A Filmmaker's Guide to: Sir Anthony Hopkins

In this chapter of ‘the filmmaker’s guide’ we’re actually going to be learning about literature and film together. I understand that many of you are sitting in university during difficult times and finding it increasingly hard to study and I understand that many of you who are not at university or not planning on it are possibly stuck of what to do, need a break or even need to catch up on learning film before you get to the next level. This guide will be brief but will also contain: new vocabulary, concepts and theories, films to watch and we will be exploring something taboo until now in the ‘filmmaker’s guide’ - academia (abyss opens). Each article will explore a different concept of film, philosophy, literature or bibliography/filmography etc. in order to give you something new to learn each time we see each other. You can use some of the words amongst family and friends to sound clever or you can get back to me (email in bio) and tell me how you’re doing. So, strap in and prepare for the filmmaker’s guide to film studies because it is going to be one wild ride.

Sir Anthony Hopkins

Who is he?

Sir Anthony Hopkins is regarded as one of the world's greatest actors for his efforts as Hannibal Lecter and in other films which require an incredible amount of knowledge and have an incredible amount of difficulty to them. Known for his work ethic and his brilliance, he has been able to portray basically every difficult character in the cinematic experience with an excellence that shows how knowledgeable he is at his job. A career that spans over fifty years, Sir Anthony Hopkins is one of the most respected actors in the history of cinema.

What did he do?

As we have established, Sir Anthony Hopkins is the person you would call to portray a character that is difficult to understand, a character who is both intelligent and manipulative, a character that you really could not see anyone else portraying. He revolutionised the way we think about not only the criminal character but the way in which we think about how a character in fiction or in a film can be turned into a very realistic person to the point that you become aware of the reality of their existence, their pain, their emotions and their attitudes, philosophies etc. Only few actors have ever been able to do this in history.

Let's take a look at some of his greatest contributions to film:

Greatest Works

The Elephant Man (1980)

I think everyone who has seen this film absolutely adores it from start to finish. It is such an emotional film and Sir Anthony Hopkins does a great job at portraying the doctor and close from of Merrick. It is a very difficult film to depict because you don't want to come off as insulting, because it is a very sensitive topic - David Lynch hiring Sir Anthony Hopkins was one of the best decisions he ever made. The character is so multi-dimensional.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

My mum is terrified of this film. I thought it was a cinematic masterpiece from the first time I saw it. It was a great film with so much to offer in terms of characters. Known as Sir Anthony Hopkins' most memorable role, I do not think we could imagine anyone except for possibly Mads Mikkelsen portraying Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

Titus (1999)

I loved watching 'Titus' as I grew up. It was a role that I thought was brilliant for Sir Anthony Hopkins. A Roman tyrant, a revenge tragedy and all based on a play by one of my favourite people of all time, William Shakespeare. It is an amazing and thrilling film in which he co-stars alongside Jessica Lange and I think more people need to see it.

Other great works with Sir Anthony Hopkins starring:

• Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
• The Rite (2011)
• Hitchcock (2012)
• The Two Popes (2019)

Conclusion

Sir Anthony Hopkins is one of the most respected and well-known names in cinematic history and that is never going to change. He is a brilliant human being who has a great work ethic and he has created memories in movies to last more than an entire lifetime.