The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
8.3 /10
17624 Reviews
Rate This Movie:
Clarice Starling is a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out.
Videos & Photos
cast
... Clarice Starling
... Dr. Hannibal Lecter
... Jack Crawford
... Jame Gumb
... Dr. Frederick Chilton
User reviews
Unlike a lot of viewers, I first saw _The Silence of the Lambs_ at five years old. So, for me, _The Silence of the Lambs_ is a childhood favorite. Some would say I had an unusual childhood, in this age where some people actually **avoid** R-rated movies like the plague. The fact that I saw _Something Wild_, which Jonathan Demme directed five years before _The Silence of the Lambs_, as well as the original _Alien_ (alone at that), at the same age probably indicates that they were okay with me watching pretty much anything that wasn't rated X, though, honestly, I've **never** had any interest in that stuff. It was probably due to the fact that, like the movie's protagonist, I don't "spook easily," and many so-called "scary" movies, including this one, never scared me, but (many of them) definitely thrilled me. Granted, I'd seen _Saving Private Ryan_ a few months before, which probably gave me a strong stomach. Well, enough about my wild, albeit fun, childhood. How does _The Silence of the Lambs_ hold up all these years later? For me personally, _The Silence of the Lambs_ is every bit as good as it was the first time I saw it at five years old.
On the off chance you don't already know the plot by now, Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, a rookie FBI agent with a degree in psychology who is called from training by her boss Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) in the middle of a string of murders by a man nicknamed "Buffalo Bill" (Ted Levine) who skins his victims, all of whom happen to be women. Crawford tells her to interview the psychotic Dr. Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) in prison, hoping he might have an answer of some kind. Lecter brushes her off. After Catherine Martin (Brooke Smith), the daughter of a senator is kidnapped, Lecter agrees to give Starling information about Buffalo Bill on the condition that she tell him personal information about herself.
If I had to pick the greatest Best Picture Oscar winner ever, it would most likely be _The Silence of the Lambs_. Well-acted, well-written, and well-directed, it's definitely my favorite.
Let's look at the acting to start. Jodie Foster, unsurprisingly, won a well-deserved Oscar for her performance as Starling. Foster plays Starling as a little scared yet strong at the same time, definitely not a coward as Julianne Moore later played the character in the movie _Hannibal_, and definitely not someone who would turn cannibal as Thomas Harris wrote the character as doing in the novel Hannibal. Movie or novel, in my honest opinion, the Clarice Starling depicted in _Hannibal_ is an insult to what this Clarice Starling stands for. As we find out about what's been nagging Starling since childhood, Foster plays it especially well where another actress may have overdone it.
Anthony Hopkins, like Foster, won an Oscar for his performance as Lecter, and I speak for a lot of people, if not everybody, when I say it was also well-deserved. Hopkins plays Lecter as brilliant yet insane, making him one of the more interesting villains in movie history.
Scott Glenn plays Crawford very well for the time he's onscreen.
Ted Levine plays "Buffalo Bill" as straight up crazy, and does a very good job of making us hate him.
Brooke Smith is only supposed to play Catherine Martin as scared and she does - with dead-on accuracy.
Ted Tally won a well-deserved Oscar for his screenplay, adapted from Thomas Harris' novel of the same name. Tally doesn't feel the need to focus on violence and gore, which is one of the movie's strengths. Instead he focuses on the characters, and I'd be lying if I said he didn't flesh them out very, very, very, well.
Jonathan Demme also won an Oscar for his directing and he does a very good job of it.
_The Silence of the Lambs_ is relentlessly thrilling and it holds me to my seat until the last frame every time I see it, all without relying on excessive gore.
I've already mentioned that _The Silence of the Lambs_ doesn't scare me, so it may - or may not - scare you, depending on what you're afraid of. Admittedly, there are a few creepy things displayed onscreen so I can see why it would scare some viewers.
Either way, I can't recommend _The Silence of the Lambs_ enough, and everybody should see it at least once.
