HanniBULL

I *do* blame hollywood. Ridley Scott is (was) one of our most enlightened visionary directors. A couple of his films have forever influenced the way we see the world around us, and no film today can get away without being influenced by them in some small way. And Thomas Harris was a great novelist, author of a few great pageturners including "Black Sunday."

"Hannibal," the book, was a sham. A contractual obligation. And it showed. "Hannibal" the movie was pointless, other than to reap financial rewards and capitalize on a marketable movie personality. Frankly, Hopkins should be ashamed of himself, but the man hath toiled so long in the veddy veddy thankless theatrical underworld that a big score like this is a godsend.

Plus, the first two films were great ("Manhunter") and almost perfect ("Silence"). Amazingly, neither is as good as Ridley Scott in top form, and yet, here's Ridley, bested by second raters, producing commercial dreck like "Hannibal." Ridley, I've given up on ya. I'll buy the upcoming super-duper special edition "Blade Runner" DVD whenever it hits, and I'll snap up the long-but-glorious "1492" DVD whenever it appears, but you're dead to me, old man. And it's a shame, because you were my favorite, and there's no one to take your place these days. (Even Soderberg has let me down.)

Wanna see what an inventive director can do WITHOUT HOLLYWOOD? See "Momento." Hollywood bites.

MC