The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Director: Jonathan Demme

Starring: Jodie Foster, Scott Glenn, Anthonly Hopkins, Ted Levine

More info: IMDb

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.

My rating: 10/10

Will I watch it again? Duh!


I loves me some GOOD serial killer movies. My top favorites are HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER (1986), SEVEN (1995) and ZODIAC (2007) with HENRY taking the prize for the best. They're all so different and damn good.

"Say, are about a size fourteen?"

I remember when I saw this in the theater. My date wanted to see SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY (1991) and I wanted to see this one. Now I'm a reasonable guy but there was no fucking way I was going to see what seemed to be a stupid ass, typical Hollywood bullshit, predictable thriller with Julia Roberts. No way that's going to happen...at least not this time. Pick and choose your battles, right? So SotL won out. It blew me away. She hated it. HAH! Years later I found myself briefly married and my then wife wanted me to watch SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY with her. OK, let's see what I missed. HOLY SHIT DID I NAIL THAT CALL! What a predictable turd. I kept rooting for the abusive husband.

"It rubs the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again."

"Love your suit."

I've lost track on how many times I've seen this over the years but it feels like I could practically write the screenplay from memory. It's a solid thriller/horror no matter how you slice it. I LOVE Hopkins' performance. He's amazing. The next time you catch this and you get to where he initially meets Clarice, spend the entire time focused on every little thing he does - the movement of his eyes, blinking, nostril flares, the works. This guy's got it down to a fucking science.

"Hi. I'm Barney."

Everyone else is terrific as well. I was sadly missing Foster in the sequel. Moore did a good job but...well, you know. I totally see why she didn't do it. It takes what was so great about this picture and made it...silly. But that's another day when I get around to watching HANNIBAL (2001). I suspect it'll be the last time I watch it. I didn't much care for the book, either.

"Was she a big fat person?"

Back to SILENCE, the ending is easily one of the best EVER. I love how the credits rolled over the footage. Classy. Demme created a masterpiece through and through. I was not disappointed with all of the Academy Awards it received including best picture, actress, actor, director and screenplay. They were just. Missing from that list is the outstanding score by Howard Shore. He wasn't even nominated.

"I'd fuck me!"

That date? I cannot remember a single thing about her but I'm grateful for one thing, the love affair that started that night at the movies when the lights went down and the curtain opened up and kept me frozen in delight for two hours. To think that I was 'this close' to having Julia Roberts ruin it.