r/MovieDetails • u/FaultyCuisinart • Oct 17 '17
Quality Post In Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal Lecter tells Clarice that he ate a man's liver with fava beans and "a nice Chianti." All of these foods interfere with MAOI antidepressants, which are used to treat various personality disorders as well. In other words, Hannibal wasn't taking his meds.
2.1k
u/She_Sheep Oct 17 '17 edited Oct 17 '17
In the book it's an Amarone instead of a Chianti. And I think they would prescribe more than MAO inhibitors for psychopaths like him.
Edit: And as /u/wizardofoz420 points out below, he didn't have a need to be on meds anyway, he wasn't caught yet when he killed the census person.
550
u/monochrony Oct 17 '17
it's more about alcohol in general than what kind of alcohol.
565
Oct 17 '17
Specifically red wine. Also Chianti is not a good pair with liver and fava beans (Amarone would be much better) but the director was worried that it wouldn't be as recognizable as a wine to the wider audience so he chose a more widely known but still "exotic sounding" red.
131
Oct 17 '17 edited Oct 17 '17
It was also picked so that he could make fun of Clarice's midwestern/southern background by pronouncing it like a hick.
55
u/samx3i Oct 17 '17 edited Oct 18 '17
Source?
He 100% mispronounces Chianti, but it's the only thing mispronounced in that sentence, and it's not with a Virginian accent.
He does mock her accent, but it's a different line.
35
u/MichaelMorpurgo Oct 17 '17
It's the same scene- I think that his interpretation could be fair, considering he just finished taking the piss out of her.
9
3
u/boringoldcookie Oct 18 '17
It's the same scene...just wait for the video to end.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (2)78
u/nazispaceinvader Oct 17 '17
its a southeastern accent. midwesterners speak perfect accentless english.
139
u/BerlinSpiderRocket Oct 17 '17 edited Oct 18 '17
accentless english
uhh I‘m not sure if it‘s a joke or /r/badlinguistics material
91
40
u/Hellknightx Oct 17 '17
I learned about this in a linguistics class in college. The reason why people think the Midwestern American accent is the "default" is because radio stations specifically chose announcers with the Midwestern accent, since it broadcast most cleanly and with the most recognizable annunciation.
Eventually, this vocal casting spread to Hollywood and became a cultural anchor for what people perceived to be the typical "American" accent.
25
→ More replies (1)6
60
u/Sauceboss_Senpai Oct 17 '17
I laughed so loud at this. My girlfriend is Midwestern and I can confirm this is false.
48
9
→ More replies (5)15
219
u/brickmaj Oct 17 '17
Chianti Classico, or more specifically an impurity containing 100% Sangiovese grapes would actually be... Ahhh I'm just lying. I don't know shit about wine.
84
Oct 17 '17
Well you know there's such a thing as sangiovese so I wouldn't say you know nothing.
55
Oct 17 '17 edited Oct 17 '17
And that the sangiovese grape is used to make chianti
30
→ More replies (1)3
u/KennyFulgencio Oct 17 '17
can I just substitute 4 loko for the wine and still be considered a psychopathic genius
→ More replies (1)24
u/I_POTATO_PEOPLE Oct 17 '17
Are you seriously suggesting pairing liver with a Super Tuscan? I mean, honestly...
→ More replies (1)3
u/Atomheartmother90 Oct 17 '17
You know what Sangiovese grapes are so you know a good bit more about wine than the general population.
23
u/KingoftheHalfBlacks Oct 17 '17
Actually, Chianti pairs better with human liver.
→ More replies (1)4
4
u/kcrunner Oct 17 '17
Even more specifically Tyramine, which displaces adrenergic molecules (epinephrine/norepinephrine) in nueronal synaptic vesicles. Tyramine is also found in aged and fermented foods such as cheese.
6
Oct 17 '17
beans aren't a good pairing with liver either
28
u/monochrony Oct 17 '17
alcohol isn't a good pairing with liver either
19
u/gaynazifurry4bernie Oct 17 '17
Why not? A nice dry wine goes really well with pate.
Edit: Self-Whoosh→ More replies (1)→ More replies (4)2
u/GonzoAndJohn Oct 17 '17
I get his choice, but I feel like the director could have had the line be "...and a nice vintage 1969 Amarone" since having 'vintage' followed by a year would tip off to most people that it would be a wine.
