The Silence of the Lambs is a 1991 American psychological horror film directed by Jonathan Demme and starring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, and Scott Glenn. The film was adapted from Thomas Harris' 1988 novel of the same name. In the film, Clarice Starling, a federal agent, tracks down a serial killer nicknamed Buffalo Bill, who skins his female victims. The character Buffalo Bill bathing in his tub full of lotion was inspired by Ed Gein's gruesome crimes. Many aspects of Buffalo Bill's character were taken directly from Gein's life, including his habit of skinning victims and keeping their bodies as trophies in his home.