I’m constantly being bombarded by people telling him “you haven’t seen ____? You gotta check it out.” Or hearing critics rave “this movie is a classic, a must see.” So I decided that from now on every time I actually watch one of these flicks, I’ll write my take on whether the film lived up to the hype or fell short.
So, what’s the deal with The Silence of the Lambs?
The Silence of the Lambs gets some of the strongest reactions from people when they find out that I haven’t seen it. I’ve had opportunities to watch the film before, but for some reason never did. Now that I have seen it, I regret not watching it sooner. Nevertheless, I am glad I have finally watched it because it was an engrossing experience.
Right of the bat, I really liked the opening scene of the film. Watching Jodie Foster running through the obstacle course gave you an early feel for her character while the music gave you an idea for the tone of the film. The score throughout the film was really great. Every time it started up I had a clear idea of what emotion it was trying to convey. This was especially notable in the scene in which Clarice explores Hannibal’s old storage unit.
The direction of this film was very well suited for its tone and style. I enjoyed the first person views utilized in some of the shots. Early on they helped put you in the shoes of Starling. Later on in the film, it showcased how gruesome Hannibal Lector is by letting you see what his victims saw. I also enjoyed that the movie was written with Starling as an agent in training. Seeing the process of the investigation, such as when they examined Buffalo Bill’s first victim, added a nice touch to film.
I certainly knew that Hannibal Lector was a creepy character long before watching the film. I have seen the sequel, Hannibal, and some clips from his first dialogue with Clarice. Despite having some foreknowledge of his character, I was still a little shocked at just how much of a creep he was. His posture and way of speech was so proper it was nearly inhuman. It was easy to see why he had such a legacy. I think the only person in the movie who is more creepy is Dr. Chilton.
I loved how psychological the film was. Hearing about how crafty Hannibal was in the beginning in the film and then watching him live up to that description was extremely fun. Watching Startling dissect his riddles was enthralling. There was a lot of dark elements in the film for a ‘Best Picture’ winner. I think that says a lot about how well done The Silence of the Lambs really is.
