The Silence of the Lambs-A Classic
As far as scary ass movies go, few are better than The Silence of the Lambs, that is unless you like your scary movies dumb as a rock and nothing but blood and gore. What makes The Silence of the Lambs so effective and so terrifying is the intelligence of both the script and the serial killing genius, Hannibal Lecter played to perfection by Anthony Hopkins. Barring some remarkable role, it is the role of Hannibal Lecter for which Anthony Hopkins will be most remembered. Jody Foster is likewise brilliant as FBI agent Clarice Starling who is out to stop Lecter.
The gripping novel by Thomas Harris served as the basis for the film and the screenplay by Ted Tally is extremely sculpted (bet you didn't realize you could sculpt a screenplay) with much attention to detail. Tally doesn't pen much but what he does is usually of fine quality.
The direction and cinematography is top notch and adds to the final product without calling addition to itself. The Silence of the Lambs is, in all likelihood director Jonathan Demme's finest work, although both Philadelphia and the remake of The Manchurian Candidate are both quality films.
This is one of those rare flicks that became an almost instant classic and left a lasting impression on all that saw the film. What may seem most striking to today's audiences is that the budget for The Silence of the Lambs was likely between $15-$20 million dollars. I fret to consider what this film would cost today in the ever churning sea of chaos of Hollywood budgeting. Silence of the Lambs grossed over $200 million which is an incredible return on the $15-$20 million dollar budget and the kind of return that is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain in the “new way of doing things,” that has swept Hollywood.
Silence of the Lambs is part of the cultural lexicon as almost everyone knows certain references. Unfortunately, The Silence of the Lambs probably ruined the name Clarice, as who can forget Hannibal Lecter's tone when saying her name?
Story A+ (One of the very best psychological horror stories ever told. The story has such flair and style that it manages to dress up the grit and brutality of its base.)
Acting A+ (Hopkins and Foster turn in uniquely vivid performances and have uniquely strong chemistry.)
Visuals A+
Originality/Innovation A+
Enjoyability Grade A+
Home Theater/HD Factor A+
Overall Grade A+
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