The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Genre

Drama | Thriller

Director

Jonathan Demme

Country

USA

Cast

Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine, Anthony Heald, Brooke Smith, Diane Baker, Kasi Lemmons, Frankie Faison, Tracey Walter, Charles Napier, Danny Darst, Alex Coleman, Dan Butler, Paul Lazar, Ron Vawter, Roger Corman, Chris Isaak, Harry Northup, Don Brockett, Masha Skorobogatov

Storyline

Young FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) must confide in an incarcerated and manipulative killer (Anthony Hopkins) to receive his help to catch another serial killer (Ted Levine) known as Buffalo Bill.

Opinion

I saw this film for the first time something like five years ago. I remembered the story and that I liked it, but I didn't remember it was this good. Actually good isn't enough. "The Silence of the Lambs" is the ultimate psychological thriller.

The plot could simply be told as police on the hunt for a serial killer, because that's exactly what's going on in the film - and in tons of other films of the same genre. The difference is the pacing. It is slow which is totally unusual in thriller, and it's mixed with some very tense scenes, therefore creating an incredible suspense.

Jonathan Demme crafted a flawless film featuring musics that create dark and gloomy atmospheres, cool colours, a detached photography and tons of close-ups that spectacularly convey to the viewer the characters' feelings.

Just like Michael Mann's "Manhunter", "The Silence of the Lambs" also is a profound character study of a brutal, revolting killer that is also an intelligent and charming man. A manipulative psychopath that messes with people's minds like nobody else.

And then there is the acting. Oh boy it is good. Jodie Foster is fantastic as Clarice Starling, and manages to successfully portray the young FBI trainee both as a fragile woman and a woman of steel. Anthony Hopkins is so disturbing as Lecter. Nobody else could have been cast for the role, and nobody else could have killed it like he did - just to make sure we are on the same page, that last part isn't literal. Moving on, his performance is so good, it's almost impossible to keep your eyes off him. And Ted Levine delivers a fantastic performance as the sick, twisted Buffalo Bill.