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.
- Won 5 Oscars
- 71 wins & 50 nominations total
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Summary
Reviewers say 'The Silence of the Lambs' delves into themes of morality, gender dynamics, and the nature of evil, exploring psychological depths and complex relationships. It raises questions about social morality and reputation's impact, examining women's roles in male-dominated fields and self-discovery. Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins' performances are lauded for their depth and realism, significantly contributing to the film's enduring impact. The movie is celebrated for its gripping narrative and thought-provoking themes, though some find its dark tone and violence intense.
Featured reviews
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.
I first saw this in the early 90s on a vhs and i still remember how two very old ladies were petrified n blabbering about the movie to my dad and one thing which stayed with me after that conversation was the praising of Hopkins acting by the two grumbling old geezers.
I revisited it in the early 2k on a dvd which I own and was in awe by Hopkins mesmerizing performance.
Revisited it the third time today but this time with my kids as they are 18 now but my wife is still not agreeable.
Everything has been said about this first class thriller n there seems to be nothing left but i jus wanna contribute a lil by praising the performance of Hopkins.
In the entire movie, it is Hopkins' screen presence n footage which keeps u glued.
His character is charismatic but very dangerous that u don't wanna be rude with him.
Some scenes are far fetched but like i said it is the mesmerizing performance by Anthony Hopkins which is the highlight.
I revisited it in the early 2k on a dvd which I own and was in awe by Hopkins mesmerizing performance.
Revisited it the third time today but this time with my kids as they are 18 now but my wife is still not agreeable.
Everything has been said about this first class thriller n there seems to be nothing left but i jus wanna contribute a lil by praising the performance of Hopkins.
In the entire movie, it is Hopkins' screen presence n footage which keeps u glued.
His character is charismatic but very dangerous that u don't wanna be rude with him.
Some scenes are far fetched but like i said it is the mesmerizing performance by Anthony Hopkins which is the highlight.
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.
Brilliant Best Picture of 1991 that never gets old. "The Silence of the Lambs" deals with a young FBI cadet (Oscar-winner Jodie Foster) who is sent to interview a captured madman (Oscar-winner Anthony Hopkins in one of the greatest performances ever on the screen) to find out about a serial killer (Ted Levine) who is stripping the skin from his female victims after they die. The FBI has had no luck with the case and agent Scott Glenn tries to throw a curve-ball to Hopkins by sending Foster. Hopkins is a former doctor of Levine and holds the clues to capturing the unknown criminal. Needless to say the film takes many twists and turns, creating a suspenseful thriller that has no equal. At the heart of "The Silence of the Lambs" are the confrontations between Hopkins and Foster. They play a complicated chess match of words which results in some of the greatest footage ever captured for the cinema. Hopkins dominates in spite of the fact he has approximately 17 minutes of time in the film. This is a film that will wrap itself around you and you will likely never be able to shake some of the key elements you have seen in this amazing masterpiece. 5 stars out of 5.
With Silence of the Lambs comes some much needed recognition for the horror genre. It is a first-rate production all around. It boasts a witty and suspenseful script based on the Thomas Harris novel, full of great lines. It has marvelous direction from Demme. Demme creates suspense very well throughout and uses some great directorial shots such as the twin frames of Clarice ringing a doorbell and the FBI men breaking into a home. The two lead actors won oscars for their performances...each deserved. Foster is very good in her role, but it is Anthony Hopkins that literally lights up the screen with his complex portrayal of a complex serial killer. Hopkins does the seemingly impossible. He frightens you with his outrageousness and yet illicts some pity/compassion(albeit not a lot) for his situation. He says his lines with reservedness when needed and brashness when needed. The rest of the cast is also quite good with Anthony Heald a standout as a unethical, petty doctor in charge of Hopkins. Of course the story of the other killer is very very chilling as well. A quality film in all aspects!
Oscars Best Picture Winners, Ranked
Oscars Best Picture Winners, Ranked
See the complete list of Oscars Best Picture winners, ranked by IMDb ratings.
Did you know
- 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 creditsAfter the Copyright notice and MPAA logo, a logo appears with the text "A Luta Continua". This is not a production company credit; instead, it's Portuguese for "The Struggle Continues" ("To be continued").
- Alternate versionsThe 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.
- ConnectionsEdited into A-Z of Horror (1997)
- SoundtracksAmerican 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
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- El silencio de los inocentes
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- 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
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