The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Director:

Jonathan Demme

Writers (WGA):

Thomas Harris (novel)
Ted Tally (screenplay)

Release Date:

14 February 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Brilliant. Cunning. Psychotic. In his mind lies the clue to a ruthless killer. - Clarice Starling, FBI. Brilliant. Vulnerable. Alone. She must trust him to stop the killer.

Plot:

A young FBI cadet must confide in an incarcerated and manipulative killer to receive his help on catching another serial killer who skins his victims.

Plot Keywords:

FBI | Serial Killer | Agent | Psychiatrist | Psychopath

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 39 wins & 27 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Jodie Foster	...	Clarice Starling
Anthony Hopkins	...	Dr. Hannibal Lecter
Scott Glenn	...	Jack Crawford
Anthony Heald	...	Dr. Frederick Chilton
Ted Levine	...	Jame 'Buffalo Bill' Gumb
Frankie Faison	...	Barney Matthews
Kasi Lemmons	...	Ardelia Mapp
Brooke Smith	...	Catherine Martin
Paul Lazar	...	Pilcher
Dan Butler	...	Roden
Lawrence T. Wrentz	...	Agent Burroughs
Don Brockett	...	Friendly Psychopath in Cell
Frank Seals Jr.	...	Brooding Psychopath in Cell
Stuart Rudin	...	Miggs
Maria Skorobogatov	...	Young Clarice Starling (as Masha Skorobogatov)

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Denmark:15 | Italy:VM14 | USA:R (certificate #30301) | Iceland:16 | Australia:MA (tv rating) | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Brazil:14 | Finland:K-15 (director's cut) (video rating) | Finland:K-16 (cut video version) | New Zealand:R16 | Poland:15 | UK:15 (re-rating) (2009) | Japan:PG12 (2009) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA (video rating) (special edition) | Australia:M (re-rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) (re-rating) (2003) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) (original rating) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-18 | France:-16 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:15 (original rating) | Ireland:18 (re-rating) | Israel:18 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 (cut) | Norway:18 | Peru:18 | Singapore:PG (video rating) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | Singapore:R(A) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Bellaire, Ohio, USA

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Anthony Hopkins invented the fast, slurping-type sound that Hannibal Lecter does. He did it spontaneously during filming on the set, and everyone thought it was great. Director Jonathan Demme became annoyed with it after a while, but denied his irritation.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Sgt.Pembry is preparing to handcuff Dr. Lecter to the bars of his cell while bringing in his requested second supper, he has him sit with his back to the bars and his arms thrust behind him in order secure the shackles. In this scene it is apparent that Dr Lecter has been waiting for a fair amount of time between his first meal and his second serving because we see his drawings and magazines spread over the entire desktop surface. A closeup of the Drs arms, however, reveal that the cuffing procedure must have been repeated several time during the filming process in order to get a good take as there are already red, discolored areas on actor Anthony Hopkins wrists from the multiple donning and shedding of the handcuffs before they are even applied in film.

Quotes:

[first lines]
FBI instructor: Starling! Starling! Crawford wants to see you in his office.
Clarice Starling: Thank you, sir.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Ian McKellen/Kylie Minogue (#27.15)" (2002)

Soundtrack:

Goodbye Horses

Perfectly executed dramatic thriller

The Silence of the Lambs, having accomplished the rare feat of winning all five of the major Academy Award categories, is a remarkable achievement in filmmaking. Gruesome, pulpish material was transformed by dedicated participants on all levels of production, and a film that would have failed in the hands of many others wound up becoming a modern masterpiece. Taut direction and a superb screenplay might be the best arguments for the film's power, but the flashiest are certainly delivered in the bravura performances of Hopkins and Foster. Their interplay -- and remember, they only share a handful of scenes together -- is nothing short of riveting.