THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

Hello dear reader. Do you wish for me to tantalise you with nefarious sound effects? SNIF! Which will then be enhanced by the nasal quality of my own somewhat constipated voice? BOOO! If so, come hither, and then watch me in this celluloid piece of ka-ka, Directed by Jonathan Demme; and Starring: Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster. It began its descent in 1991, and lasted for a whole 118 minutes.


The Silence of the Lambs


THE STORY:
Rookie FBI profiler, Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), goes to see a former psychiatrist come incarcerated cannibalistic serial killer, Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), so that he can assist her superiors in gaining some insight into his tawdry lifestyle.

However, at the moment Hannibal himself is more interested by the current actives of a like minded pursuer of fresh meat, Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). And inadvertently aides Clarice in this physiological quandary through his words and through his ways.

Heck, Clarice is just amazed by what Hannibal tells her. He seems to be right on the money. In facts, she is so amazed, that Clarice liaises with her bosses, so that Hannibal can also aide her and the FBI in capturing Bill.

But of course Hannibal does have one proviso for his help. He wants a change of scenery.

Now does the FBI agree to these terms? Well, over time, and some subsequent investigations into Buffalo Bill’s activities. Yes. Yes they do. Though does Clarice agree to Hannibal additional proviso? To tell him something about herself in turn for his help? Quid pro quo? Yes. Reluctantly she does as well.

But I am afraid to say that when the news of what Clarice and the FBI are doing with Hannibal leaks out to the mother of one of Buffalo Bills current detainees, this influential woman uses her clout to intercept there ploy, so that she can deal with Hannibal herself.

OK, so is this this a good thing or a bad thing, huh? This altered 're-negotiation'. Err? Depends on your perspective I suppose. The influential woman gets her time with Hannibal. Clarice get's some more information from Hannibal. And Hannibal is provided with a comfortable platform to make his escape from.

Ooops!

Eventually Clarice hears about Hannibal’s escape the following day, and tries her best to block this out of her mind so that she can focus on Bill and his victim. Still, that is most probably why what next transpires is a right tawdry affair all in all . As hunters hunt - victims vamoose - killers kill - and Hannibal has an old friend over for dinner, FHHST-FHHST-FHHST!

THE REVIEW:

My God. What a smashing movie! It is one of those films that screams 'classic' from the get go. With a straight forward narrative – pronounced characterizations – and a bold direction, all of which highlights that this is a thriller that you can’t help but watch again and again and again. Well, the story is very criminal in nature you see. Taking real life facts and then amalgamating them into a statement movie.

OK, not just one statement, but two statements to be precise. The first statement is a subliminal one in execution - about a woman in a man’s world. Whilst the second statement is a physiological one in tone - about human nature, and the cause and effect that this has on oneself and those around us.

Now this brings me to my next point I want to make about 'Silence of the Lamb' - pronounced characterization. Hannibal, just like any archetype really, is someone that we all see in normal every day society. He is bold, cold, smart, narcissistic, and clever. His only downfall is his penchant for eating human flesh, and that his own ego needs to feed off of those he deems less worthy.

Obviously, the other archetype is Clarice - a nineties woman who feels that she needs to prove her own worth in a man’s word. And although she is very competent in what she does, she also has inner demons from a previous experience which still haunts her.

Oh! And while I am on the subject of experience, this brings me to my final point – bold direction. Director, Jonathan Demme, sticks the camera right into the faces of nigh on all of the actors through out this film. Just to punch home the feeling of what these characters are trying to convey in a bold and brash way (that last bit rhymed?). In my own personal opinion, this tactic really aides this film just as much as Hannibal aides Clarice, and gets to the nitty gritty of what ‘Silence of the Lambs’ is all about.

And what might that be exactly? Physiology. Humans are infallible. Humans are unique. Humans are flawed. And humans are great. It’s just knowing the when, the how, the why, and the where, that makes this journey all that more pleasant.

Pleasant. Just like this film in fact. In a round about way, HA!

THE RATING: A