The Silence of the Lambs - Movie Review

Chris Stuckmann reviews The Silence of the Lambs, starring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine. Directed by Jonathan Demme.

[RSG_TheMonster]

Still shocks me to this day that Anthony Hopkins only had 16 minutes of screen time in this film! Absolutely Brilliant Performance!

[dougdeveloper]

When my aunt, who is also a huge film fan, told me Anthony Hopkins won Best Actor despite appearing on screen for only 15 minutes, I asked her why he won Best Actor instead of Supporting Actor. She said, "because his performance is so great, so captivating, that even when he is NOT on screen, you could still feel his presence and influence throughout the film as if he was the leading actor. And I have to agree.

[ChippyGaming]

I haven’t seen this movie in forever, it’s seriously due a rewatch

[thoso]

I'm glad you also singled out Ted Levine's performance. He's talked about how he had to study certain real life serial killers in order to play the part as Buffalo Bill and how that left a lasting imprint on him after filming.

[danvillebelle]

I have to tell my Silence of the Lambs story - I was in college when it came out and went to see it with a casual friend from class. By the end of the film, we were so scared we were holding hands and practically sitting on top of each other. I didn't want to go back and sleep in my dorm room alone and asked if i could go spend the night at her home nearby instead. We were best friends after that night, and she was a bridesmaid at my wedding. 😁

[Kal_El]

One of THE greatest films ever and some of THE greatest acting performances ever.

[berkborke]

Such a strong and classic film. The scene Hannibal talks to Starling about her “quite possible”childhood and roots is so creepy and magnetic.

[MissElora]

The emotional depth Hopkins and Foster bring to this film is astonishing. The incredulous anger when Lecter states: "Jack Crawford sent a trainee to me?" is seen though his facial muscles barely move. It's all in the eyes. Such a tragedy that Foster refused the part of Clarice Starling in Hannibal.

[BatAmerica]

I was shocked that this movie was made for $19, 000, 000 ($44, 000, 000 today). It demonstrates how the value of good directing can stretch farther than any cent.

[BatAmerica]

Jodie Foster's subtle expressive eyes entransed me when watching Silence of the Lambs for the first time. She demonstrates such on-screen vunrability and subtext that should be studied in acting classes for decades.

[nathanaelsmith]

I watched this in a cinema when it first came out. The shot where Hopkin's eyes fill up the whole screen was overwhelming.

[ajtaylor]

In a world of few perfect films, this is one of them. Jonathan Demme's direction, all the performances, the writing, cinematography, musical score, etc. A flawless masterpiece.

[stuffwithsoph]

One of the best movies of all time, you should do more Jodie Foster movies Chris

[HerbCoswellBornAgain]

One of the greatest movies of all time, and the best performances from Anthony Hopkins (as Hannibal Lector) and Jodie Foster (as Clarice Starling) that I have ever seen. Phenomenal film.

[InukMatt]

For anyone who hasn’t read the book, it’s also a masterpiece. Red Dragon and Silence of the Lambs are some of the best thrillers ever written.

[chrisquinlan]

I did a paper on Clarice Starling in my master's program for a career class. Not only is it one of the best horror/thrillers of all time, but it's a great depiction of how gender can effect one's experience in their career. It's done very carefully and sensitively here in a genre that is continuously lambasted for being mysogynistic (which, as much of a fan as I am, it can be). This movie is everything people claim horror isn't...nuanced and layered, and executed extremely well in every regard.

[carlosyamara]

The film is a masterclass in putting a book on screen, but the thing is that Thomas Harris’ book is a masterpiece that is incredibly cinematic. The whole bait and switch of Lecter’ escape and the FBI being at the wrong house and you finding out when Buffalo Bill opens the door for Clarice is right from the novel, beat by beat. I remember reading it before the film came out and being shocked at both scenes. A chapter ends with the FBI knocking at the door and the next chapter has Buffalo Bill opening the door and it’s Clarice, my God I freaked out reading that😂. Hell, even the moth fluttering and she realizing what she’s gotten herself into, it’s all from the book. One of the few times the movie and book are equally masterpieces.

[mavm]

Easily one of my favorite films. No movie scene has ever made me feel as terrified as the night vision scene; it triggers some primal fear in me that I can't control

[duvan.deschain]

This is a perfect film.
Also, let's not forget to mention Scott Glenn as Crawford, Anthony Heald as Chilton and Brooke Smith as Catherine. All of their performances are brilliant as well.

[vudujl]

saw this for the first time when I was very young and was weirded out even though I didn't really understand what was going on, or what the title even meant...watched it again years later as an adult and immediately understood why everyone thought it was so brilliant; applaud the POV directing style of Jonathan Demme