The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Director: Jonathan Demme

Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine

A young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.

Clarise Starling (Jodie Foster) is assigned to interview imprisoned psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter – who is referred to as a monster, being a cannibal. Meantime, another madman called Buffalo Bill, is abducting and killing young women, and skins them.

Talking to Hannibal, Clarise soon realizes he knows the identity of Buffalo Bill, and might even help solving the case. But ever-so-clever and observant Hannibal reveals information on his terms. Anthony Hopkins is absolutely fantastic as Hannibal, and I firmly believe the film would not have worked so well without him.

Photography plays a pivotal role bringing this masterpiece to life. Watching the movie, you can’t help but get a chill down your spine when Hopkins stares directly into the camera – almost as if he is looking at you with those creepy eyes. It almost makes one uncomfortable.

‘The Silence of the Lambs’ delivers so many shocking and disturbing moments. It is an incredibly well written mystery thriller, and very realistic. It is an excellent production on every level, and serves as a fascinating character study. (I actually never realized the movie also has a gay undertone. Interesting.)

‘The Silence of the Lambs’ is a fantastic film that takes the viewer into hell and back. At the box office, it earned $272.7 million on a $19 million budget. It received 120 award nominations, winning 70 including Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins, off course!!), Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.

Would I watch it again? Yes.