_The Silence of the Lambs_ is a childhood favorite of mine, and it holds up very, very well almost 25 years after its release. It's relentlessly thrilling, flawlessly acted, flawlessly written, flawlessly directed, and one of the few movies that actually deserved all the Oscars it won.
Director:
Release Date:
1991-02-14
Run Time:
119 min
MMPA Rating:
R
Reviews of
The Silence of the Lambs
Unlike a lot of viewers, I first saw _The Silence of the Lambs_ at five years old. So, for me, _The Silence of the Lambs_ is a childhood favorite. Some would say I had an unusual childhood, in this age where some people actually **avoid** R-rated movies like the plague. The fact that I saw _Something Wild_, which Jonathan Demme directed five years before _The Silence of the Lambs_, as well as the original _Alien_ (alone at that), at the same age probably indicates that they were okay with me watching pretty much anything that wasn't rated X, though, honestly, I've **never** had any interest in that stuff. It was probably due to the fact that, like the movie's protagonist, I don't "spook easily," and many so-called "scary" movies, including this one, never scared me, but (many of them) definitely thrilled me. Granted, I'd seen _Saving Private Ryan_ a few months before, which probably gave me a strong stomach. Well, enough about my wild, albeit fun, childhood. How does _The Silence of the Lambs_ hold up all these years later? For me personally, _The Silence of the Lambs_ is every bit as good as it was the first time I saw it at five years old.
On the off chance you don't already know the plot by now, Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, a rookie FBI agent with a degree in psychology who is called from training by her boss Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) in the middle of a string of murders by a man nicknamed "Buffalo Bill" (Ted Levine) who skins his victims, all of whom happen to be women. Crawford tells her to interview the psychotic Dr. Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) in prison, hoping he might have an answer of some kind. Lecter brushes her off. After Catherine Martin (Brooke Smith), the daughter of a senator is kidnapped, Lecter agrees to give Starling information about Buffalo Bill on the condition that she tell him personal information about herself.
If I had to pick the greatest Best Picture Oscar winner ever, it would most likely be _The Silence of the Lambs_. Well-acted, well-written, and well-directed, it's definitely my favorite.
Let's look at the acting to start. Jodie Foster, unsurprisingly, won a well-deserved Oscar for her performance as Starling. Foster plays Starling as a little scared yet strong at the same time, definitely not a coward as Julianne Moore later played the character in the movie _Hannibal_, and definitely not someone who would turn cannibal as Thomas Harris wrote the character as doing in the novel Hannibal. Movie or novel, in my honest opinion, the Clarice Starling depicted in _Hannibal_ is an insult to what this Clarice Starling stands for. As we find out about what's been nagging Starling since childhood, Foster plays it especially well where another actress may have overdone it.
Anthony Hopkins, like Foster, won an Oscar for his performance as Lecter, and I speak for a lot of people, if not everybody, when I say it was also well-deserved. Hopkins plays Lecter as brilliant yet insane, making him one of the more interesting villains in movie history.
Scott Glenn plays Crawford very well for the time he's onscreen.
Ted Levine plays "Buffalo Bill" as straight up crazy, and does a very good job of making us hate him.
Brooke Smith is only supposed to play Catherine Martin as scared and she does - with dead-on accuracy.
Ted Tally won a well-deserved Oscar for his screenplay, adapted from Thomas Harris' novel of the same name. Tally doesn't feel the need to focus on violence and gore, which is one of the movie's strengths. Instead he focuses on the characters, and I'd be lying if I said he didn't flesh them out very, very, very, well.
Jonathan Demme also won an Oscar for his directing and he does a very good job of it.
_The Silence of the Lambs_ is relentlessly thrilling and it holds me to my seat until the last frame every time I see it, all without relying on excessive gore.
I've already mentioned that _The Silence of the Lambs_ doesn't scare me, so it may - or may not - scare you, depending on what you're afraid of. Admittedly, there are a few creepy things displayed onscreen so I can see why it would scare some viewers.
Either way, I can't recommend _The Silence of the Lambs_ enough, and everybody should see it at least once.
