Real people who was the inspiration for Hannibal Lecter

The image of the serial killer-cannibal created by author Thomas Harris, is known worldwide — he became the hero of several high-profile television projects, and the audience and critics call him a maniac No. 1 in the film industry. Tell who encouraged the writer to the image of Hannibal.

Dr. Hannibal Lecter, brilliant psychiatrist, a surgeon, educated intellectual, an art lover and part of a brutal serial killer, became one of the most popular kinobit in the history of the industry — the details of his life formed the basis of the four novels, five films and one television series, but fans of the genre acknowledge that Lecter favorite villain of all time.

However, no less than his biography, the audience interested in what inspired Thomas Harris to create this character, and who became the prototype of a maniac, a cannibal?

Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in the movie "silence of the lambs", 1991

The first character of Hannibal Lecter appeared on the pages of the novel of Thomas Harris ' "Red Dragon" in 1981. The novel is a bombshell and became one of the most popular works of the time that inspired the author to continue the story of doctor-maniac.

Seven years later, Harris wrote "silence of the lambs" included in the list of the hundred best novels of all time, and later published two books: "Hannibal" and "Hannibal rising", the last of which revealed the details of the last of Dr. Lecter.

Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in the movie "silence of the lambs", 1991

A series of books, Harris has gained immense popularity and recognition from the public, the readers were eagerly waiting for each new part of the story, and the producers and Directors have become interested in the idea of adaptation of novels by the author. For the first time, Hannibal Lecter has appeared on screens in 1986, the picture of Michael Mann's "manhunter" received a very mixed audience, however, marked the beginning of numerous kinovoploscheny history maniac.

After such enormous success for the adaptation of the novel by Thomas Harris came from the Director Ridley Scott in 2001, the filmmaker presented the film "Hannibal," which continued the story of Dr. Lecter and Clarice Starling (Julianne Moore). Despite the fact that the movie failed to repeat the triumph of "silence of the lambs" fans of Dr. maniac came to the delight of regular screening and welcomed the continuation of this story.

Anthony Hopkins and Julianne Moore in the movie "Hannibal", 2001

Third attempt to transfer the image of Hannibal on the screens was the film "Red Dragon," Brett Rattner 2002 — the role of the famous maniac again got talented Anthony Hopkins, and his main opponent in the movie was the FBI agent will Graham in the performance of Edward Norton.

In 2007, the audience again saw Hannibal Lecter on screen in the film "Hannibal rising" by Peter Webber. The movie tells the story of a difficult childhood and adolescence of a doctor, explaining the reasons for his madness in the future. The role of chief kinologija performed French actor Gaspard Ulliel, and the audience said that the film, despite some negative evaluations, fits perfectly into the series of films about Hannibal.

The last project about the life of Hannibal Lecter was the TV series "Hannibal" Bryan fuller, which was released in 2013. The role of the psychiatrist maniac played by Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen and the screen image of the agent will Graham realized Hugh Dancy. The film received positive reviews from audience and critics, adding to the Treasury of stories about a maniac for three full seasons.

Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in the movie "Red Dragon", 2002

His sophisticated mind, perfect manners, a love of high art and the absolute madness of course, book and on-screen images of Dr. Hannibal Lecter fascinate and frighten at the same time, but not less than the viewers and readers were concerned about who was the prototype of your favorite character?

Michelsen Mads and Hugh Dancy in the TV series "Hannibal", 2013

In recognition of the writer, in the 1960s, he headed to one of the prisons in the Mexican town of Monterrey to meet with a prisoner who committed a triple murder. But history turned out differently, and instead of meeting with the then hero of his novel of Dykes askew Simmons Harris met with the doctor, which the author will later present to the public as Dr. Salazar.

As it turned out, the day of the arrival of Harris in prison Simmons attempted to escape, with the result that he received a gunshot wound, and Dr. Salazar saved his life by providing necessary assistance to the victim. This story caught the attention of the writer, and then he decided to talk to the doctor.

After talking with him for a while, the novelist learned about his past, childhood traumas, found out the reasons of his detention and asked about other details of his life — then this conversation will form the basis of an emotional conversation, Clarisse Starling and Dr. Hannibal Lecter during their first meeting in the hospital of Baltimore.

Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in the movie "silence of the lambs", 1991

In order to preserve anonymity, Thomas Harris, MD, was named an assumed name Salazar, however, a particularly resourceful admirers of the author were able to calculate the original data of the doctor.

He was a surgeon from Mexico named Alfredo Balli Trevino, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of her lover — during one of the conflicts that erupted in the pair, Trevino cut his victim's throat with a scalpel, drain body, cut it into many small pieces, and Packed them into a small box, which was later buried near his home.

Gaspard Ulliel in the role of Hannibal Lecter in the movie of "Hannibal rising", 2007

However, not only was Alfredo Balli Trevino inspired Harris to create Hannibal Lecter. Propensity to cannibalism doctor-maniac "learned" a serial killer named albert fish — serial killer, terrorized the US in 1910, not just killed and raped their victims.

By his own admission, which later tipped off the police on his trail, fish was obsessed with the idea of eating human flesh and was able to realize his "dream", abducting a ten-year grace Budd (the only proven victim, killer), which he later strangled and eaten.

Another psychopath who inspired Thomas Harris to create his most famous character, was Robert Maudsley, who committed four murders and torture some of the victims were sentenced to life in solitary confinement in a special chamber with durable glass. It terms of its content, and the fact that the victim of the maniac became only the criminals have put the author of the novels the idea of the creation of Hannibal Lecter.

As we remember, the famous action hero a few "clean" the world, killing dangerous criminals, and his place of detention was a guarded solitary confinement cell with a solid double glass to which a restraining order. In addition, Maudsley is known for his love of classical music, poetry and art, and his intellectual abilities are valued significantly above average.

Anthony Hopkins in the movie "Hannibal", 2001

Also sources of inspiration are maniacs like Jack the Ripper and Andrei Chikatilo. The first Hannibal Lecter is obliged by the talent of the surgeon, and the second helped the author with the creation of the past of the doctor-psychopath, distraught after the brutal murder of the younger sister Misha's marauders (for cannibalism). As you know, Chikatilo's parents were told their son stories of "eaten my brother".

Many researchers of creativity of Thomas Harris noted the influence of history maniac Ted Bundy on the creation of the novels of the author, and also mention Gary Ridgway, known as "the Killer green river", but it is not known was whether these criminals are the source of inspiration of the novelist. Harris himself, in one interview described he created the character: