The Silence of the Lambs

Rating: 9/10 (18 March 2005)

This is often cited and one of the greatest in its genre, more a thriller than a horror, featuring one of the most recognisable villains of all time, based on the book by Thomas Harris, directed by Oscar and BAFTA winning, and Golden Globe nominated Jonathan Demme (Married to the Mob, Philadelphia, The Manchurian Candidate). Basically young FBI trainee agent Clarice Starling (Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe winning Jodie Foster) is assigned by Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn), of the Behavioral Science Unit, to interview former psychiatrist and incarcerated cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter, aka Hannibal the Cannibal (Oscar and BAFTA winning, and Golden Globe nominated Sir Anthony Hopkins). Lecter, being held in Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, has information about serial killer Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine), who skins the corpses of his female victims, Lecter is courteous, but hates Starling trying to dissect him. Lecter does tell Starling to seek out an old patient of his, later a cocoon containing a sphinx moth is found lodged in a victim's throat. Starling returns to Lecter, he agrees to give a physical description of Buffalo Bill, in exchange for him being transferred to a new facility, and away from Dr. Frederick Chilton (Anthony Heald), whom he detests. Crawford authorises a fake deal to be made with Lecter, meanwhile Buffalo Bill has kidnapped Catherine Martin (Brooke Smith), daughter of U.S. Senator. Lecter demands a quid pro quo ("something for something" in Latin) from Starling, in exchange for personal information about herself he will give her clues, so Starling tells him about her childhood and the murder of her father. Lecter is later flown to Memphis, Tennessee, there he verbally torments Senator Ruth Martin (Diane Baker), before giving information about Buffalo Bill, some misleading, including the name "Louis Friend", an anagram of "iron sulfide", meaning fool's gold. Starling realises Lecter's deceit and asks for the truth from Lecter, now held in a cage-like cell, he tells that all information she needs is in the case file, rather than give a name. Lecter insists they continue quid pro quo, she recounts her traumatic childhood where spring lambs were being slaughtered, Lecter speculates saving Catherine will help her end the nightmares and the "screaming of the lambs". Lecter gives Starling back the case files on Buffalo Bill before they are interrupted and she is escorted out by police, later that night Lecter has taken a paper clip, uses it to uncuff himself, kills the guards, escapes from his cell and disappears, in fact using a guard's face and uniform to disguise himself. Starling examines the files and realises Buffalo Bill knew his first victim personally, going to the victim's hometown she discovers Buffalo Bill was a tailor, recognising his dress patterns as identical to his victims skins removed, she calls Crawford to inform him Buffalo Bill is fashioning a "women suit" of real skin. Crawford is already en route to make an arrest on a man named Jame Gumb, referenced in Lecter's notes and hospital archives, who once unsuccessfully applied for a sex-change, while Crawford leads an FBI tactical team to Gumb's address in Illinois, Starling interviews friends of Buffalo Bill's first victim in Ohio. The house in Illinois is empty, while Starling finds the house of "Jack Gordon", this is in fact Jamie Gumb, she recognises him as Buffalo Bill seeing a sphinx moth, she pursues him through the rooms of the basement, discovers Catherine alive, trapped in a dry well, then Starling is trapped in the dark, Gumb stalks her with night-vision goggles, but cocking his gun Starling instantly reacts and fires at Gumb, killing him. In the end Starling is given an FBI Academy graduation party, she is shocked to receive a phone call from Lecter, calling from an airport, he promises not to pursue her and asks she returns the favour, before hanging up he says he is "having an old friend for dinner", and follows newly arrived Chilton before disappearing into the crowd. Also starring Candyman's Kasi Lemmons as Ardelia Mapp, Lawrence T. Wrentz as Agent Burroughs, Frankie Faison as Barney Matthews, Charles Napier as Lt. Boyle, singer Chris Isaak as SWAT Commander, Roger Corman as FBI Director Hayden Burke and George A. Romero as FBI Agent in Memphis. Hopkins deserved his Oscar for his brilliantly sinister 24 minutes on screen as the intelligent serial killer; Foster deserved her Oscar as the young agent slowly toughening up following the clues, and Levine is splendidly disturbing as the killer taking skins for his demented pleasure. The relationship between Starling and Lecter is wonderfully twisted, and the mystery element to find the killer works well, this film became a big hit, legendary for many reasons, it is definitely a great psychological thriller. It won the Oscars for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium and Best Picture, and it was nominated for Best Film Editing and Best Sound, it was nominated the BAFTAs for Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Original Film Score for Howard Shore, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Sound and Best Film, and it was nominated the Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture - Drama and Best Screenplay. Jodie Foster was number 23, and Sir Anthony Hopkins number 7 on The 100 Greatest Movie Stars, he was number 1 on The 50 Greatest British Actors, he was number 1 on Britain's Finest Actors, and he was number 3 on The World's Greatest Actor, Clarice Starling was number 6 (Hero) and Hannibal Lecter was number 1 (Villain) on 100 Years, 100 Heroes & Villains, the film was number 5 on 100 Years, 100 Thrills, it was number 28 on The 100 Greatest Scary Moments, it was number 21 on 100 Years, 100 Quotes ("A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti."), it was number 65 on 100 Years, 100 Movies, and it was number 37 on The 100 Greatest Films. Very good!