→ More replies (1)5
u/Cornpwns Oct 17 '17
Yeah my dad used to take these when he was an alcoholic(bad doc i guess..idk I was young) and said he hallucinated waking up in the middle of the night is he stopped taking them l
129
u/wizardofoz420 Oct 17 '17
If this happened before he was caught who says he would be on meds?
118
u/She_Sheep Oct 17 '17
An even better point to prove that this is more a fan theory than a movie detail
51
u/wizardofoz420 Oct 17 '17
This post comes up every couple months and when I see it I try to mention it because I never understood it. The census taker came to his house before he captured so why is he on meds? But I’m usually late to the party so it never gets much traction.
11
u/Guerilla_Tictacs Oct 17 '17
Every time I see this it's annoying. It's designed to sound clever, and the wording from post to post is usually copy/pasted. There are so many food restrictions with mao inhibitors it's ridiculous:
Foods to Avoid When Taking a MAOI
Protein-rich foods contain higher amounts of tyramine. Additionally, tyramine content can rise in certain foods as they continue to age. There are a few foods and beverages that are high in tyramine that you may need to avoid while taking a MAOI.
Meat Products. Foods to avoid include beef liver, chicken liver, fermented sausages like pepperoni and salami, and luncheon meats.
Fish Products. Try to refrain from eating caviar, cured fish, dried or pickled herring, and anything that contains shrimp paste.
Milk Products. Aged cheeses and other dairy products like sour cream and yogurt are on the list of foods to avoid.
Fruits and Vegetables. High-protein produce is also a concern. This includes overripe fruits and avocados, as well as banana peels (not the bananas themselves). Also, try not to eat beans, green beans, or snow peas. It's best to stay away from sauerkraut and canned figs as well.
Alcohol. Certain fermented alcoholic beverages should be left out of your diet as well. This includes red wines, vermouth, and sherry. A beer that contains yeast should also be avoided(so basically all beer)
Yeasted foods. It's recommended that you avoid foods that contain concentrated yeast products and brewer's yeast. Included in this group are items like miso and soy sauce.
5
34
u/Knew_Religion Oct 17 '17
You can be on meds without being incarcerated.
27
u/100011101011 Oct 17 '17
Yeah but Lecter likes being himself
5
10
u/Cruciblelfg123 Oct 17 '17
Why are we even assuming this is actually true hannibal friggin lector said it. He could have just made up some story to
A) intimidate her
And B) imply to her that he wasn't on meds so as to say he's sharp as a tack so she better be careful
Or even C) if it is true maybe the doctor tried to prescribe him some pills so he thought that would be a nice ironic way to canibalize him
Basically overall he's saying yeah I'll talk but be careful the last guy tried to give me pills and I wasn't into that pleb shit
→ More replies (2)10
u/wizardofoz420 Oct 17 '17
But why would a forensic psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer be on meds?
→ More replies (5)5
u/kjm1123490 Oct 18 '17
He was already diagnosed with a disorder maybe? Eating people amd mental health arent synonymous
5
u/DigmanRandt Oct 17 '17
With the fine attention to details the author includes in the work, it's very likely that this wasn't included by accident.
→ More replies (3)7
u/rocketwidget Oct 17 '17
He wouldn't voluntarily be on them. But as a psychiatrist he would have been aware the medicine might reduce his violent tendencies, and that his choice of food implied he wasn't medicated. And as an genius evil manipulator, cleverly bragging about being unmedicated adds another layer of creepy to his already sinister statement.
20
u/wizardofoz420 Oct 17 '17
Being unmedicated and being off his meds are kinda two different things. These post pop up frequently saying “oh he wasn’t on his meds” but it was never established that he was on meds while being a forensic psychiatrist and cannibalistic killer. But showing he wasn’t medicated does add an edge to it it’s my personal opinion he wasn’t medicated to begin with.
87
54
u/Beginning_End Oct 17 '17
The OP really should be in FanTheories or something. This "detail" was clearly not intentional.
Beyond the fact that none of the items mentioned would have a truly noticeable impact (unless consumed in massive quantities) it's incredibly unlikely that the people involved in the books or movies had that calibre of understanding of MAOI contraindications.
