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

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Aug. 2

5:30 PM

AMC

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Jodie Foster	...	Clarice Starling
Scott Glenn	...	Jack Crawford
Anthony Hopkins	...	Dr. Hannibal Lecter
Ted Levine	...	Jame 'Buffalo Bill' Gumb
Brooke Smith	...	Catherine Martin
Anthony Heald	...	Dr. Frederick Chilton
Kasi Lemmons	...	Ardelia Mapp
Diane Baker	...	Sen. Ruth Martin
Frankie Faison	...	Barney Matthews
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)

Also Known As:

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 | Japan:PG12 (2009) | Portugal:M/16 (Qualidade) | 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:

In the second draft of Ted Tally's screenplay, the names of three characters had to be changed from Thomas Harris's novel for legal reasons. "Jack Crawford" became "Ray Campbell"; "Frederick Chilton" became "Herbert Prentiss"; and, finally, "Hannibal Lecter" became "Gideon Quinn".

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Lecter correctly refers to the moth pupa as a "chrysalis". Many moths, including the one in the film, pupate inside a chrysalis. "Cocoon" simply refers to a type of silky case spun my many types of insects, not just moths.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Stepford Wives (2004)

Soundtrack:

Sunny Day

Dr.Lecter, I'd like to see you again...

The Silence of the Lambs runs two hours.Anthony Hopkins appears for little more than sixteen minutes, yet during those minutes he hasn't bored you for a second, not even after the tenth or eleventh viewing. Such is the power of his performance, it's absolutely impossible to forget him.His character, Dr.Hannibal"The Cannibal" Lecter, is a brutal killer with revolting methods and habits, but he's also very intelligent, charismatic and with good taste(you can interpret that as you like).A clichè by now, but who cares? He still is one of the key elements in this wonderful thriller, which sees Jodie Foster's Clarice Starling asking for Lecter's help to catch another killer.The result is a dangerous yet fascinating relationship between the young, unexperienced FBI-agent and the convicted,but basically omnipotent, psychiatrist.He's a step ahead of everyone all the time, and makes sure everyone notices, with his witty, unforgettable one-liners.If there had to be only one reason to worship this movie, then it would have to be the chemistry between the two leading actors.Never before has a non-sexual man/woman connection been more thrilling.Never before has a film's ending been more unsettling and brilliant and left us asking for more.

Best watched with a nice Chianti...

P.S. dear film-buffs, have the lambs stopped screaming?