[Victoria Salazar]

The Silence of the Lambs (1991), directed by Jonathan Demme, is an engaging and frightening look at the mind of a serial killer through the eyes of a young FBI trainee. Clarice Starling, played by Jodie Foster, is assigned to interrogate an imprisoned cannibal named Hannibal Lecter on the whereabouts of another serial killer, Buffalo Bill, who is still on the loose.

Lecter, played flawlessly by Anthony Hopkins, surprised me with his eagerness to help Starling on her hunt for Buffalo Bill. The two develop a strange, trusting relationship, and they eventually learn that they have more similarities to each other than meets the eye. As Starling and the FBI come closer to catching Buffalo Bill, Lecter and Starling develop an unorthodox sort of friendship. Lecter eventually becomes somewhat likable, giving the impression that he would never hurt Starling and legitimately wants to assist her in her hunt for Buffalo Bill. By employing FBI tactics of interrogation, word choice proves effective for Starling as she finds Lecter a vital tool in her quest for Bill. I found it ironic that it was Lecter, the film’s “villain,” who ultimately helps Starling find the film’s other villain. This fact is just one of the many examples of how brilliant Silence is. However, Lecter’s facial expressions, which are highlighted numerous times by extreme close-ups of Hopkins’ face, along with the ruthless killing of the two security guards as a plot to escape his cage, ensure that we do not forget that he is a serial killer.

The most obvious trait that sets Starling apart from the other heroes we have studied in this class is, of course, the fact that she is a female. It is apparent from the beginning of the film that Starling does not fit a stereotype of the “typical” woman. The very first scene of the movie shows her training for the FBI on a difficult obstacle course, showing that she is not only extremely physically fit, but works in a field mainly consisting of men. She shows qualities of masculinity, since she will do almost anything to succeed at her job and investigate Lecter by herself. She shows little to no emotion when hearing about gruesome cases, almost smirking when described how Buffalo Bill eats his victims. The zoom in to her reaction shot when she discovers that there is a cocoon inside of a victim’s mouth showcases the fact that she is always two steps ahead of any man she works with.

There are numerous instances in which Starling’s femininity is very apparent to almost every man she comes into contact with. Some of these moments are the basis for comedic moments, such as when Starling says, “I graduated from UVA, not a charm school,” and when Dr. Pilcher admits to hitting on her. Starling is set back not only by the fact that she is a woman, but also the fact that she is an orphan from a disadvantaged background. Although she faces sexism and discrimination throughout the film, she is the one who fearlessly goes to any length to find Buffalo Bill once and for all, which she does by herself. The scene in Buffalo Bill’s lair is one of the most brilliantly filmed segments of the movie, showing Buffalo Bill’s psychotic qualities as well as Starling’s ability as an FBI agent. The night-vision goggles were a nice cinematic touch that heightened the suspense of the moment when Starling is searching for Bill in the darkness, ultimately resulting in Bill’s death. By the end of the film, Starling has proven herself not only as a reputable FBI agent, but also as a hero.

Silence was a critical success, winning the Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Director for Demme, Best Actor for Hopkins, Best Actress for Foster and Best Writing. It will go down in history as one of the top thrillers of all time.

The Silence of the Lambs. Dir. Jonathan Demme. Strong Heart/ Demme Production, Orion Pictures, 1991. DVD.

[Liesel Zimmerman]

In response to your noting of the “extreme close-ups,” this is something that I noticed as well. Throughout the film, Lector highlights the concept of “simplicity,” and I feel that the filmmakers took this to heart. The use of close-ups for the exchanges between Lector and Agent Starling let the richness of the dialogue speak for itself. There is no need to pay attention to anything other than the facial expressions of the actors and the lines they are speaking.

This is my third time viewing this film, and I picked up a considerable amount more each time I see it. Another aspect of “simplicity” that I observed this time around was when Lector was being difficult with the senator, but finished their conversation by coyly saying “Love your suit.” Though that line may go unnoticed, it hints at the fact that Lector knows what Buffalo Bill is doing, in turning his victims into a female skin suit. This small, seemingly random line foreshadows Clarice’s big revelation that is to come a few scenes later.

In that revelation scene is another use of simplicity on the part of the filmmakers. When Starling is inspecting Frederica Bimmel’s room, the only sound is the eerie melody of a music box. The innocence of the music box is juxtaposed against the smut pictures found inside. In having that single sound permeate the scene, suspense is built until Clarice figures out Buffalo Bill’s plan. Once she makes the connection, loud music breaks into the scene to emphasize her epiphany. This simple technique achieves the heightened emotion and urgency to show the gruesome importance of Agent Starling’s discovery.

[Liesel Zimmerman]

In response to your noting of the “extreme close-ups,” this is something that I noticed as well. Throughout the film, Lecter highlights the concept of “simplicity,” and I feel that the filmmakers took this to heart. The use of close-ups for the exchanges between Lecter and Agent Starling let the richness of the dialogue speak for itself. There is no need to pay attention to anything other than the facial expressions of the actors and the lines they are speaking.

This is my third time viewing this film, and I picked up a considerable amount more each time I saw it. Another aspect of “simplicity” that I observed this time around was when Lector was being difficult with the senator, but finished their conversation by coyly saying “Love your suit.” Though that line may go unnoticed, it hints at the fact that Lecter knows what Buffalo Bill is doing, in turning his victims into a female skin suit. This small, seemingly random line foreshadows Clarice’s big revelation that is to come a few scenes later.

In that revelation scene is another use of simplicity on the part of the filmmakers. When Starling is inspecting Frederica Bimmel’s room, the only sound is the eerie melody of a music box. The innocence of the music box is juxtaposed against the smut pictures found inside. In having that single sound permeate the scene, suspense is built until Clarice figures out Buffalo Bill’s plan. Once she makes the connection, loud music breaks into the scene to emphasize her epiphany. This simple technique achieves the heightened emotion and urgency to show the gruesome importance of Agent Starling’s discovery.

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