_The Silence of the Lambs_ is a childhood favorite of mine, and it holds up very, very well almost 25 years after its release. It's relentlessly thrilling, flawlessly acted, flawlessly written, flawlessly directed, and one of the few movies that actually deserved all the Oscars it won.
This is one of a few movies I put off reviewing for years, because I honestly don't know what to say about a film this classic. So I'll be brief in my actual review, knowing that it comes from a place where I honestly believe that this is a movie that deserves its praise:
Even if the A-plot of the story wasn't one of the best crime thrillers put to screen, the Hannibal Lector moments alone would be enough to make _Silence of the Lambs_ a great movie, most especially his run in Memphis.
_Final rating:★★★★ - Very strong appeal. A personal favourite._
It kind of reminds me of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, because Frank and Jame are drag queens who kill.
As a genre fan, there's a certain amount of satisfaction when a film is recognized by mainstream audiences. That's what it was like for me in 1992 when Silence of the Lambs swept the Oscar's (Best Picture, Director, Actor and Actress).
And boy did the movie deserve it. Jonathan Demme's fantastic retelling of the classic book by Thomas Harris. Anthony Hopkins' scene-chewing Hannibal Lecter turned him into a pop culture icon (and unfortunately a slew of middling sequels). And Jodie Foster's grim and naive portrayal of Clarice.
The final touch is that haunting score. Some of the best movies out there are elevated by a musical score that puts it another league.
A phenomenal classic.
**Absolute Classic Film!
I read the book before watching this thriller/horror classic film by Jonathan Demme. The film works on so many levels and at times feels very realistic in how it portraits law enforcers and the perverse criminals they pursue. Outstanding performances by Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, Scott Glen, Ted Levine, etc.. I feel the director was influenced by Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho classic horror film by way of how grounded this film shows the deadly cat and mouse game and the overall arch of themes throughout.
Fear and desire for sex, loathing of the human body, suppression of emotions, hatred for banality and towards women, etc. In this day of cartoon Marvel movies which have little or no connections to human experiences or reality, this classic film will stand the test of time because of how all of the creative artists involve respected the work. This one's on my all time top favorite list of must see films.
This is a brilliant screen adaptation of the Thomas Harris book with a cast impossible to improve upon. Anthony Hopkins plays "Hannibal Lecter", a murderous sophisticate with a penchant for eating the evidence and Jodie Foster as the novice FBI agent sent to try and elicit his help in tracking down a killer with a similar modus operandi to our now incarcerated "Lecter". The menace with which Hopkins portrays the role is spine-chilling. Foster conveys the transformation from scared young agent to hard-nosed detective with convincing aplomb and this really does make for a belter of a thriller. A clean sweep of 5 Oscars and the top 2 acting BAFTA awards can't be wrong!
The Silence of the Lambs is one of those movies that isn’t just great—it’s iconic. From the moment it starts, there’s an unsettling tension that never lets up. The plot is masterfully structured, pulling you into a psychological game of cat and mouse that keeps you engaged the entire time. It’s dark, intense, and layered with meaning, making it the kind of film that sticks with you long after the credits roll. This isn’t a casual weekend watch but rather a cinematic experience that deserves full attention.
Jonathan Demme’s directing is sharp and precise, keeping the story tight without any wasted moments. Every scene feels deliberate, building suspense in a way that’s subtle yet incredibly effective. The cinematography plays a huge role in this, with its use of close-ups making the film feel personal and claustrophobic. There’s an intimacy to the way characters are shot, pulling you into their headspace and making the psychological tension hit even harder.
The acting is what really elevates the movie to legendary status. Jodie Foster delivers an incredible performance, bringing both vulnerability and determination to her role. But it’s Anthony Hopkins who steals the show, creating one of the most chilling yet mesmerizing characters in film history. His screen presence is magnetic, proving that sometimes, the scariest thing isn’t loud or violent but calm, calculated, and intelligent. The script is airtight, filled with sharp dialogue that never feels forced. Every exchange has weight, and the conversations alone are enough to keep you on edge.
