No. 13 - The Silence of the Lambs (1991) Strong Heart Productions, Orion Pictures To enter the mind of a killer she must challenge the mind of a madman.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991), DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

Director: Jonathan Demme; Screenplay: Ted Tally; based on the novel by Thomas Harris; Rated R for violence, gore, strong language, disturbing scenes

Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine, Anthony Heald, Brooke Smith, Diane Baker, Kasi Lemmons, Charles Napier

Movie Introduction: Clarice Starling (Foster) is a top student at the FBI's training academy. Her boss Jack Crawford (Glenn) needs Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Hopkins), a brilliant psychiatrist, and psychopath, who is serving life behind bars for various unspeakable acts. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into recent kidnapping case involving a senator’s daughter. The investigators feels that the girl was taken by a serial killer known as "Buffalo Bill".

Defining Moment: The library

Dr. Lecter has been moved to the library, but still is housed within a barred enclosure. Up to this point, we have only heard the stories of his brutal past. Though a bit creepy, his behavior to this point has been respectful, charming and even suave. This suddenly changes. When the guards bring him supper, he overpowers them, and we witness the full, unmerciful power this man can wield toward those in his way to freedom. The way he is able to escape the locked room is quite ingenious.   

Something subtle you might have missed:  local connections

Primary filming took place in and around Pittsburgh, PA. The house used as Buffalo Bill's home is located in Perryopolis, PA sat on the market for nearly a year, finally selling in 2015 for $195,000. The State Hospital was actually the exterior of the Western Center near Canonsburg, PA. 

Memorable Quotes:

"And you're to tell him nothing personal, Starling. Believe me, you don't want Hannibal Lecter inside your head. Just do your job, but never forget what he is." - Jack Crawford

"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chi-an-ti. You fly back to school now, little Starling." – Dr. Hannibal Lecter

"And you think if you save poor Catherine, you could make them stop, don't you? You think if Catherine lives, you won't wake up in the dark ever again to that awful screaming of the lambs." - Dr. Hannibal Lecter

Dad's Review:

Warning: This film has parts that are extremely disturbing. Be warned!

After dozens of good and bad slasher films, most moviegoers were starting to feel bombarded. Halloween (1978) gave us the blank-faced killer. Nightmare on Elm Street gave us a dream murderer. Friday The 13th gave us a hockey-mask-wearing super villain. All these antagonists would die at the end of one movie, only to come back, sequel after bloody sequel.  Each franchise attempted to out-do the other.

Eventually, they just became unrealistic.

This film is too realistic. This has happened, and probably happening right now someplace.

I have always had a morbid curiosity for the "serial killer". These murderers randomly select victims with which they do not even have a connection. The victim is simply in the wrong place, at the wrong time. That is really terrifying.

I’ve read books on Jack The Ripper, H. H. Holmes, Jeffrey Dahmer. In college I rented Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) (starring a young Michael Rooker). Lord, that film was unnerving. I felt I was witnessing a "snuff film".

Silence of the Lambs fortunately is an intelligent thriller. Our protagonist, Clarice Starling, is likewise smart as a young FBI trainee assigned to a serial killer case involving person called "Buffalo Bill". Her best chance to catch him is to seek advice from the imprisoned Dr. Hannibal Lecter, himself a serial murderer. Click HERE (language warning) for Clarice's first visit, and unsettling conversation with the creepy Dr. Lecter. The genius of this scene, aside from Mr. Hopkin's career-defining performance, is Jodie Foster's ability to portray that she's completely terrified, even on the safe side of one-inch protective glass.

This film is part psychological thriller, part pure horror film. What sets it apart is the Oscar-winning performance by Anthony Hopkins. He seethes the character and received praise from the book's author, Tim Harris. When he is on screen you want to grab your teddy bear. His performance is listed on the American Film Institute as #1 in the list "AFI's 100 Years - 100 Heroes and Villains". Not too bad for an actor who had just left Hollywood, thinking is career in film was over.   

This film took home five Oscars and sits on every "Best of..." film list there is. So grab your teddy bear and enjoy!

Onto No. 14... Woodland Simpleton