I didn't enjoy this film as much as I thought I would have but I think this is mostly because of the hype from my friend and then my boyfriend. I thought the plot of the film was very clever; I would credit this to the original writer, Thomas Harris, more than any screenwriter though. There are many twists and turns in the film which make it very edgy and captivating to most people, I have to say some of these were rather predictable, but my boyfriend still jumped and couldn't look away. I also found the juxtaposition of a vulnerable woman living in a man's world, struggling to get a break and a man behind a wall of glass, treated like a caged animal very interesting. I also enjoyed the horror of Lecter's character being complemented to a fair, honest disposition. He appears to be respectable, clearing annunciating every word he speaks, unless he is mocking Clarice in her rough country dialect. Despite his desire to inflict pain on to others we do see a gentle nature as he helps Clarice realise his true potential as she investigates the Buffalo Bill case. This turns Lecter from a cold blooded killer to a hero in his own right.

The performances in this film are outstanding, Jodie Foster plays Clarice Starling, a young girl with a troubled past, but she portrays well the attempts she is making to improve herself. The moments in this film that really brought this character to life for me were as Clarice stands outside Lecter's cell, he begins to rip her to shreds with his words and she responds with the quirkiest facial expressions that could not be acted. I have Jodie Foster in some other films and I have not been impressed by her work but in this role I really began to believe the struggle she was going trough.
Anthony Hopkins plays Hannibal Lecter, his role is one of a sociopath killer, with the heart of a good man, but the mind of a mad one. Again, it is attention to detail which makes this character so believable, when Clarice arrives to see him for the first time he is standing in the middle of the cell waiting for her. The imposing accent he uses, which quickly becomes a snarling duplication of Clarice's own shows his intelligence. As he manipulates her into telling him things she'd really rather forget Anthony Hopkins' eyes open wider and wider, his nostrils flare for a split second as a scene intensifies.
Ted Levine plays Jamie Gumb, Buffalo Bill, Lecter tells Clarice Bill longs to be a woman and this is reflecting well by Ted Levine as he prances around his house in a very feminine manner. His deep voice is a direct contrast to this and I think this shows the conflict within his own mind. Also, when we see his house, each room becomes more bizarre than the last, showing his withdrawal from reality. Ted Levine also shows the true nature of a serial killer, just by using small gestures and mannerisms. Again his performance is very believable.
These are the main three characters which is why many people find the film so disturbing as they can relate to these individuals.
Some of the other actors and actresses involved in this movie include
Scott Glen as Jack Crawford
Anthony Heald as Dr Frederick Clifford
Brooke Smith as Catherine Martin, the latest victim of Buffalo Bill
Stuart Rodin as Miggs, a fellow inmate of Lecter
Diane Baker as Senator Martin

There is then a bonus DVD which contains
- Inside the Labyrinth - The Making of Silence of the Lambs runs for approx 1 hr
This gives an insight into the work of Thomas Harris and the production team of the film.
Hannibal Lecter is a fictional character, Buffalo Bill on the other hand is the composite of several violent serial killers i.e. Ed Gein who mutilated women using their body parts as furniture and art; Ted Bundy who used to lure women into his van pretending his arm was broken and Gary Heidnick who would imprison his female victims before torturing and killing them. For me this makes the film even disturbing, it may not be a true story but a basis in reality is bad enough.
Watching this short documentary also uncovered some more interesting facts
- Orion and Gene Hackman bought the story for $500,000
- The majority of the film was filmed in Pittsburgh with smaller towns being used to portray rural West Virginia
- $20 million budget
- FBI training academy used
- No dumbies were used, all pictures were created with actresses
- Francis Bacon inspired artistic mutilations
- Every scene was filmed in less than 3 takes
- Death head moth was not available, native moth used and disguised
- Many of the crew appear in the film
- When the film opened there was controversy over the treatment of homosexuals in Hollywood
This short documentary gives a good insight into how Anthony Hopkins and Ted Levine came to terms with their characters and how they prepared for the film. Jodie Foster is about the only person who does not appear personally.