There are a number of differences between “The Silence of the Lambs” and its follow up “Hannibal”, the most stark being that whereas the first is terrifying, suspenseful, and unsettling the second one is simply unsettling. If one begins with a cannibal it is quite an easy task in some way to build a geek show. I suppose the surprise of “Silence” is that one does not begin with the cannibal, one gets there, via the eyes and minds of a young woman, of course American. “Silence of the Lambs” is Clarice Starling’s tale, played by Jodie Foster, the only character to which the audience stays focused on, to the point of pollution. In the center of events, although somewhat aside would be the character of Dr. Lecter who is evil in nature yet has some good values and some relate with him the reason is that he shows interest in young Clarice and assists her. But Anthony Hopkins playing Lecter is the parallel act and Clarice is in the strong men cabinet.
Jonathan Demme’s movie will remain popular for as long as there is an audience for terror. It is akin to ‘Nosferatu,’ ‘Psycho’, and ‘Halloween.’ It’s a sight which proves that the finest of thrillers are not bound by the lapse of time. They all share one common theme: fear. But then there are movies such as “Silence of the Lambs” which cannot be classed as simple thrillers. In addition it deals with possibly the two greatest movie characters ever Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter and their rather peculiar and even more so tortured relationship (it’s rather a pity but he laughingly ridicules “people will say we are in love”).
They possess a lot in common. Both of them are rejected by the societies they desire to live in Lecter, because he’s a serial killer and a cannibal is rejected by mankind and Clarice by the law enforcement society which is male dominated as she is female. Both hate being helpless Lecter because he is placed inside a supermax prison (locked up and gagged like a gorilla when moved) and Clarice because she is in a male dominated office with men who are much bigger than her and treat her with their eyes. And both are able to get away from their constraints by using their ability to persuade, Lecter by making a man in the next room chop his own tongue off will escape from that annoying pest and Clarice will persuade cattle killer killer called Buffalo Bill to help look for him. And both are children who grew up with plaguing scars. “My goodness, Clarice, it moved me when I learnt that you lady lost her parents when she was still a child, was farmed out to relatives and was pretty much an unwanted child,” he noted with an appreciation. And Dr Lecter himself, an appreciated member of society, experienced that childhood trauma child neglect, abuse and this horror was not made as crucial in the film (as Demme admits in the DVD commentary) rather poignantly, more with a hush voice.
The design aspects also exhibit these analogous themes. So it is worth noting that it is always Starling who first goes down some number of staircases and through some doors until she finds both, Lecter in his prison cell, and Buffalo Bill in his basement. They are used to living in an underworld. Let us remember how this film constantly nevertheless seems to have a perspective around Clarice. The point of view camera is occupied by men around her and when she goes to dangerous places rather than having men around her, the camera is stationed there ready for her. An example of this constant use is how red, white and blue are used. Not only in the FBI scenes, but also the flag that adorns a car in the storage area crammed with bill’s paraphernalia and even the graduation cake at the end where the American eagle baked in frosting was a sickening sight of how Lecter pinned a security guard to the wall spread eagle in his cage.
Throughout the movie, the music also maintains a numerous sense of weight within the narrative. There are breathy sounds and sighing many times, as when the gypsy moth’s cocoon is ripped from the throat of Bill’s first victim. Lots of gasping. Whoom there are deep vibrations, wordless howling laments or cries drowning under water right at the battles rage. Beeping heart rate. And alongside with it goes moody music written by Howard Shore for the film. To a more primal, when the audience is meant to be terrified put it as though Clarice is trapped in Bill’s basement, paired up her scared panting to Bill’s heaving over and shrieks of the captive girl and then a frenzied barking of the dog which is more violent and psychologically deeper than all these things put together. Thereafter it puts those green sunglasses on him so that he can look at her in the black dark room.
