In Confinement, but Still in Control

In Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal is confined to a high security cell. He has very little freedom, so he takes control of the small world that Chilton has created for him. Chilton has given Hannibal somewhat cleaner accommodations in his cell.While he has only been given meager furnishings, Hannibal has still managed to have the walls decorated with art that he drew. However, this art is inspired by the outside world, so the world still influences him. Not only is Chilton an artist in this instance, but Hannibal is, too. He has created a world within the world. Perhaps this is somewhat an act of defiance. Instead of just taking what is given to him, Hannibal makes this world a home. Despite this, he still cannot have the world that he wants; a cell with a window to the outside. 

Mise-en-Scene

This is a shot of when Bud White first goes to Pierce Pratchett's house to speak to him about Lynn Bracken. In this shot, there is a clearly defined divide between the two. The wall between them shows the moral difference. Bud White is an officer who is aggressive against men who abuse women, while Pierce Patchett runs a prostitution ring. They are on two opposite side of moral standards, and are on two opposite sides of that wall. Furthermore, White is much larger in the frame than Patchett, as White is standing on a walkway above him. This also illustrates his moral high ground over Patchett. He is physically looking down on Patchett, just as he would look down on his line of work. 

Another interesting aspect is the color of the frame. Patchett is surrounded by green grass and trees, while White stands in a sea of grey concrete. Perhaps this could describe each character's life at this point. Patchett is living well, has a nice property and obviously has free time. White on the other hand just lost one of his friends and the police department is in turmoil. White probably sees that the grass is greener on the other side of the law (also that there is any grass at all). 

A Frame of a Shot

In this shot, the subject's face and bloodstained shirt draw the viewer's attention. His face falls on the upper horizontal, and the blood along the lower. These are emphasized by the legs along the vertical lines. The legs frame the subject, giving us little to look at in the shot, forcing us to look at the subject. This evokes a sense of being trapped, much like the subject is. he is trapped between not only the wall and the person in front of him, but he appears to be trapped between the other person's legs. The legs of the other person are dark and not well lit, making them dark and ominous for the subject. Having the shot be a medium close up allows us to see the subject's reaction to this ominous person standing over him, but it also allows us to see his blood on his shirt. We can understand why he looks so scared if we see that he has been shot previous to this shot.