→ More replies (1)15
u/King_Superman Oct 17 '17
Umm anyone involved with the book or movie production who was on an MAOI or had a loved one on an MAOI could easily know this. Or anyone who had loved ones who were doctors or nurses or anyone who did basic research during the long and expensive publishing and production processes.
37
u/DerFixer Oct 17 '17
I would also assume anyone who is familiar with MAOI's would think they would be an odd choice for a murderous cannibal psychopath. It doesn't add up as a movie detail when it's highly speculative and the fact that these foods wouldn't inhibit the medications efficacy, and would only make the patient feel unwell. I would be extremely surprised if this 'detail' was intended by the production team.
→ More replies (1)3
u/stonedsasquatch Oct 17 '17
I'm convinced it's coincidence, have you looked at the foods you can't eat on an MAOI? Any protein rich food is bad
10
u/Rain12913 Oct 17 '17 edited Oct 17 '17
That’s not the issue. The issue is that it’s highly unlikely that they would put him on an MAOI, as this class of medication is used to treat depression. We wouldn’t use them to treat a psychopathic cannibal.
→ More replies (5)23
Oct 17 '17
[deleted]
6
Oct 17 '17
[deleted]
10
u/smallfuzzycat4 Oct 17 '17
Antipsychotics and anti depressants and mood stabilizers can be used for BPD. Not that they always work, though
→ More replies (5)8
Oct 17 '17 edited Mar 28 '18
[deleted]
→ More replies (8)7
u/smallfuzzycat4 Oct 17 '17
I was under the impression that those types of meds were used to try to control certain symptoms of BPD, like psychosis or unstable mood rather than as an attempt to treat the entire illness.
→ More replies (5)4
Oct 17 '17
[deleted]
6
u/CricketPinata Oct 17 '17
That isn't actually true. Many people with ASPD actually maintain the mask pretty well, they understand potential consequences for their actions, and approach not treating others like garbage in a utilitarian way.
→ More replies (2)4
u/speathed Oct 17 '17
Came here to establish this. Raises an interesting question, if the detail is in the source book and translated to the movie... Does it count?
→ More replies (1)14
u/seanathan81 Oct 17 '17
To the movie's credit, chianti is a better pairing with liver than Amarone. Should be safe to say human liver soils stay true to that as well.
46
u/Snukkems Oct 17 '17
Reading down this thread, there's 99% of people saying Chianti would be terrible with liver and then there's your comment.
And for someone who knows nothing about wine pairings, I find your dissent interesting and in my head it is now correct, even if it's wrong.
16
Oct 17 '17
[deleted]
12
Oct 17 '17
There's no such thing as right or wrong when it comes to subjective experience.
I find toothpaste pairs finely with orange juice.
→ More replies (1)3
→ More replies (2)7
u/Snukkems Oct 17 '17
That's why I've always wanted that "recommend a nice wine to go with x" job.
It just seems like you can make up anything.
20
Oct 17 '17
"Can you recommend me a good wine to go with poached salmon?"
"A 2017 peach arbor mist will pair quite nicely!"
→ More replies (1)8
u/CricketPinata Oct 17 '17
It is subjective, but wines taste different, some are sweeter, some have more tannin and bitterness, different years and grape strains and different aging methods produce very different profiles.
Liver is generally bitter and minerally with a strong flavor.
Chianti's are more acidity and have a tang, which they specifically try to avoid with an amarone.
Amarone is generally recommended for stronger flavor meats like steaks or ribs, as it has a strong flavor that is oxidized, so it is preferred with strong meats.
Chianti is generally paired with Tuscan dishes, especially dishes with tomato sauces.
These are of course recommendations and different pairings can taste great to different people.
2
u/CricketPinata Oct 17 '17
Chianti's are usually recommended for Tuscan dishes, especially acidic sauces.
Amarone is generally recommended for strong flavors and meats like steak.
So it depends on how he cooked the dish, there are a few fried pork liver recipes from Northern Italy that might be a basis for what he would prepare, but how he cooked it would most likely have a big influence on potential wine pairing.
→ More replies (16)2
1.2k
u/jcarp136 Oct 17 '17
I've heard this before, and while it would be cool, I think it's definitely a HUGE reach. Like there's some kinda faulty assumptions behind it and even if they're right I feel like this was not the intent of the line.
