hannibal question...

[mr. henry]

i bought HANNIBAL as a used copy from blockbuster...for all i know, it might be an edited "block-busted" copy...

BUT...

can someone explain what happens in the end with the handcuffs and the meat cleaver. lecter and clarise are handcuffed together.

in the version i saw,  actual hatcheting is not shown and the next thing you know, lecter has his arm in a sling? surely he didn't chop off his own hand?

anyone read the book and know what the deal is?

-mr. henry

[Dano]

The movie implied that he chopped his own hand off... rather than trying to cut through the handcuff links which would not only have been possible and much preferable, but also probably easier.  A terrible ending to a disappointing movie.

[Mofo Rising]

And in case you're worried, the theatrical version didn't show the actual chop either.

[Neville]

Just to mention the book ending is very different, but it wouldn't have worked in the movie. During several earlier moments Thomas Harris implies that both Clarice and Lecter have suffered child traumas that make their personalities complementary. Lecter lost a sister and Clarice is always in need of a father figure to replace the one she lost so  early.