The Silence of the Lambs - Lisa's Review

This week I had the pleasure of re-watching one of my all time favourite movies.  I first saw this movie in my late teens and I absolutely adored it from the start.  I fell in love with Jodie Foster and she has remained a girl crush to this very day.  It's just a pity she doesn't do as much in movies these days.  A real shame.  Antony Hopkins is still in my top 3 favourite actors all these years later.  It's a movie that has stayed with me and has never wavered from being right at the top.  I would be completely aghast if anyone reading this (again hello?) hadn't seen the movie, but for young'uns who perhaps haven't, I suppose I should talk about storyline for a bit.



We start the movie watching the young Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) completing an obstacle course and run at the FBI Academy where she is a trainee in the Behavioral Sciences Unit (something I almost ended up studying at uni).  We are made aware right from the off that Clarice is a high flyer and someone whom the boss, Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) has high hopes for.

The FBI are working towards catching a serial killer called Buffalo Bill.  Jack Crawford feels that an incarcerated psychiatrist and cannibalistic murderer Hannibal Lecter (Antony Hopkins) may be able to help, so he sends young Clarice in to interview him.  However he doesn't advise Clarice of his real reason for sending her to speak to Hannibal, as knowing how astute and perceptive he is, Jack realises the psychiatrist will realise what is happening immediately and shut down.  He uses his professional experience to play Hannibal at his own game which makes an interesting start to this wonderful movie.

The rest of the movie follows the developing relationship between Clarice and Hannibal and an actual respect which grows and the almost (but not quite) humanity of the 'monster' which is Hannibal (the cannibal) Lecter. Alongside this runs the FBI search for 'Buffalo Bill' and his increasingly violent murders.

Everything about this movie is wonderful.  It is well paced and has plenty of background and detail. It has just the right mix of thriller, crime and horror.  The characters are wonderfully deep and complex.  Jodie Foster is fantastic as the young trainee, awkward but ballsy.  Seeing a woman in a role like this, where her sexuality is not a factor at all, but rather, her intelligence and insight is prevalent was a wonderful thing for me to see at least.  I despair of movies with the stupid, large breasted blonde with nothing to say or the supposed 'lead' who always ends up screaming and falling over...arrrrrgggggghhhhhh.  More roles like Clarice please!

Hannibal Lecter is without doubt, for me, the most terrifying monster that has ever been portrayed in film. The intelligence combined with the depravity and violence is downright terrifying.  Even while feeling disgust and fear for him, you can't help but admire Hannibal.  This for me, makes him the perfect villain.  Antony Hopkins portrayal is flawless.  His delivery of a wonderful, even lyrical script enthralls me in a way where I can't look away from the screen.   The only other character portrayal I can compare this one to is Jack Nicholsons portrayal of Jack Torrance in The Shining.  After having viewed these performances, you can never imagine (nor even want to) anyone else in the role.  It's just 'perfect'.  In these role Hopkins and Nicholson show effortlessly that it is possible to look evil and maniacal as an actor.  That's a gift.  I feel that thanks to these performances, it is possible for us to look into eyes that only victims of horrendous atrocities will see.  I know it gives me chills.

In conclusion, if you hadn't realised, I love this movie.  I recommend it 100 times over.  If you haven't seen it, rectify it.