Hopkins Defends Hannibal

The sequel to the ``Silence of the Lambs'' continues the story of cannibalistic mass murderer Hannibal Lecter, played by Hopkins.

The action picks up a decade after the 1991 ``Silence of the Lambs,'' with FBI (news - web sites) agent Clarice Starling (Julianne Moore) still trying to capture the brilliant but savage Lecter, now resident in Florence as a lecturer and librarian.

``We are fascinated by the darkness in ourselves, we are fascinated by the shadow, we are fascinated by the bogeyman,'' Hopkins said about the popularity of his character,'' he told a news conference.

``You live through someone else's nightmare for a few minutes while you're safely in the theater eating popcorn.

``Now if people are repulsed and terrified, so be it, I understand that as well. It is not everyone's taste if you forgive the pun,'' he said. ``I don't think the people that see this film need to see a psychiatrist.''