Film Review: The Silence of the Lambs

Director: Jonathan Demme

Based on the book of the same name by Thomas Harris, this was a second attempt at making a film version of a book from the series by Harris after the film Manhunter was released with Brian Cox in the role of Dr. Hannibal Lecter. The role of Lecter was originally going to be taken by Gene Hackman who would also direct but he pulled out due to the graphic content of the screenplay.

Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins)

The lead performance from Jodie Foster is superb as the new FBI agent who deals in Behavioural Sciences and is tasked with interviewing the intelligent yet cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins who is also superb). The interviews and conversations between the characters are incredibly intelligent and leave you questioning the ulterior motives of both characters, they are truly fascinating to watch which is a testament to the acting performances as well as the direction.

Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) interviews Hannibal Lecter to try and gain an insight into a killers mind as the FBI try to hunt down a man nicknamed Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine) who skins his female victims after he has killed them. Lecter plays a game of quid quo pro with Starling so they exchange information for which they are both interested in and means that Starling gives out information from her past that she is not supposed to discuss. As Buffalo Bill takes a senator's daughter, it's a race against time to try and catch the serial killer.

Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster)

Despite not being an instant success, it steadily grew in popularity and then became a huge hit sweeping many awards including Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Actress. It is a truly terrifying film in both Lecter and Buffalo Bill providing incredibly haunting qualities whilst the screenplay is arguably one of the greatest ever written.

4/4 an absolute classic horror-thriller