Review: The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

So I FINALLY got to see The Silence of the Lambs.

Whoa.

First off, I was surprised by how restrained the film is. Now, don't get me wrong, it is a VERY disturbing film, but unlike Saw and its ilk, almost all of the violence and gore is off-screen, and we only ever see the aftermath. Hence, it raises it above most 'serial killer' movies, as its focus is far more on the psychological aspects then the violent aspects.

Jonathan Demme's direction is awesome, from the drifting tracking shots, to the repeated instances of Clarice's POV. He helms it expertly, and with a style that, while not eye catching, is still stylistic and unique.

Jodie Foster's performance earned her a richly deserved Oscar, as she plays the still in training FBI agent Clarice Starling with a perfect mix of feminine strength and vulnerability. The film subtly shows that she feels out of place in the far more masculine world of crime investigation, but it never hammers the point home with an awkward, heavy handed speech, or something out right stating it. It's done almost entirely by the way others look at her, or the tone of voice they adopt, and since many of her conversations are filmed with her POV, with the other person looking directly into the camera, it puts us in her shoes, and therefore we feel what she feels. On top of that, her monologue on the reason she ran away from her adopted home is one of the best examples of acting I've seen in awhile. It's not a showboat performance, but Foster does it perfectly and completely inhabits Starling.

On the other side of the glass (both figuratively and literally), is Anthony Hopkins’ calculating, sociopathic and demonically evil Dr. Hannibal Lecter. His smiles always feel predatory, and his eyes burn with demonic intensity and malice. He looks on every person he sees as if they’re prey to be devoured, and his obsession with Clarice only feels all the more disturbing when coupled with his effete voice, and hyper cultured mannerisms. He’s onscreen for less than 20 minutes, but every single one of those minutes is dripping with evil and darkness, and it’s one of the most incredible performances I’ve seen. His win for Best Actor was 100% justified, as without Hopkins, the film would have been sorely lacking. He simply IS Hannibal Lecter, no ifs ands or buts about it.

The rest of the cast are no slouches either. From Ted Levine’s disturbing and unsettling transsexual wannabe serial killer Buffalo Bill, to Scott Glenn’s calm and collected FBI Agent Jack Crawford, everybody is really on their game and plays their parts perfectly. Nobody feels out of place, and nobody feels like they’re giving a bad performance.

The screenplay is great, with Lecter and Clarice’s scenes being a dark deconstruction of traditional criminal vs. law enforcement banter. Instead of witty one liners or punch lines, the dialogue between Clarice and Hannibal is rich with both insights into their characters (via an economical back-story drop for Clarice), and plot development. It moves steadily, and doesn’t think the audience is stupid either. It doesn’t spoon feed them information, nor does it cloud information. It gives us what we need to know, and it the mystery is a great one.

The cinematography and music are also great. I feel Howard Shore’s score was unjustly snubbed for a nomination, and the cinematography has the perfect, dark, oppressive atmosphere for the material. It isn’t flashy or hyper stylistic, but it works great.

Now, many have called this movie a horror film. I feel that’s an unjust label. To me, it’s more of a complex psychological thriller with horrors being mentioned but not often seen. The film’s aura is a constant sense of darkness and oppression, lurking and weighing over you throughout, and never letting up. It’s great stuff really, but it isn’t horror. I don’t know how else to put it into words.

So yes, suffice to say, I really enjoyed the film. There were instances were the squeamish part of me looked away, but luckily for me, the movie is classy enough to scare you not with imagery, but with atmosphere. Another great aspect is that I feel I could actually watch this movie multiple times, if only because I’m now prepared for the feel of the film, and therefore can watch it in the future with less stress.

So yeah, I liked it a lot, and it’s highly recommended if you like this kind of dark storytelling.

Five out of five stars for me, and a deserving Best Picture winner.