|
|
|
 |
| |
|
 |
| List Price: $19.98 |
|
Our Price: $10.62 |
|
You Save: $9.36 (47%) |
| | |
 |
|
Product Description
A psychopath nicknamed Buffalo Bill is murdering women across the Midwest. Believing it takes one to know one, the FBI sends Agent Clarice Starling (Foster) to interview a demented prisoner who may provide clues to the killer's actions. That prisoner is psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Hopkins), a brilliant, diabolical cannibal who agrees to help Starling only if she'll feed his morbid curiosity with details of her own complicated life. As their relationship develops, Starling is forced to confront not only her own hidden demons, but also an evil so powerful that she may not have the courage or strength to stop it!
Based on Thomas Harris's novel, this terrifying film by Jonathan Demme really only contains a couple of genuinely shocking moments (one involving an autopsy, the other a prison break). The rest of the film is a splatter-free visual and psychological descent into the hell of madness, redeemed astonishingly by an unlikely connection between a monster and a haunted young woman. Anthony Hopkins is extraordinary as the cannibalistic psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter, virtually entombed in a subterranean prison for the criminally insane. At the behest of the FBI, agent-in-training Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) approaches Lecter, requesting his insights into the identity and methods of a serial killer named Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). In exchange, Lecter demands the right to penetrate Starling's most painful memories, creating a bizarre but palpable intimacy that liberates them both under separate but equally horrific circumstances. Demme, a filmmaker with a uniquely populist vision (Melvin and Howard, Something Wild), also spent his early years making pulp for Roger Corman (Caged Heat), and he hasn't forgotten the significance of tone, atmosphere, and the unsettling nature of a crudely effective close-up. Much of the film, in fact, consists of actors staring straight into the camera (usually from Clarice's point of view), making every bridge between one set of eyes to another seem terribly dangerous. --Tom Keogh
Based on Thomas Harris's novel, this terrifying film by Jonathan Demme really only contains a couple of genuinely shocking moments (one involving an autopsy, the other a prison break). The rest of the film is a splatter-free visual and psychological descent into the hell of madness, redeemed astonishingly by an unlikely connection between a monster and a haunted young woman. Anthony Hopkins is extraordinary as the cannibalistic psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter, virtually entombed in a subterranean prison for the criminally insane. At the behest of the FBI, agent-in-training Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) approaches Lecter, requesting his insights into the identity and methods of a serial killer named Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). In exchange, Lecter demands the right to penetrate Starling's most painful memories, creating a bizarre but palpable intimacy that liberates them both under separate but equally horrific circumstances. Demme, a filmmaker with a uniquely populist vision (Melvin and Howard, Something Wild), also spent his early years making pulp for Roger Corman (Caged Heat), and he hasn't forgotten the significance of tone, atmosphere, and the unsettling nature of a crudely effective close-up. Much of the film, in fact, consists of actors staring straight into the camera (usually from Clarice's point of view), making every bridge between one set of eyes to another seem terribly dangerous. --Tom Keogh
|
|
|
|
|
|
Customer Reviews: - No Way to this BLU -RAY.....2 star disc 5 star movie!
Don't bother with this Blu-ray...
I just watched the 2 disc collectors edition a couple days back and loved it so when I spotted this in the store today I snapped it up. Trouble is....without a serious A/B test....it didn't really look ANY better than the standard disc and is twice the price. Frankly ...I wish I had NOT purchased this on BLU-RAY and its one of my favorite movies. Much of this will no doubt be due to the available light photography for the film which doesn't upgrade well..but be warned. ...more info - Why do standard DVD reviews list under Blu Ray reviews?
Every one knows 'Silence of the Lambs' is a classic. So why have standard movie reviews on a Blu-Ray Pre-order? I'm keen to know details relating to the quality of the transfer and how this movie now looks in 1080p. Is it worth getting 'Silence of the Lambs' in Blu-Ray?...more info - one of the most horrifying films ever
one of my most favorite films of all time, The Silence Of The Lambs is a terrfying look into the mind of one of the most diabolical villians of all time, Hannible Lecter. Clarice Starling is a FBI trainee who is assigned by her boss Jack Crawford, to help in the case of Buffalo Bill, a serial killer who skins his victoms. in order to do that, she must get the help of criminal mastermind Hannible Lector. it is then Clarice will enter the mind of the good docter and will experience something so horrifying, she will never be the same again. Jodie Foster is at her prime in this film, perfectly embodying the strong and fearless Clarice but the film definently belongs to Anthony Hopkins who's potrayl of Hannible Lector is spine chilling yet sophisticated, giving him that sense that he is always four steps ahead of you and that you are powerless against him. the rest of the cast also deliver great performances and the movie makes a flawless adaptation from book to big screen. sure, the Lector series has gone a bit stale in the past sixteen years since it was made but despite that, this film is the real deal and will leave you breathless by the end. so one of my favorite films, enjoy the delicacy known as the Silence of the Lambs....more info - Anthony Hopkins
I like Anthony Hopkins and this part was made for him,I have the whole collection.Hannibal Rising (Full Screen Edition)...more info - I like scary movies.