The score and sound design play a crucial role in building atmosphere. The music is haunting yet subtle, never overdoing it but always enhancing the unease. Silence is used just as effectively as sound, making certain moments feel even more intense. It’s one of those films where everything, from the writing to the visuals to the performances comes together flawlessly. The Silence of the Lambs isn’t just a must-watch. It’s a masterpiece.
Cast & Crew of
The Silence of the Lambs
Cast
... Clarice Starling
... Dr. Hannibal Lecter
... Jack Crawford
... Jame Gumb
... Dr. Frederick Chilton
... Catherine Martin
... Senator Ruth Martin
... Ardelia Mapp
... Barney
... Lamar
... Lt. Boyle
... Sgt. Tate
... Sgt. Pembry
... Roden
... Pilcher
... Paul Krendler
... FBI Director Hayden Burke
... FBI Instructor
... Agent Burroughs
... Friendly Psychopath
... Brooding Psychopath
... Miggs
... Young Clarice
... Clarice's Father
... Mr. Lang
... Mr. Lang's Driver
... TV Evangelist
... Boxing Instructor
... Mr. Brigham
... Agent Terry
... Oscar
... Sheriff Perkins
... Dr. Akin
... TV Anchor Woman
... TV Anchor Man
... TV Sportscaster
... Sen. Martin's Aide
... 1st Reporter
... 2nd Reporter
... Officer Jacobs
... Officer Murray
... Airport Flirt
... Spooked Memphis Cop
... Tall Memphis Cop
... Distraught Memphis Cop
... SWAT Commander
... SWAT Communicator
... SWAT Shooter
... EMS Attendant
... EMS Driver
... Mr. Bimmel
... Stacy Hubka
... Flower Delivery Man
... State Trooper (uncredited)
... FBI Agent (uncredited)
... FBI Agent in Memphis (uncredited)
... Orderly (uncredited)
... Priest on Chilton's Plane (uncredited)
... Autopsy Victim (uncredited)
... Guido Paonessa (uncredited)
... Nurse (uncredited)
... Orderly (uncredited)
... Benjamin Raspail (Head in a Jar) (uncredited)
... Prison Guard (uncredited)
... SWAT Team Member (uncredited)
... Man in Dashiki on Chilton's Plane (uncredited)
... Precious
Crew
... Director of Photography
... Production Design
... Set Decoration
... Screenplay
... Director
... Editor
... Art Direction
... Costume Design
... Producer
... Producer
... Producer
... Novel
... Associate Producer
... Executive Producer
... Casting
... Original Music Composer
... Music Editor
... Music Supervisor
... Stunt Coordinator
... Gaffer
... Still Photographer
... Sound Re-Recording Mixer
... Production Sound Mixer
... Assistant Costume Designer
... Thanks
... Special Effects
... Transportation Coordinator
... Electrician
... Stunts
... Stunts
... Stunts
... Transportation Captain
... Post Production Supervisor
... Makeup Effects
... Hair Designer
... Makeup Artist
... Best Boy Electric
... Construction Coordinator
... Standby Painter
... Painter
... Camera Operator
... Steadicam Operator
... Aerial Camera
... Location Scout
... Grip
... First Assistant Camera
... Assistant Art Director
... Art Department Coordinator
... Post Production Assistant
... Boom Operator
... Scenic Artist
... Set Production Assistant
... Production Intern
... First Assistant Editor
... Assistant Sound Editor
... Unit Publicist
... Executive In Charge Of Production
... Sound Designer
... Craft Service
... Transportation Co-Captain
... Unit Production Manager
... Orchestrator
... Sound Recordist
... Location Manager
... Property Master
... Dolby Consultant
... Color Timer
... Key Grip
... Dialogue Editor
... ADR Editor
... Dialogue Editor
... Dialogue Editor
... Dialogue Editor
... ADR Editor
... Set Dresser
... Makeup Effects Designer
... Makeup Effects Designer
... Animal Wrangler
... Camera Trainee
... Police Consultant
... Foley Artist
... Second Assistant Director
... Assistant Production Coordinator
... Playback Singer
... Head of Production
... Location Coordinator
... Second Assistant Camera
... Wardrobe Assistant
... Production Assistant
... Wardrobe Supervisor
... Music Coordinator
... Associate Editor
... Continuity
