Hannibal (2001): What was the deal with the tape recording? [unboxed spoilers]

When Verger calls his head henchman to ask how things are going with the dry run on the murder-by-boars plan, he plays a recording of screaming sounds as the porkers are attacking a Lecter-in-effigy.

In the book, the pigs had been conditioned to respond to the sound of human screaming. It was their signal that it was dinner time.

Ok, thanks. That would explain it.