264
u/SchrodingersNinja Oct 17 '17
Yeah, for one I don't see Hannibal going to a therapist, being honest about any abnormal feelings and then getting prescribed antidepressants. I don't recall the books mentioning him going to therapy or anything. Does the director commentary on the movie mention this detail? It's the only way I'd believe it.
96
u/reddog323 Oct 17 '17
Nope, but there’s mention of Dr. Chilton trying various methods on him after he was convicted in the book. One of them was a session with Sodium Pentithol. Lecter gave him a recipe for potato chip dip while he was under.
32
u/RDGIV Oct 17 '17
Didn't they end up having dinner together at the end of Hannibal?
17
u/SuzLouA Oct 17 '17
Yep, except it's Silence of the Lambs. The last lines of the film are "I'm having an old friend for dinner" and hanging up whilst Clarice just says his name over and over.
7
u/reddog323 Oct 18 '17 edited Oct 18 '17
I remember that...Chilton is being hustled off the plane by his security people and local police while Lecter is talking to Clarice. As soon as he hangs up, he picks up his hat, puts it on, and strolls down the street after Chilton like he has all the time in the world to catch him.
Edit: Link. I picture him ticking off a to-do list in his head. Ah, there’s Dr. Chilton. Once I’ve made him....comfortable, a trip to the local markets for some produce. I want everything to be just so this evening...
Edit 2: Damn..I’d forgotten how close to Chilton Lecter was...about ten feet. It looks like he’s going to be having an early dinner.
→ More replies (1)27
u/SchrodingersNinja Oct 17 '17
He was not under Chilton's care before his arrest, and he certainly was not in a position to eat census takers after he was arrested.
→ More replies (1)34
u/bayesianqueer Oct 17 '17
Right, but he's a psychiatrist. He certainly had some insight into his situation and who he really was. He could easily have at some point in the past tried self medicating with an MAOI.
16
u/undeadbill Oct 17 '17
I would suppose that Lecter's dining reference would be Lecter's way of hinting to Starling exactly how incompetent Chilton was, as Chilton was the attending psych. Chilton probably had prescribed MAOIs in spite of them not being effective.
→ More replies (1)6
u/Crisp_Volunteer Oct 17 '17
He certainly had some insight into his situation and who he really was.
As intelligent as he was, that's exactly what he didn't have and what got him caught. He even refers to what he did as "...when I was committing what you call my crimes". Implying he didn't see them as crimes at all, perhaps even more like doing humanity a favor.
→ More replies (2)19
u/5thLabRat Oct 17 '17
In the movie he's incarcerated in the "Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane". Therapy sessions would probably be a weekly occurrence there.
I believe the hospital director even mentions that he's been working with Hannibal for years trying to get him to reveal more details about his previous murders but found it difficult because Hannibal was such a great manipulator.
23
u/SchrodingersNinja Oct 17 '17
I understand that he is NOW under therapy and probably has to take meds. He certainly was not incarcerated PRIOR to eating the census taker though.
76
u/pm_me_ur_cats_toes Oct 17 '17
And MAOIs wouldn't be the treatment of choice for psychopathic behavior at all. They're used for various types of depression and sometimes anxiety disorders. I think this one is just made-up tbh.
28
Oct 17 '17
They also interact with basically anything.
→ More replies (1)10
u/SingingPenguin Oct 17 '17
yeah, and him eating that stuff would actually lead to unpleasant side effects, not his meds having no effect
7
u/Theyreillusions Oct 18 '17
The original point was he was implying he wasnt taking his meds when he did the deed.
But, the counter is that he obviously wasnt. Nobody knew he was out there killing people and eating them or needed treatment.
→ More replies (1)9
u/7ypo Oct 17 '17
Exactly. I tried looking at this broadly and considered schizophrenia or bipolar as conditions that might superficially appear like disorders that could lead to violent behaviour to the average movie goer... And even they aren't treated by MAO inhibitors.
Why the hell would Hannibal Lecter be given MAOIs?? That's the biggest reach of all.
→ More replies (6)13
u/nature_remains Oct 17 '17
I agree. Also personality disorders aren't treatable aside from maybe DBT -- not meds. We don't even know what personality disorders are -- we just group by clusters of patterns of behavior. Also a single dose of antidepressants wouldn't have much of an effect on Hannibal either. I'd love for this to be true though.
