The Hunger Games: Donald Sutherland as President Snow, Wes Bentley as Seneca Crane
Below is the latest The Hunger Games clip, this one featuring two characters not seen in previous scenes from the upcoming Lionsgate release: President Snow (MASH / Ordinary People’s Donald Sutherland) and Seneca Crane (American Beauty’s West Bentley). [See also Katniss/Cinna Interview.]
The brief dialogue focuses on hope vs. fear. "Hope, it is the only thing stronger than fear," President Snow (check out Sutherland’s shining-white beard). "A little hope is effective, a lot of hope is dangerous. A spark is fine, as long as it is contained."
Since I haven’t read Suzanne Collins‘ novels (told from Katniss’ point of view) or watched Gary Ross‘ movie, I’m not sure exactly what they’re referring to here. President Snow wants Seneca to "contain" hope. Whose? One of the fighters who must fight to the death for the entertainment of Panem’s bloodthirsty Capitol members, surely. Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen? Possibly. Perhaps too much hope means not only the belief in winning the fight but also in achieving everlasting freedom and/or chopping off the heads (and beards) of the Capitol crowd? [See also Peeta’s interview with Caesar.]
In addition to Jennifer Lawrence, The Hunger Games features The Expendables 2 / AWOL / The Last Song’s Liam Hemsworth, The Kids Are All Right / Journey 2: The Mysterious Island’s Josh Hutcherson, Movie 43 / Man on a Ledge’s Elizabeth Banks, Rampart / The People vs. Larry Flynt’s Woody Harrelson, The Devil Wears Prada’s Stanley Tucci, Salvation Boulevard / The Healer’s Isabelle Fuhrman, and Snow White and the Huntsman / Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets‘ Toby Jones.
The Hunger Games director Gary Ross’ two previous features were Best Picture Oscar nominee Seabiscuit (2003) and Pleasantville (1998), both starring Tobey Maguire. The Hunger Games comes out on March 23. Preceding the film will be the teaser for the Kristen Stewart / Robert Pattinson / Taylor Lautner fall entry The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2, directed by Bill Condon.
The Hunger Games photo: Murray Close / Lionsgate.
The Hunger Games clip via The Hollywood Reporter.
Snow runs the country on fear, that is how all the citizens are kept in check. He doesn’t want the citizens to have any hope of overthrowing the government. So he wants Crane to keep the hope in check and not let the people get too much hope, because Snow knows that if everyone in the country has enough hope, it would overpower the fear that he imposes and it would be a threat to his power.