'the silence of the lambs' 1991
Genre: Crime drama/ thriller/ horror
Directed by: Jonathan Demme
Directed by: Jonathan Demme
Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins and Scott Glenn
Written by: Ted Tally, based on the novel by Thomas Harris
Synopsis: trainee FBI agent Clarice Starling is recruited to solve the brutal murders of young women by the serial killer 'Buffalo Bill', she seeks guidance from the genius, notorious cannibal; Dr Hannibal Lector
I have been putting off watching this film for ages, mainly because of everyone saying to me 'It's way too scary', 'It's ridiculously long', 'It's the best film I've ever seen', yes, they're all valid opinions, but I want to formulate my own views on this 'academy award dominating' epic of the 90's. Honestly, the temptation to look up the synopsis has been overwhelming, and I have already heard about a few key moments from people I know, but, I still wasn't prepared for what I was going to watch.
The first scene made me feel a little apprehensive, the simple panning and tracking of the camera through the woods seemed to me a little to tame for the genre of the film, only after the scene where the victims of 'Buffalo Bill' are discussed, I started to feel like I wouldn't be sleeping for a good few weeks. Foster's performance is outstanding, you empathize with her character and the fact that this highly dangerous and complex case is one of her first. Obviously Hopkins performance gains a substantial amount of credit, but Foster's character is the only one that you're sure isn't some kind of 'psycho/cannibal/cross dressing/murderer', you get the idea.
Both Lector and Bill are highly complex people, firstly they live in complete seclusion, as Starling has to travel through many doors and hidden cells to get to them, well, at least Bill is their by choice, in a metaphorical sense they live in a concealed world as they are dangerous.
Hopkins won an Oscar for his performance of Hannibal, despite only appearing in the film for 24 minutes and in only four scenes with foster, yet what he does with the small amount of lines he has to play with is remarkable, you despise him yet he is likable, so you feel guilty because of his sadistic attacks on his victims, which are a tad immoral.
Even Starling and Lector are similar, both are shunned by their operating bodies, Lector, concealed in a cell by the law; living in utmost isolation, and Starling, looked down upon by the law enforcement because she is a young woman. The use of point of view shots are cleverly deployed, male officials scrutinize and dominate Clarice, while the prison guards and Clarice take extreme caution with Hannibal. Also they both have bitter childhoods, Starling lost her parents at a young age which Lector sympathies with, he believes this makes her more vulnerable and interesting as a person, and Lector was abused as a child, though the film doesn't go into as much detail about this.
Written by: Ted Tally, based on the novel by Thomas Harris
Synopsis: trainee FBI agent Clarice Starling is recruited to solve the brutal murders of young women by the serial killer 'Buffalo Bill', she seeks guidance from the genius, notorious cannibal; Dr Hannibal Lector
I have been putting off watching this film for ages, mainly because of everyone saying to me 'It's way too scary', 'It's ridiculously long', 'It's the best film I've ever seen', yes, they're all valid opinions, but I want to formulate my own views on this 'academy award dominating' epic of the 90's. Honestly, the temptation to look up the synopsis has been overwhelming, and I have already heard about a few key moments from people I know, but, I still wasn't prepared for what I was going to watch.
The first scene made me feel a little apprehensive, the simple panning and tracking of the camera through the woods seemed to me a little to tame for the genre of the film, only after the scene where the victims of 'Buffalo Bill' are discussed, I started to feel like I wouldn't be sleeping for a good few weeks. Foster's performance is outstanding, you empathize with her character and the fact that this highly dangerous and complex case is one of her first. Obviously Hopkins performance gains a substantial amount of credit, but Foster's character is the only one that you're sure isn't some kind of 'psycho/cannibal/cross dressing/murderer', you get the idea.
Both Lector and Bill are highly complex people, firstly they live in complete seclusion, as Starling has to travel through many doors and hidden cells to get to them, well, at least Bill is their by choice, in a metaphorical sense they live in a concealed world as they are dangerous.
Hopkins won an Oscar for his performance of Hannibal, despite only appearing in the film for 24 minutes and in only four scenes with foster, yet what he does with the small amount of lines he has to play with is remarkable, you despise him yet he is likable, so you feel guilty because of his sadistic attacks on his victims, which are a tad immoral.
Even Starling and Lector are similar, both are shunned by their operating bodies, Lector, concealed in a cell by the law; living in utmost isolation, and Starling, looked down upon by the law enforcement because she is a young woman. The use of point of view shots are cleverly deployed, male officials scrutinize and dominate Clarice, while the prison guards and Clarice take extreme caution with Hannibal. Also they both have bitter childhoods, Starling lost her parents at a young age which Lector sympathies with, he believes this makes her more vulnerable and interesting as a person, and Lector was abused as a child, though the film doesn't go into as much detail about this.
I have yet to find a film that I have sat bolt upright in my seat whilst watching, but this may be that film, honestly, the suspense is overwhelming, so much so that I don't really want to watch it again, primarily because I know what would happen and the suspense/thriller element of the film would be pointless. Like many films, I wish I could forget I ever watched it, some sort of drug from the film 'Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind' (another amazing piece of cinema) to make you forget certain memories would be great.
OK, now I need some sort of point system, right, I shall give this film a total of 9.2 out of 10 and hopefully it shall stay that way.
Bye for now :)
P.S a new post on my top ten comedies so far is on its way, splitting up my main top ten into categories seemed less stressful
