The Silence of the Lambs Movie Review

Hello, fellow moviegoers!
  The day has finally come. Halloween is tomorrow! Before we get all dressed up and indulge our sweet tooth a little more than we should, I have another classic movie thriller to review for you guys today. The culprit? The Silence of the Lambs. What better film is there to review for Halloween than one based around an iconic horror figure than Dr. Hannibal Lecter. 
  I admit, last night was the first time I had ever watched this movie. While that may be surprising to some people, we all have a list of classic movies we haven’t gotten around to. I’m attempting to make that list exponentially shorter, but it’s seemingly never-ending. Not that I’m complaining, the more awesome movies to watch, the better.
  The Silence of the Lambs stars Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster, and it is directed by Jonathan Demme. It is based upon one of the most popular Hannibal Lecter storylines written by Thomas Harris and published in 1988. It is easy to see how popular the novel was as this film adaptation came only three years later in 1991.  
  This film is considered to be in the top tier of not only the horror genre but also of great movies as well. How did it earn it reputation? Here’s my answer…

  This isn’t really a Hannibal Lecter film. It is more of an investigative murder mystery, that just-so-happens to feature “Hannibal the Cannibal”. Contrary to my expectations previous to seeing the film, Hannibal Lecter isn’t the main antagonist. That title belongs to somebody nicknamed “Buffalo Bill”, whose character I shan’t delve into anymore, to avoid any and all spoilers. 
  While Lecter may not be the main antagonist of the film, he does play have an integral role in the story. The performance given by actor Anthony Hopkins makes Hannibal’s scenes the most enjoyable parts of the film. You never really know what is going through his head. You are aware of his intelligence, but you can’t imagine what he’s using it for. Every scene with him in it has an aura of tension surrounding it. It gets to the point of paranoia. I started to panic simply because a pen disappeared at one point. Lecter is such a mysteriously thought-provoking character, and Hopkins performance was well worthy of the Oscar he received for it.
  I thought this film excelled at its limited use of Hannibal Lecter. They gave the audience just the right amount of him. Plenty so the audience could get engrossed in the character, but with enough moderation to keep him engrossed in a shroud of mystery. They don’t explain why he is the way he is, they trust you as the audience to understand that this isn’t a guy to mess around with.
  This movie isn’t perfect, however. There is a specific character (who shall go nameless) that seemed too over-the-top at times. I found myself annoyed with said character at times and counting the seconds until the focus would jump back to Lecter. 
  Also, I found the accent that Jodie Foster used for the character of Clarice distracting at times. She did a great job making that accent realistic, but it seemed unnecessary. I often would be thinking of how ridiculous her accent was rather than what she was actually saying. Which is a big problem because you run the risk of missing major plot points.
  This movie also knew what to show and what not to, in terms of violence and gore. It showed plenty to give you an idea of the gravitas of the situation but left enough to the imagination that you aren't physically appalled by what you’re seeing. Director Jonathan Demme handled it very well. 
  At the end of the day, this is a great movie. It’s scary, it’s imaginative, it’s trance-inducing, and it’s incredibly entertaining. I would say if you haven’t seen this movie, see it. It’s one film you’re not going to regret giving up two hours of your life for. 
9/10

  So what are your thoughts on The Silence of the Lambs? Are any of you dressing up as Hannibal Lecter for Halloween tomorrow? Let me know by commenting on this post! If you enjoyed my review, please share it on Facebook or Twitter. It really helps. Don't forget, I post every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so check back for new movie reviews and editorials! 

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