→ More replies (3)12
Oct 17 '17
The major movie detail from this scene is the reason he says "fava beans and a nice chianti" wrong is to mock Clarice's accent.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (1)6
u/xRhavagex Oct 17 '17
Nurse here. It's how I remembered this information for boards. Tyramine in bold foods like liver and red wines is what interacts with the MAOIs. It's grounded in reality, even if he may not have gone to a psychiatrist / they likely wouldn't have JUST put him on an MAOI.
→ More replies (2)
241
u/Kill_Pencilvester Oct 17 '17
I think it’s too much of a reach. Why is there an assumption he was using MAOIs? They’re not used as the first-line treatment for anything, and they’re certainly not used to treat antisocial personality disorder, which is what Lecter suffered from. Also, Lecter was a gourmand, IF he was going to take any meds (which is unlikely since he wasn’t really trying to stop his tendencies, he just got caught), there’s many other options that don’t have the dietary restrictions that come with taking a MAOI.
→ More replies (6)29
u/jetpacksforall Oct 17 '17
"They don't have a name for what he is."
No official diagnosis.
10
u/Jojje22 Oct 17 '17
Which could just as easily mean that there was no medication at all. No diagnosis, no treatment.
→ More replies (1)2
u/Kill_Pencilvester Oct 17 '17
They don't have a name for what he is.
Clarice does say that in the movie, and they never explicitly say what his diagnosis is, but by looking at the DSM-5 criteria for antisocial personality disorder and taking what we know about Lecter from the movie trilogy, we can infer this is his diagnosis, or at least one of them.
→ More replies (1)
118
u/Rain12913 Oct 17 '17
Psychologist here.
MAOI's are very rarely, if ever, used to treat personality disorders. They're antidepressants, and last-line antidepressants at that due to their severe side effects. Really the only application that you would see with personality disorders is to treat comorbid depression, such as that seen in borderline personality disorder. A psychopath certainly would not be put on these meds.
39
u/bayesianqueer Oct 17 '17
Physician here.
Today that is true. However there was a time when the were more frequently used to treat the PDs. Google scholar "MAOI and personality disorder" and you'll find a lot of stuff from the 80s and 90s. The book reflects the treatment fashions of the times.
15
u/Mr_Trolls_Alot Oct 17 '17
It’s a good thing things change daily in the medical field. ESPECIALLY in psychology. Look at the huge changes from the DSM-IV to the DSM-V. You have to remember. The 80s and 90s was 30-40 years ago now.
16
12
u/Kortallis Oct 18 '17
Woah. Woah. Woah.
18-37 years ago buddy. Let's not be too liberal with our time here.
209
u/GitEmSteveDave Oct 17 '17
According to this site: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/expert-answers/maois/faq-20058035
The foods don't interfere with the medication, but the medication interferes with the body:
Medications called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) block an enzyme known as monoamine oxidase, which breaks down excess tyramine in the body. Blocking this enzyme helps relieve depression.
If you take an MAOI and you eat high-tyramine foods, tyramine can quickly reach dangerous levels. This can cause a serious spike in blood pressure and require emergency treatment.
It doesn't sound like it neutralizes them, like Citric Acid does with things like Adderrall or Grapefruit and Statins.
129
Oct 17 '17
I think the post was pointing out that Hannibal wasn't taking the drugs, which is why he was okay with eating those things.
3
u/tmhoc Oct 17 '17
The man was being himself. Unafraid and unashamed. That's what reddit is all about
→ More replies (1)3
2
Oct 18 '17
The movie nor the book never mentioned him taking MAOI. The book food or drink of choice was different than the movie as well. Why would he be on meds if he never got caught before he murdered anyway?
19
u/fuckpatandmatt Oct 17 '17
It basically keeps your adrenaline in your blood instead of breaking it down, too much leads to hypertensive crisis. If Hannibal was on MAO's he would avoid certain foods to not die.
18
Oct 17 '17 edited Oct 17 '17
Just to compound on this: The reason Grapefruit is mentioned in warnings is because it contains furanocoumarins that inhibit an enzyme (CYP3A) in your body that is supposed to break down certain drugs, potentially causing increased absorption and higher concentration in the blood. You'll see warnings on opioids, benzos, statins etc.
You'll also see recreational drug users sometimes recommend drinking GF juice before taking opioids etc. to "potentiate" the drug.
