The early 90's were an interesting time for the horror genre, mainly remembered for sequels from the 80's and a host of low budget, direct to video films. Movies like "Child's Play 3", "Puppet Master 3: Toulon's Revenge", "Critters 3", "Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker", "Howling IV: Freaks", and "Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare" graced the silver screens. Lots of third entries that year. Luckily, the horror-adjacent, instant classic "Silence of the Lambs" was adapted to film from the novel of the same name. This movie made Anthony Hopkins a household name and amplified Jodie Foster's reputation as an amazing actor as well.
"Silence of the Lambs" is a thriller that follows FBI trainee Clarice Starling as she is tasked to interview the infamous Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lector, hoping to gleam any information that may help the FBI in their current manhunt for Buffalo Bill, an active serial killer who may have kidnapped a Senator's daughter. During their interactions, they form a unique bond and respect for each other, a relationship that draws the attention from Lector's useless psychologist/warden and from Starling's supervisor, the BSU chief Jack Crawford, each having their own agendas.
This became an instant classic because of the story itself and the incredible performances by those involved. Anthony Hopkins, also seen in "Bram Stroker's Dracula" and "The Wolf Man" makes Hannible Lector a horror icon, made more impressive that Brian Cox had made his own impressive rendition of the character in the 1986 "Manhunter". His presence on screen haunts you, his stare, and the delivery of his lines make for an unforgettable performance. Not be outdone, Ted Levine's portrayal of Buffalo Bill is also very iconic, immortalized by his dance routine in front of a video camera. This scene has been parodied and reenacted many times in pop culture, including this clip featuring Jay and Silent Bob.
Another very memorable aspect of this film is how the characters are filmed when they are talking to Clarice, looking directly into the camera. It's an incredibly smart and effective way to film, having the attention placed on the viewer so we feel how Clarice might feel, and I have yet to see another film use this technique in the same fashion.
The iconic mask
The escape scene - my favorite
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