10 More Horror Movie Answers Fans Had To Wait For

7. Hannibal's Origins - Hannibal Rising

Exorcist II The Heretic
MGM

Hannibal Rising does't come close to matching The Silence of the Lambs, and even falls short of the underwhelming sequels. However, this prequel does provide new details of Hannibal Lecter's cryptic life, including how he developed a taste for human flesh. 

After Hannibal's parents were killed by the Nazis, he and his sister, Mischa, were forced to hide in their family's hunting lodge. When starved Nazis found the house, they were so consumed by hunger, they ate Mischa.

Driven by revenge, Hannibal vowed to hunt Mischa's killers down and make them suffer. While slaughtering one of the men, a drop of blood splashed on Hannibal's mouth. As he licked it off, Hannibal was surprised to learn he enjoyed the taste.

When Hannibal located the ringleader, he discovered a horrifying truth about that fateful day. It turns out Hannibal ate a broth made from his sister's corpse alongside the Nazis, and repressed the memory to avoid being traumatised. 

By unlocking this repressed memory, Hannibal awakened a very literal taste for blood. Unable to quench his appetite, Hannibal decided to embrace his cannibalistic lifestyle. If Hannibal didn't pursue the Nazis, he may have never indulged his savagery and become an infamous serial killer.

Contributor

James Egan has been with Whatculture for five years and prominently works on Horror, Film, and Video Games. He's written over 80 books including 1000 Facts about Horror Movies Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts About James Bond 1000 Facts About TV Shows