This film earned Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins both an Academy Award for the best actress and actor respectively and also won the best picture award while Demme and Ted Talley earned nominations for directing and editing and Tael for screenplay. It is noteworthy that Academy will recall, much less honor, a motion picture that is thirteen months old pitted against the Oscarcast patently because it votes films which are new on theatre or videos at that time. But “Silence” was so original that it fully distinguished itself and worked in its direction.
Though Hopkins is heard less in this film as compared to Foster, he left an unforgettable imprint on the viewers. His ‘entrance’ is incredible. When Clarice finally walks down them and pushes through those opening doors and gates (which are all very creaky, don’t worry it’s silly), the camera shows her point of view when she first sightes journalist and butcher Lecter through the bars of his cell. Even as he sits. He stands at ease dressed in his prison issued jumpsuit looking like an unnetted wax mannequin. During her next session with him, he is facing forward, he pulls back just a little and opens his mouth, and I am sorry but I am not ashamed to say that coiled in my mind is the image of a cobra. (While listening to commentary Hirsch ascribes to these ideas) Reasoning on the character of lit, at this very moment, this is how Hopkins thought best in HAL´s voice, Something along those lines, for contradictory emotions not even Lawrence goes cut off from Khan.
Foster’s Clarice is not only an orphan but a disadvantaged mountain girl who has made efforts to rise to this level that she is at, and has the least of self regard as she would like to make everyone believe. Looking at the jeden performer she remembers in one of Bills’ dirty scenes, she believes the girl is from ‘town’ this is a word only used by non town members. This courage must be the one that comes when she barks instigating sheriff’s deputies gawking at the funeral house “Get out of here now!” in the face of death stares.
One of the points of interest to people seems to be their attraction towards the character, Dr Hannibal Lecter. This is partly because of the spark that tends to exist between starling and Lector and it is apparent that he would not inflict harm on her. Partially this is true, because he takes a lot of care that she would not be in any danger looking for Buffalo Bill and rescuing the kidnapped woman. But it may also be that, in still, sly way, the British actor who plays Dr. Hannibal Lecter brings a lot of humour and charm to the role. He may be a cannibal but as a table companion at a reception, he would be no mean entertainer. No one to him is boring, he just hates to be bored and sighed up to him especially by the younger crowd, he has certain principles, and in any movie he is the total brain.
He is not outclassed, in fact, by such other film creatures as ‘Nosferatu,’ ‘Frankenstein’ (notable ‘The Bride of Frankenstein’), ‘King Kong’ or Norman Bates. They have two things in common: they simply act ‘normally’ and are abused most of the time. There is nothing that can be said to be ‘evil’ of these monsters. It is not that conventional societies exist in which their basic conflicts stem It is simply the way they are programmed. There is no other option for them. In places where they can make a choice, they will try to do the correct thing (excluding Nosferatu who is an exception in that he does not have such a possibility). Kong thinks that saving Fay Wray is a good idea, Norman Bates just wants to chat, and obey his mother, and Doctor Lector only helps Clarice because she is kind to him instead of insulting his intelligence and manages to make him care about her.
And yet, all of these factors may also work against the guarantee of the longevity of “Silence” why can it not be so-effective and haunting (“Hannibal” is not a creepy movie even though it does really well at the box office, and this has its expiry date). “Silence” is terrifying first in the construction and presentation of Hannibal Lecter. Secondly on the finding and removal of the cocoon located at the back of the throat. Thirdly in the part where the detectives are standing by to receive the elevator that is coming from the floors above. Fourth, in the alternating of shots between the outside of the wrong building in Calumet city and the inside of the correct one from Belvedere Ohio though remembered correctly not very exciting. Fifth in the long shot inside the house of buffalo bill where Ted levine makes an utterly detestable freak (note how spot on the timing is when starling sizes him up and assesses the situation before she yells “freeze”). We are terrified not just by the film’s smart play of its narrative and visuals, which does even more making us appreciate Clarice, sympathize with her and worry about her. The same containment or worse, than in Cornelius.
Watch The Silence of the Lambs (1991) For Free On 123movies.
ALSO WATCH ON 123MOVIES