The Art and Making of Hannibal: The Television Series |
By Jesse McLean
Published by Titan Books |
Review by Paul Fiander
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The old adage goes you can’t tell a book by its cover and while I mostly agree with this idea there are times where thankfully you can. The cover itself is quite minimalist but the imagery packs quite a large punch, the red heart complete with blood standout on the white background and cannot help but grab your attention. Physically the heart is raised and this gives book a nice tactile quality as you pour over the interior imagery.
Obviously with a rather bloody depiction of a heart on the front cover this book is for mature audiences and as the pages unfold those of a squeamish disposition may not enjoy what they see. Stills from behind the scenes as well as screen captures lay some of the more gruesome images out for all to see but it’s in this dual idea of making and art of that gives this book its much desired bite. Many books will show you scenes from a TV show but within the sections we get to see computer generated 3D models of sets, technical plans and other pieces that helped this show go from page to screen. These production assets are added onto pages that depict the real scenes from the show and so help the reader to see how the filming process becomes reality. In saying that this is not a film maker’s guide, the technical level is very simple and by no means off putting but the added value it gives the reader is well worth the effort. For those who are unfamiliar with the show Hannibal is the story of Will Graham and his relationship with the brilliant Dr Hannibal Lecter. The story of the TV show takes place around the beginning of Thomas Harris’s first novel Red Dragon so we get to see Lecter interacting with the world as well as helping Graham in his role as a criminal profiler. The character of the good Doctor is laid out for all to see but one thing he does better than most is enjoy cuisine and it’s from his love of the culinary arts that we get the chapter structure for this book. The menu breakdown of Aperitif, Entrée, Main Course, Sorbet, Desert and Digestif give author Jesse McLean a broad playground in which to explore the show and its cast. |
Although this book is a visual feast McLean’s writing is obviously the glue that holds the book together. His explanations of scenarios help to give a clearer picture of the characters and scenarios on show. This heightens the accessibility of the book allowing non-show watchers to enjoy the book as well, however be warned (if you have not seen the show) this book is one big spoiler. So if you prefer to remain pristine before watching the show then it may be better to hold off from purchasing it till after you watch.
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The access to the cast and crew help to give even more insight into the creation of the show, the brief interview with Mads Mikkelson helps to paint a picture but it is the interview in the Entrée with writer Bryan Fuller that really helps to flesh out the ‘becoming’ of the show. His interview really does feel like a nice prelude to the main course as we are introduced to some of the players within the show as well as the production principles. Perhaps the main reason this is a must read section is Fuller’s desire to make this a show fit for a cannibalistic psychopath. His desire to create the shocking flows through the show and here we get to see why this is Fuller imprinting his own desires on the show as a whole.
Overall this is a great insight into the workings of the show and well worth a read. If you a fan of the show or just intrigued by its creation process then I can highly recommend it. |
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Book provided by publisher
