The Jonathan Demme movie, Silence of the Lambs, brought a new terror that defined the movie industry with not only one despicable villain but two. Fans of the books already knew these monsters, and the horrible intentions they brought to their book pages, but the film brought it into the mainstream.
Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) and Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine) are both extremely dangerous in their own way. What they brought to the franchise is something that many have tried and failed to do for years to come; but when it comes down to it, it's hard to decipher which one is just a little bit more conniving or a little bit more sinister. Buffalo Bill and Hannibal Lecter are loosely based on real-life characters, which makes them creepy on that alone. But what truly makes them into the evil villains they have gone down in history to be? Warning: dark and mature content lies ahead.
Buffalo Bill: The Way He Kills
One of the scariest things about Buffalo Bill, also known as Jame Gumb, is the way he kills. Jame will kidnap women and go through a self-created process to skin them and turn their skin into a suit. He got away with it for quite some time, but eventually, it was actually the reason he gets caught. This is a terrifying premise for a killer.
Hannibal Lecter: He's A Brilliant Forensic Psychologist
As fans know, Dr. Hannibal Lecter is the main antagonist in the franchise. In particular, Anthony Hopkins's rendition of this character is played without flaw. Hannibal Lecter started out as a psychologist and helped Special Agent Will Graham (Edward Norton) in the prequel, Red Dragon, track down serial killers, unbeknownst to Will that he was a killer himself. Hannibal Lecter is extremely smart, and leaves no stone unturned, and is a perfectionist to a fault.
With that said, his occupation has opened doors into the world of studying peoples' habits and diving into their pasts. All this leads to his ability to satisfy his desires and continue to go undetected for quite some time.
Buffalo Bill: He Kidnaps His Victims For Days On End, And Has The Means To Keep Them
Fans know the reason why Buffalo Bill's captured his victims, but what's even more alarming is that he had the "perfect" location to torture and keep those poor women for quite some time. After taking over a house that was once owned by his friend, he knew he scored big and could operate right out of his new abode.
Since he lived under the alias John Grant, no one suspected anything for some time. In this case, Buffalo Bill could continue on with his "work" in the dingy basement that had a terrifying well, and several rooms to keep possessions and victims.
Hannibal Lecter: He's A Cannibal
Hannibal Lecter's tastes are a little bit different from Buffalo Bill's but are similar at the same time. The event of his sister's murder prompted his interest in cannibalism.
What makes this act so terrifying is that there isn't one specific reason why he targets his victims. Overall, he doesn't care for rude, or weak-minded individuals, which makes his acts seem sensible to him, but quite dramatic in retrospect. Fans will one of Hannibal's best quotes in The Silence of the Lambs in which he describes what he ate, and what sides he had to complement it.
Buffalo Bill: He Had A Terrible Upbringing
The unfortunate childhood of Jame Gumb was something that seriously affected his adult life, and led him to his terrifying acts against the women he captured. His unfortunate upbringing drove him to a propensity to kill at a young age. As a pre-teen, he murdered his grandparents and was placed in a psychiatric hospital. It was there where he picked up tailoring skills and later used them for his unique "needs."
Hannibal Lecter: He Hides Behind His Persona
Even though Hannibal Lecter is a sadistic cannibal, he does have the chops to hide it well when he needs to. Other movie villains such as Freddy, Jason, or Ghostface, don't have a human persona to hide behind, which means their victims always see them coming. Hannibal is smart, charismatic, and can even be trustworthy when he's locked behind a cage, which is very dangerous.
Buffalo Bill could also hide his killings to a certain point, but it wass much harder since he doesn't seem to have the complexity as Hannibal does. After all, Hannibal is considered one of the most intelligent villains not only in The Silence of the Lambs but also in the horror movie genre, as well.
Buffalo Bill: He Doesn't Have An Issue With Killing Loved Ones
At a young age, Buffalo Bill didn't have an issue with killing those who even had a shred of love for him. This is the case when he murdered his grandparents in cold blood.
That's not to say Hannibal wouldn't need to do what needs to be done at a young age, but his mantra is to kill those who have wronged him. Buffalo Bill doesn't care, and if it gets in his way of what he wants to do, he'll stop at nothing.
Hannibal Lecter: He Has No Remorse
It's common for movie villains to have a rage that is so extravagant, they simply can't control themselves and create mayhem where they go, but that's not the case with Hannibal. Even when he's talking to Clarice about his most despicable crimes, he doesn't raise his voice or shout, he's cool as a cucumber.
This rare type of villain is one of the most dangerous, because he's unreadable at the most stressful of times, and has such a swift and methodical way of doing things, that no one knows what he'll do next. Actor Mads Mikkelsen did the job when it came to the TV version, but because of the way Anthony Hopkins went about this character, he was, without a doubt, the better Hannibal.
Buffalo Bill: He's Methodical And Doesn't Rush
To add to Buffalo Bill's advantage with his House of Horrors, he also prefers to take it slow. Some villains can't help themselves, and prefer a quick and timely death, but not him. He's creative and has tailoring experience, which is why he can draw out his skinning process.
There are a lot of ways villains can go about their methods, and Buffalo Bill has the patience to get what he wants, which makes him hard to catch and detect.
Hannibal Lecter: He Can Talk People Into Scarring Themselves
It's known that Hannibal Lecter has a lot of ired or unired qualities, but being able to focus on everyone but himself is one of the reasons why he's so dangerous. Because he's brilliant and has a degree in psychology, he can read every person he comes across like a book. He can simply turn words into swords and can destroy even the most well-trained people like it was nothing.
He even turned his patients against themselves and fed on their poor mental health just for fun. It's a past time for him to test the waters, and push until destruction is in the palm of his hands. Basically, he doesn't have to lift a finger to get a late afternoon snack or a thrill, which is impressive and terrifying all at once.
