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'The Silence of the Lambs', the film that brought Thomas Harris serial killer series success on the big screen. Directed by Jonathan Demme this film emerged in 1991, three years after the novel of the same name was brought out. 'Red Dragon' was actually the first novel in the series written by Thomas Harris, it was also the first film to be released and emerged in 1986 under the name of 'Manhunter' directed by Michael Mann. The film was a box office flop though, it received glowing reports from the critics but still it bombed when given its release. A key factor in the success of Jonathan Demme's cinematic telling must be seen in the form of one Anthony Hopkins. Sensational as serial killer Hannibal Lecter whenever I see this actor now I can only ever view him as Hannibal the cannibal. 'Red Dragon' eventually got its release featuring Anthony Hopkins in 2002, only after third novel 'Hannibal' had been given an adaptation in 2001 though.
The first time I saw 'The Silence of the Lambs' I must say that I was incredibly impressed, and every time I have seen it since it has done nothing but impress me more. Every element of the film just seems to come together perfectly, the acting is spot on, the direction brilliant, and best of all; there was an excellent basic storyline already there in the form of the Thomas Harris novel 'The Silence of the Lambs'. Novel adaptations
do not always come together very well at all, this is one that is pulled off to great effect however and is in fact excellent. A decade on and the Ridley Scott directed film 'Hannibal' followed, a film that I personally feel has greater atmosphere and is ultimately a more enjoyable film; I don't mean to take anything away from the excellence of 'The Silence of the Lambs' however as there is just no denying the brilliance that this film possesses.
The basic plot line here is that women are being kidnapped and killed across the Midwest of America. The murderer is unknown, he is given the nickname of 'Buffalo Bill' though and the FBI really have very little to go by. They're trying desperately to track this killer down, for all they know he could be anywhere though and the whereabouts of this psychopath is very much unknown. Young FBI agent Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) is given the job of interviewing Hannibal Lecter at his prison in order to attempt to extract possible information from him about the whereabouts of this unknown killer. Dr. Hannibal Lecter was once a great psychiatrist but now just a mere evil psychopath. He is an extremely intelligent man though, it's a battle of wits here as Clarice must carefully plot her every move, be prepared of every question she shall ask of the man in order to get him to talk. Clarice is eager to succeed, in tracking down Buffalo Bill though she must trust in what Hannibal is telling her, a man so evil with such dark a mind that this really is no easy thing for her to do. It's difficult to know what to trust of him and what not, he asks a lot of questions of Clarice also and a strange bond can be seen to develop between this pair.
What I love most about 'The Silence of the Lambs' is without doubt the characterisation of Hannibal Lecter through Anthony Hopkins. The man is an excellent actor, he plays his part to perfection and truly is greatly believable in this role. You don't want to like him because of what he is, he's a cannibal and yet he actually possesses quite a charm that allows you to warm to him and actually feel quite close to the on-screen character of Hannibal Lecter. You want to reach out and shake his hand, unfortunately if you did so though you'd probably lose a limb. As well as an excellent performance from Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster is also very good in her role here. Her character of Clarice is still very new to the world of being an FBI agent, she's quite nervous in her approach but as the film progresses you see her building in confidence and really believing in her own ability to succeed in the field. There's definitely a change in the character of Clarice from the beginning to the end of the film, so much happens to this woman and in being involved in so much this really helps her to mature. Jodie Foster is not really in the same league as Anthony Hopkins here in terms of excellence, she is however still greatly believable and although her performance does not have quite such a strong impact it is still greatly effective.
After the success of 'The Silence of the Lambs', director Jonathan Demme went on to further prove himself with the Academy Award winning 'Philadelphia', a film that starred Tom Hanks and was once again a huge box office smash. Jonathan Demme truly is a phenomenal director, he is exceptionally talented at his trade and has in his career directed a number of excellent films. There are some directors you really wish would get less work, and others that you want to direct more; Jonathan Demme is placed firmly in the latter camp and every time he returns with a new film it tends to be excellent. Directed by Jonathan Demme, adapted from a Thomas Harris novel, and with Ted Tally providing the screenplay; never was 'The Silence of the Lambs' going to be anything but a success.
It is not hard to understand why this film was such a resounding success at the box office. Everything about this film is excellent, it is no wonder then that 'The Silence of the Lambs' has been parodied so many times over the years. Successful cartoons such as 'South Park' and 'The Simpsons' have used elements of the film in their episodes, while films such as 'Austin Powers in Goldmember' and 'Clerks 2' have also made passing references. It's a well know film that made millions, Thomas Harris novel was here captured on film incredibly well and Anthony Hopkins really managed to bring to life the character of Hannibal Lecter. I've already stated that the 2001 follow-up film 'Hannibal' I preferred, this film however is excellent and I personally consider myself to be a huge fan. Anthony Hopkins for me is the best thing about this film, every element of 'The Silence of the Lambs' is excellent but were he not selected for the part then there is no doubt in my mind that this film would have been nowhere near as successfully executed.
Director: Jonathan Demme Year of release: 1991 Genre: Crime/Thriller Language: English Runtime: 118 mins BBFC Rating: 18
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A very good review but what makes this a Special Edition? I loved this movie but I think the sequels lost something. I think the problem was the shift from Jodie Foster's character to Julianne Moore's. Foster is a much stronger actor.
Apr 3rd, 2008
very helpful by (100%):