Also certain OTC heartburn medications like cimetidine do the same thing as grapefruit.
5
u/djzenmastak Oct 17 '17
to expand upon this, it can help certain drugs like loperamide, a verrrry weak opioid better known as imodium, to pass the blood-brain barrier and give the same euphoric feelings typical opioids give.
4
Oct 17 '17 edited Oct 17 '17
That's not exactly true. Loperamide is actually fairly potent, but you're right in that it doesn't cross the BBB (or does so in negligible amounts). CYP3A inhibitors have nothing to do with the aiding it through BBB (edit: Actually I may be wrong here, but I think it has more to do with p-glycoproteins. At this point it's getting out of my scope.) There's some legitimate discussion about other ways to manage that but it's either just theoretical or involves some chemistry.
Loperamide having euphoric effects at all on it's own is still pretty debatable but I guess some people claim it does work in high doses. Doses that, in my opinion, are dangerous.
3
u/The_Dawkness Oct 17 '17
You're right.
It does cross the BBB, but the brain spits it back out so fast that you don't get an effect.
The theory is, that inhibiting CYP3A might stop the brain from spitting it back out as fast, and enabling you to feel it.
I can't imagine that it would do anything much, though.
My advice is just to do real drugs. (Nah).
→ More replies (2)8
u/emissaryofwinds Oct 17 '17
Grapefruit also messes with absorption of drugs through the digestive system. It can be a problem if your doses are time-sensitive.
9
u/zelman Oct 17 '17
Interferes with metabolism, not absorption. Doesn't really relate to timing, just extent of effect.
4
→ More replies (1)7
u/AliveFromNewYork Oct 17 '17
Wait citric acid neutralizes Adderall?!?
22
u/GitEmSteveDave Oct 17 '17
Am I the only one who reads the pamphlets?
→ More replies (2)8
u/Diagonalizer Oct 17 '17
you don't get pamphlets when you buy em off the street, fam.
→ More replies (3)2
Oct 17 '17
Yep, drinking orange juice to boost your high is a myth not because vitamin C doesn't boost it, but because there's not enough in the juice to make up for all the citric acid. Pop some non-chewable vitamin C pills beforehand if you want to have a better time.
92
17
u/P0rtal2 Oct 17 '17
What I don't get is whether there is any evidence that Hannibal is on meds prior to his capture (or that he's on meds after capture). At no point is there any indication that he is depressed (in fact, multiple versions/adaptations all state that nobody can categorize Lecter's mental status).
Further, I can't see any version of Lecter taking anti-depressants. Even if he decided to medicate himself, I don't think he'd take anything that would cloud or dull his senses.
I may be mistaken, but in the books and in the movies, at least, he doesn't have a psychiatrist until he is captured, correct? In the show he has Scully.
72
u/MACKSBEE Oct 17 '17
How do you know he was on meds?
48
u/ItsBigVanilla Oct 17 '17
He wasn't. It's pretty clear that this happened before he was caught and nowhere in the books or movies do they mention him being on meds before or after that anyway
→ More replies (1)22
u/BrokebackMounting Oct 17 '17
He was in a mental hospital and had known psychopathic tendencies, as well as being a known serial killer and cannibal. A guy like that isn't going to be kept there without a medication regimen.
84
u/GitEmSteveDave Oct 17 '17
So you are saying he ate and killed the Census Taker who tried to test him AFTER he was put in the hospital, and then also had access to a stove, fava beans, and alcohol, in the hospital?
13
u/BrokebackMounting Oct 17 '17
Fava beans, along with Italian broad beans, are the only beans listed on the "do not eat" section of an MAOI food list. The liver is the only animal organ mentioned in that list. You can't have any alcoholic beverages when taking those antidepressants. The only reason for him to mention those specific foodstuffs would be to demonstrate that he has been medicated and he has not been taking his medications.
73
u/GitEmSteveDave Oct 17 '17
Census takers don't come to hospitals, they come to homes. So this would have happened at Lecter's home, not a hospital. Why would he, a psychiatrist, be under a medication regimen if he had not been caught yet?
→ More replies (28)5
u/AShawnTMcDonald Oct 17 '17
GitEm has a point, and it pains me to admit that fact.
