Anthony Hopkins’ portrayal of The Silence of the Lambs’ Hannibal Lecter is among the most consummate in cinematic history. So complete was his personation, about the only thing that could elevate his chilling performance was the addition of a sinister-looking bite mask. The question filmmakers grappled with: Which bite mask is best?
Earlier this year, The Criterion Collection unveiled some footage of Hopkins screen testing a variety of masks for his portrayal of Hannibal Lecter:
I think the filmmakers made the right decision when they went with the last mask in this lineup, which had a small grille added to it for filming. More than any of the other options, it really brings out Hopkins’ eyes. And holy crap, those eyes:
https://gizmodo.com/understanding-power-dynamics-in-the-silence-of-the-lamb-1648059212
