An Exercise In Creepiness

Rating: 10/10 (7 March 2017)

Every once in awhile, a film comes along that introduces a character so original that it is impossible to turn away. "Silence of the Lambs" is exactly this type of experience.
For a basic plot summary, "Silence of the Lambs" sees young FBI agent Clarice Starling (Jodi Foster) given her first assignment: interrogate Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lector (Anthony Hopkins), a former psychologist-turned-psychopath. In trying to glean some information from Hannibal about the grizzly "Buffalo Bill" murders, Clarice catches the caged madman's sense of gamesmanship and enters into a battle of wits with the thought-provoking Lector.
This film primarily works because of the Hannibal Lector character. From out of nowhere, he becomes one of the most iconic villains in cinema history. He's clearly a crazed personality (as evidenced by his cannibalistic tendencies), but at the same time he is utterly brilliant ability to dissect the inner human psyche. His inner battle of wits with Agent Starling is incredibly interesting material that never gets old no matter how many times it is viewed.
However, the film is also just an overall general masterpiece in pretty much all areas. The basic plot involving the Buffalo Bill maniac is chilling (especially the heart-pounding ending), the music is also creepily in the background, and the visuals are scary while still managing to be realistic.
Simply put, this is one of the greatest suspense thrillers ever made. It created an iconic character, launched the career of Jodi Foster, and carved itself a place in many "greatest of all- time" lists. I've viewed it multiple times and it always seems to evoke the same creepy emotions every single time (the mark of a truly chilling viewing experience).