The Silence of the Lambs @Wahnfried

Wahnfried, McGregor

On Friday 10th at 5pm we have the second of the Hannibal Lecter films. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1h50mins).

The film won the Big Five Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director (Demme), Best Actor (Hopkins), Best Actress (Foster), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Ted Tally), making it only the third film in history to accomplish that feat. The film is regularly cited by critics, film directors and audiences as one of the greatest and most influential films. The American Film Institute ranked it the fifth-greatest and most influential thriller film while Starling and Lecter were ranked among the greatest film heroines and villains.

A psychopath known as "Buffalo Bill" (Ted Levine) is kidnapping and murdering young women across the Midwest. Believing it takes one to know one, the F.B.I. sends trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) to interview a demented prisoner who may provide psychological insight and clues to the killer's actions. The prisoner is psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Sir Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant, murderous cannibal who will only help Starling if she feeds his morbid curiosity with details of her own complicated life. This twisted relationship forces Starling to not only confront her psychological demons, but leads her face to face with a demented, heinous killer; an incarnation of evil so powerful, that she may not have the courage, or strength, to stop him.

The film holds a 95% rating. The website's critical consensus reads: "Director Jonathan Demme's smart, taut thriller teeters on the edge between psychological study and all-out horror, and benefits greatly from stellar performances by Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster."

‘’ With Silence of the Lambs comes some much needed recognition for the horror genre. It is a first-rate production all around. It boasts a witty and suspenseful script based on the Thomas Harris novel, full of great lines. It has marvellous direction from Demme. Demme creates suspense very well throughout and uses some great directorial shots such as the twin frames of Clarice ringing a doorbell and the FBI men breaking into a home. The two lead actors won Oscars for their performances...each deserved. Foster is very good in her role, but it is Anthony Hopkins that literally lights up the screen with his complex portrayal of a complex serial killer. Hopkins does the seemingly impossible. He frightens you with his outrageousness and yet elicits some pity/compassion(albeit not a lot) for his situation. He says his lines with reservedness when needed and brashness when needed. The rest of the cast is also quite good with Anthony Heald a standout as a unethical, petty doctor in charge of Hopkins. Of course the story of the other killer is very very chilling as well. A quality film in all aspects!’’