentions in passing reference that Mason is a child molester, and thus draws parallels between homosexuals and pedophiles. The film is invited to cheer at Mason's punishment after he's hit on Hannibal.
Ray Liota plays a head honcho at the FBI who is a total prick. While he acts like a heterosexual man who wants women, the film suggests that this is a ruse. He makes constant remarks about other peoples homosexuality (much as repressed homosexuals do), and Hannibal later says that this man "hates women." So, he too seems to be presented as a homosexual. Likewise, the audience is invited to cheer his demise as well.
Is all this homophobic? Would straight audiences pick this up? Well, the straight film critic at Fusionreviews.com picked up on it. And several people I know (I'm the only out gay person they know) came back from the movies last week and felt that Mason Verger was "a gay guy." So, regardless of what the filmmakers intended, this is what audiences are getting out of this film in our current climate of accepted homophobia.
