Review of The Silence of the Lambs (1991) by Tyler H — 25 Sep 2013

Silence of the Lambs movie review.

Enough cannot be said about the film, Silence of the Lambs. Director Jonathan Demme and scriptwriter Ted Tally did a tremendous job conveying Thomas Harris' novel. Silence of the Lambs can be related to a jigsaw puzzle in the context that great acting, cohesion, cinematography, and originality come together perfectly in this multi-Oscar winning film that sets the bar high for any following films in that diverse genre.

Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster both do marvelous in their meticulous roles (Anthony, staring as Dr. Hannibal Lector, the cannibalistic serial killer and Jodie Foster as, Clarice Starling, a newly recruited FBI agent). Hopkins really gets into character for this film; it takes a lot of talent to be an intelligent/sadistic psychiatrist, but yet subtle and extremely good at hiding his underlying intentions. While Foster plays a far from naïve agent, but one who has little experience, that falls for Lectors schemes.

Scott Glen plays Jodie's boss (Jack Crawford) in the film and assigns her the job of interviewing Dr. Lector in hopes that it will help with there current cases, that deals with an amateur serial killer. Scott wants Jodie to find what lies within the mind of a serial killer, but warns her to be careful and never forget what he is. Unfortunately, Jodie is outsmarted by Lector and reveals personal detail about her life, which Lector uses to his advantage, tormenting her.

A great film doesn't come about with just great acting and cohesion. Cinematography plays a key role especially in this movie. The different camera angles, close ups, and picture quality done by Tak Fujimoto reveal important aspects of the film including some that help foreshadow later pieces.

This is a film that can be watched multiple times and is just as intellectually compelling and mysterious as the first time it was viewed. New subtle information can be picked up from watching this movie more than once. There are so many components that one or more are likely overlooked. The films broad genre (thriller, horror, crime investigation, and drama) allowed the director a lot of leeway in the direction of where he envisioned the film to go and it appeals to a diverse audience. The film might be hard to follow at times, but in the end all the uncertainty is cleared up allowing for a stunning final scene.

What is a good movie without plot twists? Silence of the Lambs is full of surprises that are sure to leave the mind of any viewer second-guessing him or herself. For instance, the cannibalistic scene with Dr. Lector could have more than likely been inferred by a first time viewer but not to the full extent of what actually happened.

This is one unnerving intellectual film that isn't so much of a horror film as it is a Thriller. The originality brought in by Demme's directing and Tally's script really took the film industry to a whole new level. The twists and turns allowed for a mindboggling intellectual thrill ride that will likely not be forgotten. There is an old saying, "They don't make them like they use to" and that is more than accurate for Silence of the Lambs. It's going to take a lot to upstage this film. The real question is, can it be done?