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The Silence of the Lambs

  • 19911991
  • RR
  • 1h 58m
IMDb RATING
8.6/10
1.5M
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
188
5
Jodie Foster in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer1:49
7 Videos
99+ Photos
CrimeDramaThriller
A young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.A young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.A young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.
IMDb RATING
8.6/10
1.5M
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
188
5
  • Director
    • Jonathan Demme
  • Writers
    • Thomas Harris(based on the novel by)
    • Ted Tally(screenplay by)
  • Stars
    • Jodie Foster
    • Anthony Hopkins
    • Lawrence A. Bonney
  • Director
    • Jonathan Demme
  • Writers
    • Thomas Harris(based on the novel by)
    • Ted Tally(screenplay by)
  • Stars
    • Jodie Foster
    • Anthony Hopkins
    • Lawrence A. Bonney
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1.6KUser reviews
    • 252Critic reviews
    • 86Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #22
    • Won 5 Oscars
      • 69 wins & 51 nominations total

    Videos7

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:49
    Watch Official Trailer
    The Silence of the Lambs
    Trailer 1:44
    Watch The Silence of the Lambs
    'The Silence of the Lambs' | Anniversary Mashup
    Clip 1:35
    Watch 'The Silence of the Lambs' | Anniversary Mashup
    Watch Like a Pro: Giancarlo Esposito's Ultimate Villain Watchlist
    Clip 3:51
    Watch Watch Like a Pro: Giancarlo Esposito's Ultimate Villain Watchlist
    The Silence Of The Lambs: It Rubs The Lotion On Its Skin
    Clip 1:53
    Watch The Silence Of The Lambs: It Rubs The Lotion On Its Skin
    Giancarlo Esposito's Ultimate Villain Watchlist
    Video 3:54
    Watch Giancarlo Esposito's Ultimate Villain Watchlist
    Meet Hannibal
    Video 2:58
    Watch Meet Hannibal

    Photos283

    Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Jodie Foster in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Jodie Foster in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, and Scott Glenn in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Jodie Foster in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, and Scott Glenn in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Jodie Foster in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Ted Levine in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jodie Foster
    Jodie Foster
    • Clarice Starling
    Anthony Hopkins
    Anthony Hopkins
    • Dr. Hannibal Lecter
    Lawrence A. Bonney
    • FBI Instructor
    Kasi Lemmons
    Kasi Lemmons
    • Ardelia Mapp
    Lawrence T. Wrentz
    • Agent Burroughs
    Scott Glenn
    Scott Glenn
    • Jack Crawford
    Anthony Heald
    Anthony Heald
    • Dr. Frederick Chilton
    Frankie Faison
    Frankie Faison
    • Barney
    Don Brockett
    Don Brockett
    • Friendly Psychopath
    Frank Seals Jr.
    • Brooding Psychopath
    Stuart Rudin
    Stuart Rudin
    • Miggs
    Maria Skorobogatov
    • Young Clarice
    • (as Masha Skorobogatov)
    Jeffrie Lane
    • Clarice's Father
    Leib Lensky
    • Mr. Lang
    George 'Red' Schwartz
    • Mr. Lang's Driver
    • (as Red Schwartz)
    Jim Roche
    • TV Evangelist
    Brooke Smith
    Brooke Smith
    • Catherine Martin
    Ted Levine
    Ted Levine
    • Jame Gumb
    • Director
      • Jonathan Demme
    • Writers
      • Thomas Harris(based on the novel by)
      • Ted Tally(screenplay by)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      (at around 17 mins) Jodie Foster claims that during the first meeting between Dr. Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling, Sir Anthony Hopkins's mocking of her southern accent was improvised on the spot. Foster's horrified reaction was genuine since she felt personally attacked. She later thanked Hopkins for generating such an honest reaction.
    • Goofs
      (at around 44 mins) As Forensics comes to take photos of the victim's body, the "corpse" visibly blinks as hands touch its face.
    • Quotes

      Hannibal Lecter: A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.

    • Crazy credits
      There is a 'Moth Wrangler/Make-Up' listed in the crew list.
    • Alternate versions
      The Finnish-dubbed VHS version removes:
      • Hannibal Lecter beating Pembry against the cell's bars, and spraying liquid to his eyes (along with the shots of the cuffed guard screaming "Jesus Christ!", and a shot of him trying to break loose).
      • Lecter beating a guard with a nightstick several times (reduced from 6 hits to 1!).
      • A outdrawn sequence that comes right after Lecter has whacked the guards (where he plays music and walks across the dead guard's body) is completely removed (along with Lecter's dialogue Ready when you are, sergeant Pembry).
      • Right after Buffalo Bill is shot by Clarice Starling there is a long-lasting (about 15 secs) shot of his bloody dead body, that in the cut version is not that long anymore.
    • Connections
      Edited into A-Z of Horror (1997)
    • Soundtracks
      American Girl
      Performed by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)

      Written by Tom Petty (as T. Petty)

      Courtesy of Gone Gator Records

    User reviews1.6K

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    A Grand Thriller
    This is definitely a film that proves you don't need tons of blood and gore to have a good suspense film. Anthony Hopkins performance as the deranged genius Lecter earned him a well deserved Academy Award and the same was true of Jodie Foster's performance as Clarice Starling. This film should go down in history as one of the greatest suspense films in the history of cinema.
    helpful•187
    82
    • Sargebri
    • Jul 12, 2003

    FAQ24

    • Why do Dr Chilton and Barney make a point of telling Clarice not to touch or approach the glass housing Dr Lecter? Wouldn't she be perfectly safe since he obviously can't reach her?
    • Why does Dr. Lecter think the guy ejaculating in his hand throwing the result in Clarice's face crosses a line while he would do much more awful things to people himself?
    • Can someone actually swallow their tongue like Miggs did?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 14, 1991 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Languages
      • English
      • Latin
    • Also known as
      • Silence of the Lambs
    • Filming locations
      • Bimini Airport, South Bimini Island, Bimini Islands, Bahamas
    • Production companies
      • Strong Heart/Demme Production
      • Orion Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $19,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $130,742,922
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $13,766,814
      • Feb 18, 1991
    • Gross worldwide
      • $272,742,922
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 58 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby SR
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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