... Key Scenic Artist
... Storyboard Artist
... Apprentice Sound Editor
... Second Second Assistant Director
... Dolly Grip
... Additional Casting
... ADR Recordist
... Foley Editor
... Foley Editor
... Executive In Charge Of Production
... First Assistant Director
... First Assistant Director
... Set Dresser
... Storyboard Artist
... Assistant Set Decoration
... Assistant Art Director
... Scenic Artist
... Scenic Artist
... Storyboard Artist
... Sound Effects Editor
... Boom Operator
... Apprentice Sound Editor
... Apprentice Sound Editor
... Sound Re-Recording Mixer
... Foley Editor
... Assistant Sound Editor
... Apprentice Sound Editor
... Foley Artist
... Electrician
... Assistant Camera
... Assistant Camera
... Grip
... Steadicam Operator
... Extras Casting
... ADR Voice Casting
... Casting Associate
... Wardrobe Supervisor
... Post Production Assistant
... Location Coordinator
... Conductor
... Music Producer
... Production Assistant
... Production Assistant
... Production Assistant
... Assistant Production Coordinator
... Production Assistant
... Assistant Accountant
... Props
... Stand In
Videos & Photos of
The Silence of the Lambs
Videos (3)
Photos 44
Similar Movies To
The Silence of the Lambs
Have Dreams, Will Travel (2007)
7.546/10
West Texas, in the 1960's. A tale of two 12-year-olds who embark on an adventure to find new parents in order to escape their unhappy and emotionally unsatisfying family life.
Release: 2007-05-21
Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)
7.288/10
One-armed war veteran John J. Macreedy steps off a train at the sleepy little town of Black Rock. Once there, he begins to unravel a web of lies, secrecy, and murder.
Release: 1955-01-13
Anything for Her (2008)
6.971/10
Lisa and Julien are married and lead a happy uneventful life with their son Oscar. But their life radically changes one morning, when the police comes to arrest Lisa on murder charges. She's sentenced to 20 years of prison. Convinced of his wife's innocence, Julien decides to act. How far will he be willing to go for her?
Release: 2008-12-03
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008)
7.816/10
When his family moves from their home in Berlin to a strange new house in Poland, young Bruno befriends Shmuel, a boy who lives on the other side of the fence where everyone seems to be wearing striped pajamas. Unaware of Shmuel's fate as a Jewish prisoner or the role his own Nazi father plays in his imprisonment, Bruno embarks on a dangerous journey inside the camp's walls.
Release: 2008-05-07
Lake City (2008)
5.369/10
In this searing Southern drama, a mother and son reunite under desperate circumstances years after a family tragedy drove them far apart.
Release: 2008-01-01
Deceiver (1997)
5.97/10
The gruesome death of a prostitute brings suspicion on one of her clients, James Wayland, a brilliant, self-destructive and epileptic heir to a textile fortune. So detectives Braxton and Kennesaw take Wayland in for questioning, thinking they can break the man. But despite his troubles, Wayland is a master of manipulation, and during the interrogation, he begins to turn the tables on the investigators, forcing them to reveal their own sinister sides.
Release: 1997-08-31
After the Thin Man (1936)
7.4/10
Nick and Nora Charles investigate when Nora's cousin reports her disreputable husband is missing, and find themselves in a mystery involving the shady owners of a popular nightclub, a singer and her dark brother, the cousin's forsaken true love, and Nora's bombastic and controlling aunt.
Release: 1936-12-25
Anita and Me (2002)
5.9/10
Meena, a 12-year-old living in a mining village in the English Midlands in 1972, is the daughter of Indian parents who've come to England to give her a better life. This idyllic existence is upset by the arrival in the village of Anita Rutter and her dysfunctional family.
