Dr. Hannibal Lecter quotes from Red Dragon (2002)

Dr. Hannibal Lecter

We musn't judge too harshly Will, it was his first time. Haven you ever felt a sudden rush of panic?

Dr. Hannibal Lecter

Ah yes Dr. Chillton. Gruesome isn't he? Fumbles at your head like a freshman pulling at a panty girdle.

Dr. Hannibal Lecter

Tell me, Will. Did you enjoy it? Your first murder? Of course you did. And why shouldn't it feel good? It does to God. Why only last week in Texas, he dropped a whole church roof on the heads of 34 of his worshippers, just as they were groveling for him. He wouldn't begrudge you one Journalist.

Dr. Hannibal Lecter

Think to yourself that every day is your last. The hour to which you do not look forward will come as a welcome surprise. As for me, when you want a good laugh, you will find me in fine state... fat and sleek, a true hog of Epicurus' herd.

Dr. Hannibal Lecter

Remarkable boy. I do admire your courage. I think I'll eat your heart.

Dr. Hannibal Lecter

Have you ever seen blood in the moonlight, Will? It appears quite black. If one were nude, say, one would want to have outdoor privacy for that sort of thing.

Dr. Hannibal Lecter

Do you like my little exercise cage, Will? My so-called lawyer is always nagging Dr. Chilton for better accommodations. I don't know which is the greater fool.

Will Graham

I need your opinion now.

Hannibal Lecter

Then here's one... you stink of fear under that cheap lotion. You stink of fear Will, but you're not a coward. You fear me, but still you came here. You fear this shy boy, yet still you seek him out. Don't you understand, Will? You caught me because we're very much alike. Without our imaginations, we'd be like all those other poor... dullards. Fear... is the price of our instrument. But I can help you bear it.

Will Graham

That's impossible.

Almost. Not quite.

Hannibal Lecter

: Beneath the yellow folder, you'll find your latest rejection slip from the archives. It was brought to me by mistake with some of my archives mail. I'm afraid I opened it without looking. Sorry.

Dr. Frederick Chilton

: I think we'll remove Dr. Lecter's toilet seat as well

Hannibal, confess. What is this divine-looking amuse-bouche?

Hannibal Lecter

I'm afraid if I tell you, you won't even try it.

Hannibal Lecter

Special Agent Graham? What an unexpected pleasure

Will Graham

I'm sorry to bother you again, Dr. Lecter. I know it's very late.

Hannibal Lecter

There's no bother. We're both night owls, I think. Come in, please. Let me take your coat. So, what's on your mind?

Will Graham

We've been on the wrong track, this whole time, doctor, you and I. Our whole profile's wrong. We’ve been looking for someone with a crazy grudge, and some kind of anatomical knowledge - decertified doctors; med-school dropouts; laid-off mortuary workers…

Hannibal Lecter

From the precision of the cuts, yes, and his choice of souvenirs.

Will Graham

See, that's where we're off target. He's not collecting body parts.

Hannibal Lecter

Then why keep them?

Will Graham

He's not keeping them. He's eating them. Listen, we were at Molly's parents for New Year's, and Molly's dad was showing my son Josh how to carve a roasted chicken. He said, "The tenderest part of the chicken is the oysters, here on the outer side of the back." I--I had never heard that expression before, "oysters"? And suddenly, I had a flash of the third victim, Darcy Taylor. She was missing flesh from her back. And then it hit me - liver, kidney, tongue, thymus - every single victim lost some body part used in cooking.

Hannibal Lecter

Have you shared this with the Bureau?

Will Graham

No, I didn't. I needed to see you first, but I'm right. I know I'm right. I'm... I'm starting to be able to think like this one.

Hannibal Lecter

That's fascinating. You know, I'd always suspected as much: You are an eideteker.

Will Graham

I'm not psychic.

Hannibal Lecter

No, no, no, this is different; more akin to artistic imagination. You're able to assume the emotional point-of-view of other people, even those that might scare or sicken you. It's a troubling gift, I should think. How I'd love to get you on my couch.

Will Graham

Something still doesn't make sense to me: you're the best forensic psychiatrist I know. And somehow, in all our time together, this possibility never occurred to you.