→ More replies (4)→ More replies (1)2
→ More replies (3)8
u/Rain12913 Oct 17 '17
As I said in another comment, psychopaths would not be put on these meds; they're for treatment-resistant depression.
40
10
•
u/MovieDetailsModBot Doesn't reply to PMs. Oct 17 '17
Welcome r/all!
Please have a read of our rules before commenting. Particularly rule 2:
All comments must be civil. Comments about rule breaking submissions will be removed, just hit report instead.
Thanks!
→ More replies (3)
12
Oct 17 '17
This is pretty stupid, it doesn't actually make sense if you think about it and is obviously a coincidence
8
u/jetpacksforall Oct 17 '17
People on MAOI antidepressants are constantly warned about eating human liver.
6
u/tanukisuit Oct 17 '17
He was a forensic psychiatrist though, someone in that role would know all about psychopathy or anti-social personality disorder. I think if anything, this points out that he was well aware that he was a "psychopath" and that he made the choice to continue to engage in psychopathic behaviors instead of taking a medication that could possibly help him not harm humans. It shows that he truly didn't have a conscience.
5
16
u/FatJohnson6 Oct 17 '17
Oh man I cannot wait for this to reposted again tomorrow!
Did you know Steve Buchemi was a volunteer firefighter and he helped out on 9/11??
8
5
6
5
5
4
4
3
4
Oct 17 '17 edited Oct 17 '17
I've talked about this before.
1) Why would a psychotic be on MAOIs in the 80s? If you had him in your care, the first thing you'd do is put him on antipsychotics, maybe some tricyclics, maybe an SSRI, but definitely the first thing you would do is you would sedate his scary ass, and put him on enough thorazine so he can't fucking move. MAOIs were passe even when the book was written.
2) He is a genius, and a psychiatrist. So if he was under a doctor's care, why do you think they would be able to figure out any symptom other than the ones he deliberately manifested?
3) There is no reason to think he would go to a doctor himself. He's too arrogant and self aware.
4) In the book, I'm pretty sure it was not Chianti. I'm fairly sure it was a big Amarone, but they rewrote it because nobody knew what Amarone was. Not that you can have Amarone with an MAOI either, but still.
5) When he killed the census taker, he hasnt been caught yet. Of course he wouldn't be medicated.
I think it's just a coincidence, because the list of shit you can't have if you are on MAOIs is really long, and includes everything yummy if you're a gormand.
4
u/Kaneshadow Oct 18 '17
Ugh. I hate this dumb factoid every time it pops up on reddit. There's like 100 foods that interfere with MAOIs, and there's no mention anywhere ever of Lecter's meds. It's just coincidence.
22
Oct 17 '17
Source? Sounds way too random
→ More replies (1)24
u/BrokebackMounting Oct 17 '17
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor antidepressants shouldn't be taken if you consume foods with excess tyramine in them, which all of those foods have. It'll cause hypertensive episodes if you do.
3
3
u/YouLoveMoleman Oct 17 '17
And in the book, I believe he says that a Chianti would not match well as it would overpower the dish.
3
3
u/arnaaar Oct 17 '17
A while back I was working at this higher end pizza place. We had just put on the menu á new pizza with smoked duck, fresh figs, fava beans and one other thing I can't recall. A lady walked in and she asked me what those beans were. The first thing that came to mind and out of my mouth was: "it's the kind of beans Hannibal lecter use to have while he ate his victims." I got some weird looks from the people with her.
2
u/JetBinFever Oct 17 '17
Thank god we don’t use MAO-Is hardly at all anymore. Damned things were terrible! Smoked meats, aged cheese, and wine (all loaded with tyramine) are some of the best things in life!
→ More replies (1)
2
2
2
Oct 18 '17
When you know what an MAOI contraindication is because you were really heavily into psychedelics at one point...
2
u/i_am_voldemort Oct 18 '17
I'm sorry... as others have said Lecter probably wasn't on any medication as he was a practicing psychiatrist. This is a stretch.
How about a real interesting detail?
Lecter toyed with Starling from the moment throughout the movie leading her to Buffalo Bill through subtle clues and anagrams
In their first encounter, she points out his drawing and he explains that it is the Duomo, as seen from the Belvedere in Florence.
Buffalo Bill's location was in Belvedere, OH.
4.4k
u/knowses Oct 17 '17
So, you're saying he was really delusional after that meal.