Corrected entry: Author Thomas Harris has never watched the film because he's afraid that it'll influence his writing.
Correction: As it happens with stories "too good to be true" probably some details changed throughout the years; the idea is that he refused to watch the movie and told director Demme so citing the example of LeCarre and his experience with the adaptation of his books, sparking this 'myth', which was tough based on actual statements. But in the 1991 New York Magazine feature by Phoebe Hoban, Harris is reported to have watched the movie, indeed (even if I don't find the 'when it was released' claim of the correction), and in recent interviews his story has been that he refused to watch it but after the Oscars he just happened to stumble upon it flipping channels on TV.
Corrected entry: In the scene where Lecter coughs up the pen piece in his cell in Memphis, he palms the small gold piece in his left hand. He then is handcuffed with his hands behind the bars. He produces the pen piece from his right hand to start unlocking the handcuffs.
Correction: This is incorrect. In the movie, one can watch as he removes the gold pin from between his 3rd and 4th fingers of his left hand, while using his thumb, and middle finger on his right, before attempting to pick the lock.
Corrected entry: When the scientists identify the moth, they correctly identify it as coming from Asia. When Crawford tells Clarice about them identifying Jame Gumb, he says that Gumb had imported caterpillars from Suriname. Suriname is in South America.
Correction: Crawford never says the butterfly found in the woman's throat was from Suriname. Gumb likely imported eggs from a number of different countries.
Corrected entry: During the autopsy of the first found body, one of the doctors is taking photographs of every little thing. When Clarice pulls the cocoon out of the corpse's mouth, she puts it into a glass container and the mortician goes about his business, and no pictures are taken of the cocoon. Of all things, that cocoon would have been photographed every which way, especially in such a high profile murder case.
Correction: Probably not. Pictures were taken of the girl's body, because the body was most likely not going to be accessible after that point. The girl's family would probably be contacted and the body transferred to them for a funeral (if desired) and a burial. However, the cocoon was being preserved for further study so it would be available as needed. Why photograph something that will be catalogued anyway?
Wrong. It would have been photographed to death.
Corrected entry: The "Memphis" airport, where Lector meets the Senator, is not Memphis, it is actually Lambert airport in St. Louis. The giveaway is the large neon "McDonnell Douglas" sign visible as the plane lands.
Correction: Why is this a giveaway? I have no idea of the significance of a "McDonnell Douglas" sign, and why there would not be one in Memphis as opposed to St. Louis. A typical moviegoer would never realize this as a mistake, as it seems gto rely on encyclopedic knowledge of the signage for a US Airports.
Because the sign mentioned is the McDonnell Douglas headquarters', which is by the St. Louis airport and not Memphis'? I don't think you can refute a mistake based on average moviegoer knowledge, otherwise anything that is not strikingly obvious (judged on what basis?) for a worldwide audience would not qualify.
Corrected entry: In the scene where Clarice Starling phones Crawford to tell him she knows the identity of the man holding the Senator's daughter, Crawford is on a plane to Chicago. Starling says she'll meet him there, but Crawford stops her and says "no no no, Starling, there's not enough time - we want him for murder, not kidnapping..." Didn't Crawford really mean "kidnapping, not murder"? - most serial killers kidnap people and THEN kill them, not the other way round... (01:28:50)
Correction: He's referring to the murders that Buffalo Bill has committed to this point, expecting that they'll catch him in Chicago, rescue the Senator's daughter, and have the kidnapping charge against him. At this point, all of the evidence that he's a serial killer as well is circumstantial, so Crawford wants Clarice to stay where she is and continue digging.
Corrected entry: In the scene where Clarice Starling has to turn over her gun and ammo, before visiting the caged Dr. Lecter, it is clearly visible that one of the bullets in the speedloader has been dropped: the nose is completely disformed. I wouldn't advise anyone to shoot such a bullet... (01:05:50)
Correction: Character mistake. Clarice should have checked her ammunition better, but she didn't. Everyone, no matter how good they are, has little slip-ups now and again.
Corrected entry: In the scene where Clarice has arrived at the hospital for the second time, it is raining. She runs to Barney, who is already waiting for her. She was in the rain for a total of about 3 seconds, so how is her hair so wet in the next scene, where she is sitting on the floor talking to Dr. Lecter? (00:27:03)
Correction: We don't know how long she had to drive, if she stopped somewhere before arriving at the hospital or how long it had been raining. Her hair could be already wet when she came out of her car. We don't see this because of the rain.
I disagree with the correction. It's true that the visual is not perfect due to the rain and darkness, but I believe the perception of the original post to be correct; her hair appears bouncy and vaporous when she is sprinting from the car to the mental hospital, it really appears much wetter indoors after time expired and she was given even chances to dry rather than getting soaked.
Corrected entry: When Dr. Lecter was introduced to the police in Tenn., their names were Sgts. Boyle and Petrie. When he's escaped from his cell, he said, " Ready when you are Sgt. Pembry". That name is repeated later when Sgt. Tate says "It's Jim Pembry, now talk to him". Someone should zoom in on his name tag, to see what his name really is.
Correction: Sgt. Patrick (not "Petrie") and Sgt. Pembry are two entirely different persons. Pembry is much younger than Patrick. Further evidence can be found in the end credits, which lists the actors in order of appearance: Sgt. Boyle is listed way before than Sgt. Pembry.
The original poster had it right when he said "Someone should zoom in on his name tag." With the remastered edition it is possible, and the name tag in the airport says "Pembry." The original post is correct, as definitely Boyle does not call him "Pembry" but something else that most people understand as "Petrie" or as close captions say "Patrick." It's a mistake.
Corrected entry: Hannibal is completely bound, with his face behind the mask and tied to a dolly. He spies a paper clip on a desk. Presumably, he gets it and uses it to escape and kill the guards at his cage. How in the hell does he get it? You never see him get it, and it seems impossible.
Correction: He uses the pen the doctor leaves within reach.
Correction: This is not true. Harris stated that he saw it when it was released and was very pleased with the movie.
White Lock