Angie King- Silence of the Lambs Review

Angie King

Ms. Taylor

APLAC

Period 1

“The Silence of the Lambs”- A Killer Classic

            Silence of Lambs is a horror film that cannot be denied the title of “classic film”. A classic movie does not go unnoticed.  “The Silence of the Lambs”, produced by Jonathan Demme in 1991, changed the way that people thought about humans in our society.  A classic movie obviously has high standards.  Without these standards, ordinary movies could not be distinguished from extraordinary movies, like “The Silence of the Lambs”.

          A classic movie has a clear requirement of outstanding acting and directing.  However, a classic film is not dependent on having famous Hollywood stars.  Sometimes being in a film that becomes a classic will make a new Hollywood star.  It is the way the plot and characters are crafted that determines if the production was successful or not.  The actors and actresses of classic films must have clear qualities that separate them from the rest.  Actress Jodie Foster, actor Anthony Hopkins and actor Ted Levine certainly had these qualities in this classic.  Jodie Foster, as Clarice Starling, had undeniable passion in her character.  The training FBI agent was persistent in her attempts of stopping the murderer Buffalo Bill.  She adapted to this fearless agent when her character went through various dangerous situations to attain her goal.  This passion played an important factor in Hopkins’ character as well.  Anthony Hopkins, as Dr. Hannibal Lecter, had to adapt to a sick yet genius mind of a cannibal.  His character was obsessed with Foster’s character.  His beady eyes and intimate personality create a creepy but critical aspect to this movie.  The other sociopath in this movie, Buffalo Bill, was played by actor Ted Levine.  Levine had to become a mentally ill, murderous, transvestite for his part.  These three unique characters take unique abilities of the actors who play them sufficiently.  Director Jonathan Demme creates an unforgettable horror film and utilizes these extraordinary actors and actresses to their full potential. These successful efforts of creating a classic did not go unnoticed either.

       The popularity for this film goes well beyond my opinion as well as critics’ like Roger Ebert.  Although awards, nominations and titles that films are given do not define it, they are a clear indication of society’s general feelings about the film.  Jodie Foster, who acted as Clarice Starling, and Anthony Hopkins, who acted as Dr. Hannibal Lecter, won Oscars for best actress and actor. This film won for best picture, for Demme’s direction and Ted Talley's screenplay, and was also nominated for editing and sound. “The Silence of the Lambs” was clearly one of a kind that it could not be ignored by the Oscars.  A respected and idolized award such as an Oscar clearly indicates that it has, and possibly will always have, an effect on its audience.

         If a film has a lasting effect on society, you can be sure it is considered a classic.  The intended audience must be affected in some distinct way.  “The Silence of the Lambs” surely accomplished this prerequisite of being a classic.  This film was the first look that took America into the sick criminal minds of people.  Since the movie was based on a true story, it gave Americans a glimpse of the reality of the link between crime and mentally ill people.  One of the main characters, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, is a severely ill psychiatrist who ate his patients as well as other people.  There’s no surprise that his nickname was “Hannibal the Cannibal.”  Lecter suffered from various mental illnesses and committed murder, assault and other crimes in his lifetime.  Another psychotic character, known as Buffalo Bill, kidnapped and killed women in order to make a suit for himself made out of their skin.  These scenarios are brutal and certainly are out of the ordinary.  But this classic made it real to the audience.    This movie exposed society to the truth behind these heinous crimes and offenders.  A sense of horror and fear was instilled into moviegoers with the realization that this type of monster existed.  Robert Ebert, a well-known critic from the Chicago Sun Times agreed that “The Silence of the Lambs”  not only involves “cannibalism and the skinning of people, but also kidnapping, being trapped in the bottom of a well, decomposing corpses, large insects, being lost in the dark, being tracked by someone you cannot see, not being able to get people to believe you, creatures who jump from the shadows, people who know your deepest secrets, doors that slam shut behind you, beheadings, [and] bizarre sexual perversions…”  This nauseating film undoubtedly shook the film’s viewers for quite some time.  Although disturbing, a peculiar draw to this film created much admiration for its production and presentation of this tale into something the average American could understand.  The popularity of this film has been consistent since its debut in 1991.  “The Silence of the Lambs” is considered to be similar to other horrors such as "Nosferatu," "Psycho" and "Halloween," which are evidence that the best thrillers don't age.   Fear is a universal and timeless emotion. “The Silence of the Lambs” is not solely a thriller though; it focuses on characters, their relationships, and their development throughout the plot.

      This film includes two of the most memorable characters in movie history, Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter.  These characters’ strange and dysfunctional relationship was exemplified throughout the film.  Lecter has an obsession with Starling, an FBI trainee, when he claims that “people will say we're in love” to Starling.  This relationship is developed in the movie as Starling gradually receives clues from Lecter about Buffalo Bills’ unknown identity.  An element of suspense or draw as a movie develops also determines if it should be considered a classic or not.  Demme’s film does exactly that. This suspense was seen throughout the FBI investigation of Buffalo Bill as well as how Starling and Lecter’s twisted relationship developed.  Pieces of the plot slowly form together, creating a dynamic and twisted ending that is truly unforgettable.

       If you haven’t already seen the classic “The Silence of the Lambs”, go discover why this film has changed views of society.  Aren’t you wondering why the lambs stopped screaming?

WORKS CITED

IMBd.com, “The Silence of the Lambs,” Accessed on February 10, 2012. 

RogerEbert.com, “The Silence of the Lambs,” Accessed on February 11, 2012.