Lecter Mania
Thank you for the cover story on Silence of the Lambs star Anthony
Hopkins (March 29). I found Hopkins' performance to be the most
terrifying portrayal of a villain in modern cinema, not only because
he scared me, but because he made Hannibal Lecter such a likable
character. Only a top-notch actor like Hopkins could have captured
Dr. Lecter's diabolical, two-faced personality in such a memorable
fashion. It's a performance that should not be forgotten at next
year's Oscars.
Chris Tisch
Oconto Falls, Wis.
Once in a great while you have the chance to see a superb book
turned into a superb movie. The Silence of the Lambs is the best
adaptation of popular fiction Hollywood has done in a great many
years. Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Lecter is the linchpin of the movie,
and his performance is simply mesmerizing. Since he was so convincing
in the part, he may be short on dinner invitations in the future.
What the heck! I'll invite him to dinner. As long as he knows there
will be no sharp objects, no Chianti, and certainly no red meat.
Rozanne Fritz
Rex, Ga.
Tires A-Changin'
I realize that journalists are particularly fond of puns, but you
guys really outdid yourselves in your feature on Bob Dylan. I would
be hard-pressed to pick the biggest groaner. Would it be ''Tangled Up
in Bob,'' ''Dylan Catalog Revisited,'' or ''Positively Bootleg''? No, the
undeniable winner was the contents page caption that accompanied the
photograph of Dylan rolling a tire down a New York City sidewalk.
It's damn near impossible to repeat: ''Like a Rolling Firestone.''
Jerry Hamby
Baytown, Tex.
'Quantum' fans
Congratulations on being one of the precious few major
publications to pick up on the success of Quantum Leap. NBC has it
all in Leap: an intelligent, challenging show for cult followers and
those who ''never watch television'' and a superbly acted show for the
baby-boomer audience with time for it on a weeknight.
Mary A. Schmidt
Madison, Wis.
Thanks for the article on Quantum Leap. It's my favorite show.
I've always thought that Scott Bakula was very talented and extremely
attractive... he can leap into my body any day! If the series doesn't
get renewed for the fall, I'm selling my TV.
Inga Grossman
Kent, Ohio
Ed. Note: Quantum Leap will be back next fall on NBC.
Songwriter Ashman
Thanks for the mini-tribute to Howard Ashman, the Oscar-winning
lyricist. The world has lost a great talent, and he will be missed.
Eric J. Levy
Trumbull, Conn.
CORRECTION
A typo changed jazz trumpeter Harry James' name to Henry James in
Gary Giddins' review of Wynton Marsalis (March 29). Also, a passage
comparing Marsalis' albums Standard Time Vol. 2 and Standard Time
Vol. 3 was garbled. The passage should have read: ''Vol. 3 crams 21
selections into 70 minutes; Vol. 2 settles for only 12 cuts in 70
minutes.''