Hannibal Lecter

Well, I am only human, Will. Perhaps I made a mistake.

Will Graham

You don't strike me as a man who makes very many mistakes.

Hannibal Lecter

Now I'm starting to think that I might no longer enjoy your full confidence.

Will Graham

No, no, I--I didn't say that. I didn't. I don't, I don't know what I'm saying, I... I'm very, very tired. [thinks for a minute, and then shakes his head in frustration] I... I almost had it.

Hannibal Lecter

It'll come to you.

Hannibal Lecter

That's the same atrocious aftershave you wore in court.

Will Graham

I keep getting it for Christmas.

Hannibal Lecter

Christmas, yes. Did you get my card?

Will Graham

I got it. Thank you.

Hannibal Lecter

So nice of the bureau to forward it for me. You know, they wouldn't give me your home address.

Will Graham

I need your help, Dr. Lecter.

Hannibal Lecter

Birmingham and Atlanta. You want to know how he's choosing them, don't you?

Will Graham

Yes.

Hannibal Lecter

Why should I?

Will Graham

There are things you don’t have - books, library privileges, maybe even computer access. I'll speak to the Chief of Staff.

Hannibal Lecter

Ah, yes, Dr. Chilton. Gruesome, isn't he? Fumbles at your head like a freshman at a panty girdle. If you’ll recall, Will, our last collaboration ended rather messily.

Will Graham

And there’s another reason.

Hannibal Lecter

I’m all ears.

Will Graham

I thought you might enjoy the challenge. Find out if you're smarter than the person I'm looking for.

Hannibal Lecter

Then by implication, you think you are smarter than I am, since it was you who caught me.

Will Graham

No, I know I'm not smarter than you.

Hannibal Lecter

Then, how did you catch me?

Will Graham

It's all in the transcripts. What does it matter now?

Hannibal Lecter

It doesn't matter to me, Will.

Will Graham

You had... disadvantages.

Hannibal Lecter

What disadvantages?

Will Graham

... You're insane.

Hannibal Lecter

You’re very tan, Will. And your hands are so rough, not like a cop’s hands, anymore. That lotion is something a child would select. It has a ship on the bottle, does it not? [menacing] And how is young Josh, and the lovely Molly? They’re always in my thoughts, you know.

Hannibal Lecter

What were the yards like?

Will Graham

Big back yards, why?

Hannibal Lecter

Because if our pilgrim feels he has a special relationship with the moon, he might want to go out and look at it. Have you ever seen blood in the moonlight, Will? It appears quite black. If one were nude, say, one would want outdoor privacy for that sort of thing.

Will Graham

You think that would be a factor when he chooses a victim?

Hannibal Lecter

Oh, yes. And there will be more of them, of course... victims. So, you'll be wanting lots of these little chin-wags, I take it?

Will Graham

I might not have time.

Hannibal Lecter

Oh, but I do. I have oodles.

Will Graham

I need your opinion now.

Hannibal Lecter

Then here's one... you stink of fear under that cheap lotion. You stink of fear, Will, but you're not a coward. You fear me, but still you came here. You fear this shy boy, yet still you seek him out. Don't you understand, Will? You caught me because we're very much alike. Without our imaginations, we'd be like all those other poor... dullards. Fear... is the price of our instrument. But I can help you bear it.

Hannibal Lecter

You sensed who I was back when I was committing what you call "my crimes".

Will Graham

Yes.

Hannibal Lecter

So you were hurt, not by a fault in your perception or your instincts, but because you failed to act on them until it was too late.

Will Graham

You could say that.

Hannibal Lecter

But you're wiser now.

Will Graham

Yes.

Hannibal Lecter

Imagine what you would do, Will, if you could go back in time.

Will Graham

Put two in your head before you could palm that stiletto.

Hannibal Lecter

Very good, Will. You know, I believe we're making progress.

Dr. Frederick Chilton

Hannibal, there's someone to see you. A young woman... says she's from the FBI, but she seems much too pretty for that if you ask me. I'll tell her you said no.

Hannibal Lecter

...what is her name?