THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

"The Silence of the Lambs" is often characterized as a horror movie because at its core, there is a story dealing with psychotic serial killers, one of whom skins his victims, and another who prefers to eat them. Disturbing subject matter no doubt. However, labeling this picture merely as a horror film removes a great deal of substance. Where the majority of contemporary horror films lack (deep characters, riveting dialogue and a captivating story), "The Silence of the Lambs" excels.

Adapted from Thomas Harris' 1988 novel of the same title, "The Silence of the Lambs" brings to life one of the most feared, yet enticing, characters in movie history, Dr. Hannibal Lecter. What makes Lecter so endlessly perturbing is the calm and correct dialogue that he delivers, which almost allows viewers to forget that this character is the embodiment of unrelenting evil. Sir Anthony Hopkins' performance in "The Silence of the Lambs" is truly one of the best examples of screen acting I've ever seen. Despite having a limited amount of screen time for a role considered "leading", Hopkins' performance is by far the most memorable aspect of this film. The character's introductory scene is iconic. His first exchange with FBI trainee Clarice Starling is seemingly cordial, but viewers cannot help but get the sense that there is underlying evil within Lecter. He presents the frightening idea that someone with such a dark and wicked past can come across as intelligent and collected. The dialogue which Hopkins so precisely utters contains some of the most artfully malicious lines ever scripted for a film antagonist. While watching this film for the first time, I could not help but be troubled by the fact that there really are people like Hannibal Lecter and Buffalo Bill in the world. Because of the realism that these characters are depicted with (particularly Lecter), they are easily set apart from the more transparent villains of most thrillers.

The true lead in the film is Jodie Foster's character, FBI recruit Clarice Starling. She is an ambitious, dedicated worker who sees identifying and arresting a prolific serial killer, known as Buffalo Bill, as her path to self-fulfillment and satisfaction. Starling is inspiringly resilient. She is doubted and flawed as an FBI agent, but her intelligence and courage lead to her almost single handedly being the one to bring an end to the vicious insanity of Buffalo Bill. The FBI's search for details on Bill is what leads them to Lecter, and as a result, Starling's relationship with Lecter becomes much closer than she ever intended. Hannibal obsesses over Starling, and his persistent desire for information about her emotions and her past make for deeply uncomfortable, yet impeccably acted, conversations. "The Silence of the Lambs" creates a stark contrast between these two entirely different characters. Clarice Starling represents a true heroine who is thoroughly good, and one who viewers immediately want to see succeed.

While many scenes throughout this film are famously tense, Starling's final scramble to hunt down Buffalo Bill in the killer's basement stands out as a fittingly "edge-of-your-seat" climax to this film. Around every corner we fear for Starling's safety, and as she searches room after room, the audience senses ensuing danger. During director Jonathan Demme's brilliant night vision shots from the point of view of the killer, it is clear how close Starling comes to suffering a similar fate to Buffalo Bill's other victims. Jodie Foster appears genuinely horrified in this scene which solidifies her award winning performance.

What really drives "The Silence of the Lambs" is two incredibly memorable, complex characters and the relationship between them. Clarice Starling is often named as one of film history's greatest female leads, and Lecter is, in a word, unforgettable. There is something to be said for a thriller with this amount of staying power and influence. Over twenty five years after its release, "The Silence of the Lambs" and its characters are as shocking and fascinating as ever. I would attempt to close this review with a line as haunting as "I'm having an old friend for dinner", but who could possibly do haunting better than Hannibal Lecter.


RATING: 8.9/10