The Silence Of The Lambs (1991) *****
The Silence Of The Lambs (1991) is an all-time classic and one of (if not the) greatest psychological thriller(s) ever made (one of my Top 100 Films and #1 on Top 10 Horror Films (1990–Current)). Its influence cannot be understated. It's a film that offers new discoveries on every viewing. Note the parallels in the violent demise of a character in the endings of Silence and Taxi Driver (1976) [review]. In both films Jodi Foster looks on, horrified—in one as the instigator of said violence and in the other as a bystander.
Jonathan Demme was a diverse director, responsible for what many consider the greatest concert film ever (1984's Stop Making Sense [review]). While Tak Fujimoto's cinematography is what might be considered a bit bland in tone for a large majority of Silence, his camera movements are assured, and his use of close-ups striking, bringing Hannibal Lecter's penetrating gaze and Clarice Starling's intense looks into sharp focus. Howard Shore's score remains one of his best, subdued for large swaths of the film and building to dramatic crescendos where appropriate. And of course Foster and Anthony Hopkins are both sublime in their respective roles.
There are certainly problematic elements to the Jame Gumb character, particularly in the current (more enlightened?) political climate, but I still feel that Ted Levine's portrayal is excellent, despite being the subject of humor and memes more than anything else. Regardless, Lambs is what I consider a perfect film—the procedural that never gets stale (even when you know every beat), the sumptuous feast of chills and craft that captivates and repels in equal measure.
Jonathan Demme was a diverse director, responsible for what many consider the greatest concert film ever (1984's Stop Making Sense [review]). While Tak Fujimoto's cinematography is what might be considered a bit bland in tone for a large majority of Silence, his camera movements are assured, and his use of close-ups striking, bringing Hannibal Lecter's penetrating gaze and Clarice Starling's intense looks into sharp focus. Howard Shore's score remains one of his best, subdued for large swaths of the film and building to dramatic crescendos where appropriate. And of course Foster and Anthony Hopkins are both sublime in their respective roles.
There are certainly problematic elements to the Jame Gumb character, particularly in the current (more enlightened?) political climate, but I still feel that Ted Levine's portrayal is excellent, despite being the subject of humor and memes more than anything else. Regardless, Lambs is what I consider a perfect film—the procedural that never gets stale (even when you know every beat), the sumptuous feast of chills and craft that captivates and repels in equal measure.
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