The Silence of the Lambs was a psychological thriller novel made by Thomas Harris in 1988. Being the sequel to the 1981 novel, Red Dragon, the story detailed a criminal investigation done by FBI Special Agent Clarice Starling, who requires the help of the crazed and cannibalistic killer Hannibal Lecter in order to track down the free-roaming and still killing Buffalo Bill before he kills again. The book was received very well and plans for a movie version was put into plans. When the movie was released in 1991, the movie was arguably better received than the book itself; becoming one of only three movies to win Academy Awards for all five categories. Its been cited by critics, audiences, film directors and influencers of all types as one of the greatest and most influential movies ever made. FBI trainee Clarice Starling (played by Jodie Foster) is given the task by her superior to interview infamous cannibal killer, Hannibal Lecter (played by Anthony Hopkins). It soon becomes clear to Starling that the real purpose of these interviews is to get Lecter’s help with catching Buffalo Bill (played by Ted Levine), a killer who kidnaps and skins overweight women in order to use their skins for a home-made skin suit. With a new victim taken and only a few days to save her, Starling has to find a way to work with the calculating and imposing mind of Lecter to get the information she needs to save another life. Although this was not the first outing for the Hannibal Lecter character (the first being the 1986 Michael Mann-directed film, Manhunter, starring Brian Cox), but this film was the one that put this story in the public eye. With a very well told story, gripping acting, uncomfortable atmosphere and smooth writing and pacing, this was easily a movie for the ages.

Transitioning the novel’s story into a movie format was arguably a lot easier than most other adaptations, specifically because of the genre the story is based on. Considering how close the movie script keeps to the book (even quoting exact lines word for word), it could so easily become too wordy, but it fits very well here. The thriller mystery genre is one that requires a lot of information, detailed facts and talk-heavy exposition throughout the entire movie in order for people to keep up to date with the mystery, and the novel would have required a ton of visualization within its words to fully create a realistic world and set up a believable mystery. Since the mystery takes up the major focus of the book, it translates very well into a movie with nothing feeling too long or pointlessly added, every scene has a purpose in either setting up character backstory, building upon its bleak atmosphere and or slowly unveiling the position of the killer. In a typical mystery, revealing the identity of the one responsible as well as the goal would normally seem counter-productive, but through great writing and perfect pacing, it keeps the audience invested the full time and still keeps the location vague as to give them a reason to panic and fear for the victim’s safety. Much like a book, it does a fantastic job establishing the environment that this world lives and breathes in, as well as how its main character is treated in this world. The narrative flows beautifully smooth between the tracking down of Buffalo Bill and the back and forths between Lecter and Starling, unveiling her backstory wonderfully without feeling forced and connects back to the overarching point of the entire film. While most procedural stories would get tiring after a few repeated scenes, this movie knows to keep the emotional center of the main character the real focus, so the audience has a latching point to stand up for while the investigation is going on around her.

The characters are all very well written and are not overly forced into the plot when they aren’t needed. Almost every character in the movie is given a defined personality through the writing, acting and pre-created source material (even the captive girl has so much personality). The two main focuses are the ones that get the most screen time: Lecter and Starling. These two are easily the best part of the movie; anytime the two either get a scene to themselves or shared together is when all audience members are completely invested and are enthralled by everything being said. The two have a very interesting relationship where one is clearly staying ahead of the other, but the other refuses to go without a fight. The strength of Hannibal Lecter is one that does not entirely work with the more realistic tone the movie is going for. While the character has become infamously popular in this incarnation and has been deemed very creepy by many, a lot of the delivery from Hopkins and a lot of the lines are surprisingly kinda silly when heard compared to the way the other characters talk. He functions a lot more like a Bond villain; a Hollywood construction of a killer as oppose to a serial killer. With that said, this makes him wonderful to watch and hover in that awkward middle ground where people can enjoy watching an insane cannibal kill innocent people without feeling too uncomfortable. Starling is easily the best performance in the movie by Jodie Foster; with great conviction, emotional vulnerability and depth given to her character. She is a character that is very easily likeable, with how the story sets up not only the slight sexism that she suffers from working in an industry run by men, but also in how her backstory complements her current dilemma. It sets up everything that people need to know about her and even ties back well to the name of the movie; the lambs being a traumatic memory from her past that reflects the death of her innocence and the need for purpose by saving something that is doomed to die. With how much of an enjoyable carton character Hannibal is, it makes Buffalo Bill look almost boring by comparison. While he definitely feels more authentic to a serial killer and works well with the movie’s narrative, the character could have been a bit more interesting to make every character feel well fleshed out.

The film is home to some unbelievably clever cinematography that helps visual create an environment’s personality solely through how the shot is framed, tracked, lit, or even what character is featured in the shot. The man in charge of the cinematography, Tak Fujimoto, was also responsible for working on films like The Manchurian Candidate and The Sixth Sense; films that needed to create an uncomfortable other-worldly presence that he seems to have a strange knack for. The composition of several shots in the film do wonders for the viewers in showing off things that avoid having to be spelt out; like the excessive amount of men against Clarice in the force being demonstrated through visual spacing and placement as opposed to verbally stating it, it comes across as much more effective. Any scenes between Hannibal and Clarice also have a much more enclosed and claustrophobic feel due to the extreme close-ups on the eyes and faces of the two. This keeps the audience focused specifically on the two and make Hopkins look a lot more imposing through tight straight-faced shots and dimmed lighting giving him this inhumane presence that effectively adds to the overall uncomfortable-ness of his scenes. The music by Howard Shore is definitely atmospheric and effective in the dramatic moments but won’t be one for the record books.

The Silence of the Lambs created within itself a beloved film version that is loved by any film goer, and also drove Hannibal Lecture into pop culture stardom. While he’s had his missteps with films like Hannibal and its follow up, Hannibal Rising, he has also been very successful in the film version of Red Dragon and the 2013 series, Hannibal, starring Mads Mikkelsen. This movie is effectively the reason for it, being a perfect example of a film adaption transition with nothing feeling out of place, nothing feeling un-needed to the story, and having nothing that audiences would get bored with. The story is incredibly tight and effectively woven, the characters are all well written and wonderfully acted, the atmosphere is improved ten-fold due to the wonderful staging, cinematography, and music, and it earned its place within film history through its effort to create something faithful to its source and enjoyable for audiences. Definitely worth a watch and will give a different meaning to dinner scenes from now on (especially those served with Fava Beans and Chianti), watch where the cannibal bit his way into cinema.