Release: 2002-11-22
Shot in the Dark (2021)
4.4/10
Two years ago, William Langston made a mistake that would affect the course of his life. Now, with a killer loose in his home town and his circle of friends falling away one at a time, William faces his greatest fears as well as his own mortality.
Release: 2021-10-10
Splendid Outing (1978)
7/10
An overworked female executive is haunted by strange dreams. She is compelled to travel to a remote fishing village where she is inexplicably kidnapped and sold to a peasant farmer on a remote island.
Release: 1978-03-10
Travis McGee (1983)
4.5/10
Travis McGee is a world-weary private eye trying to help boat skipper friend Van Harder salvage his reputation that sank when his boat ran aground, resulting in a death that might have been faked.
Release: 1983-05-18
Romanzo Criminale (2005)
7.162/10
After serving prison time for a juvenile offense, Freddo gathers his old buddies Libano and Dandi and embarks on a crime spree that makes the trio the most powerful gangsters in Rome. Libano loves their new status, and seeks to spread their influence throughout the underworld, while the other two pursue more fleshly desires. For decades, their gang perpetrates extravagant crimes, until paranoia threatens to split the friends apart.
Release: 2005-09-30
Soldier Blue (1970)
6.8/10
After a cavalry group is massacred by the Cheyenne, only two survivors remain: Honus, a naive private devoted to his duty, and Cresta, a young woman who had lived with the Cheyenne two years and whose sympathies lie more with them than with the US government. Together, they must try to reach the cavalry's main base camp. As they travel onward, Honus is torn between his growing affection for Cresta.
Release: 1970-08-12
Gang Related (1997)
6.368/10
After murdering an undercover DEA agent, two corrupt cops scramble to cover up what they've done.
Release: 1997-10-08
The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch (2008)
6.045/10
After a powerful billionaire is murdered, his secret adoptive son must race to prove his legitimacy, find his father's killers and stop them from taking over his financial empire.
Release: 2008-12-17
Son of a Man (1980)
0/10
A detective searching for the cause of a young man's death uncovers a melodramatic story involving prostitutes and religion.
Release: 1980-09-24
Notorious (2009)
6.9/10
"Notorious" is the story of Christopher Wallace. Through raw talent and sheer determination, Wallace transforms himself from Brooklyn street hustler (once selling crack to pregnant women) to one of the greatest rappers of all time: The Notorious B.I.G. Follow his meteoric rise to fame and his refusal to succumb to expectations - redefining our notion of "The American Dream."
Release: 2009-01-16
Body Heat (1981)
7/10
During an extreme heatwave, a beautiful Florida woman and a seedy lawyer engage in an affair while plotting the murder of her rich husband.
Release: 1981-08-28
Red Fox (1991)
5/10
“Red Fox” tells a gripping contemporary tale of kidnapping, terrorism and political intrigue. Based on the book by Gerald Seymour, with a screenplay by James McManus, it tells the story of when Geoffrey Harrison (Brian Cox), a top executive with British Defence Industries, is kidnapped in Paris and, when held to ransom, his company and the British Embassy are unwilling to meet his captors demands. Wanting to avoid publicity and secure a lucrative French defence contract, matters are made worse when the British and French Governments refuse to negotiate with the kidnappers. Archie Carpenter (John Hurt), Head of Internal Security at BDI, is assigned to investigate the kidnapping, and finds an unexpected ally in an Paul de Vigny (Didier Flamand), an agent with the French MI5. As Harrison’s fate hangs in the balance, Carpenter risks his life in the fight to save him but the nightmare has only just begun…
Release: 1991-12-08
Zulu (1964)
7.371/10
In 1879, during the Anglo-Zulu War, man-of-the-people Lt. Chard and snooty Lt. Bromhead are in charge of defending the isolated and vastly outnumbered Natal outpost of Rorke's Drift from tribal hordes.
Release: 1964-01-22