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Rating: Null/10 (19 July 2001)

When broken down to its raw story Silence of the Lambs appears to be an almost formulaic crime film: The central narrative focuses on Clarice Starling a rookie cop chasing a serial killer and all the requisite clichés of the genre are evident, including social isolation of the central protagonist and a climactic chase that concludes the final act. However, critical opinion and a clutch of Academy Awards would suggest that Silence of the Lambs is something much greater than a generic cop film. Arguably it is the inclusion of the character of Hannibal Lecter that separates Silence of the Lambs critically, while also propelling the film towards generic hybridity. Indeed, it is easy to forget how few scenes the character is in since Lecter remains omniscient to the film as a whole, sorely missed when absent.
To many it is impossible to think of Silence of the Lambs without remembering Anthony Hopkins' powerful portrayal of the enigmatic Dr. Lecter. From our first meeting Lecter dominates our attention and it is clear to the audience that this underused character is the more interesting villain within the film. In Lecter we are offered a fearsome intellectual, who may victimise us as he sees fit. His killing of the insane criminal in the neighbouring cell, without any physical contact serves as testament to that.
The chilling silence and composure of Lecter is made all the more ominous when one compares him to the focus villain Buffalo Bill. As a character Buffalo Bill is less pronounced than Hannibal and Demme seems to have depended on crude stereotypes rather than characterisation. His pierced nipple, poodle and penis tucked between legs appear as cheap sensationalised representations confirming his stance as a classical deviant, ripe for a homophobic audience. The subtle touch applied to Lecter's characterisation is absent and as such the audience tends to forget Buffalo Bill more easily. This perhaps explains why we are so keen to see Lecter at the end; he is the more sculpted villain. However, from Buffalo Bill many themes of Silence of the Lambs become apparent, most specifically the idea that criminality and villainy is the result of society's influence rather than hereditary inheritance. In Starling however one could argue that the hardships of childhood have had a profoundly different effect; they have inspired her to strive for greatness. The death of her father is shown numerously throughout the film, through the use of brief flashbacks. Coupled with this is the emotional scaring that her uncle has dealt and her many years of striving to be recognised and respected, despite that fact that society as a whole regards her as nothing more than `one generation from poor white trash'. Starling oozes ambition and pride, yet one may suggest that she is disadvantaged by virtue of her class and sex, striving for equality in the FBI male hierarchy. At times she seems physically smaller than male colleagues and her stance as a trainee suggests that she is innocent and naïve. In spite of adversity she persists with her determination and fearlessness categorising her as a desirable female role model.
As an entire entity Silence of the Lambs is difficult to define within standard genre frameworks; indeed the inclusion of Dr Lecter's subplot opens the film to a vast array of generic labels. Although the climactic chase at the end is heavily immersed in the stock situations and relevant iconography of the cop genre, the taut meetings between Starling and Lecter convey a degree of suspense that would typically be attributed to a thriller or mystery film. Alternatively, the film may be described as a horror film, given the number of bodies discovered and Demme's frequent use of explicit post mortem investigations. Indeed, critic Roger Ebert argues that `[all the] universal phobias and dreads [are all to present in the movie]'. One thing is certain however; Silence of the Lambs is a modern masterpiece one that appears as potent and significant today some 10 years later.