Silence of the Lambs is an intense psychological thriller. Anthony Hopkins is truly creepy and believable and Hannibal the cannibal. Jodie Foster is great as the rookie FBI agent given a case that required her to learn fast and think faster. I like this movie very much....more info - one of my top ten
The Silence of the Lambs is one of the best scary movies ever made....more info - Excellent film, great DVD..
The film probably need no introduction, the DVD features are pretty cool. I was a little disappointed with the packing:
1. It has a Polaroid picture which seems to be stuck to the case with a cheap glue.
2. One disc is placed nicely, while the other is on some kind of flip-over
section which seems annoying.
However, still worth owning.. ...more info - THE PERFECT MOVIE
There are few perfect movies made in this world. Some movies work well with one group and some with another. But for the most part, movies are pretty much average to slightly above, enjoyed but forgotten or tossed aside for the next big thing. The perfect movie is rare indeed. When I try to think of one only two come to mind now. The first is THE GODFATHER, a film filled with great story, acting, directing, writing, and every tiny aspect of production that makes a perfect film. The second is the one I just finished watching: THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.
I know that I enjoyed this film when I first saw it back in 1991. I know that I thought it was a good movie and that everyone involved had done a great job. It has just been released in blu-ray format and that is what I watched. And to my surprise, after all these years, I found that not only was it a great movie, it was a perfect film.
For those who don't know. The story revolves around an FBI recruit named Clarice Starling (Jodi Foster) who has been called to the offices of Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn), the head of Behavioral Sciences for the FBI. It seems that he's looked over her record and asks her help in a research project going on involving interviews with convicted and imprisoned serial killers. The man he wants her to interview is Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins).
Lecter is the worst of the worst when it comes to serial killers. A cold blooded and calculating murderer, he not only planned in advance the deaths of his victims, he made a point of eating various body parts, thus his nickname of Hannibal the Cannibal.
Secluded in a special prison cell in the basement of a home for the criminally insane, Lecter at first seems hesitant to answer any of Clarice's questions. But as their conversation progresses, he seems to ease up on his view of her. And eventually he offers to answer her questionnaire in return for her answering his questions as well. It's a mind game he plays as he plays mental chess with her.
Reporting back to Crawford, Clarice realizes that there was no real information for a study being asked of Lecter. She was used to get information from him that would help in the solving of a current case with a serial killer known as Buffalo Bill due to his skinning his victims. She was sent in blind so that Lecter wouldn't know what was going on. Now Crawford brings her in to help with the case.
As this story unfolds we are also privy to the tale of Buffalo Bill, a killer who has a movie for the skinning of his victims. It seems that he is trying to make a suit to wear made of the body parts of his victims. And he's taken a new captive that he is slowly starving while he waits for her skin to loosen up.
The daughter of a senator (Diane Baker), her mother pleads for her life on television. Interference with the FBI results when the egotistical head of the prison where Lecter is kept gives him information that he was used in return for help from Lecter to catch the killer. Lecter sets his own conditions and is transported to another state, a more open prison for the moment, in return for his assistance.
At this location, Clarice visits Lecter in the hopes that he will listen to her as she lets him know more about her. In return for her honesty, Lecter provides her with clues if she will only put the pieces together.
After Clarice leaves, Lecter attacks his guards in a well thought out plan, and escapes from the prison amid the tons of police officers surrounding the location.
Clarice follows Lecter's clues as do the rest of the FBI. But it is the particular clues he provided her that lead her to the home of Buffalo Bob. Whether or not she will realize this and if she can accomplish the feat of capturing another elusive criminal, all while being a cadet still, makes for the most climactic part of the movie.
This movie works on every level. It works as a tale of a young woman striving to make a name for herself in a world dominated by men. It works in the tale of a sympathetic homicidal maniac aiding her in her quest. It works as a police procedural story. And above all it works as pure entertainment. There is no time in this film when you feel compelled to look at the clock to see if it's almost over. You are transfixed in the tale going on before your eyes.
The film garnered enough attention to have a sequel and two prequels based on other books by the author, Thomas Harris. Interestingly enough, the character of Lecter had been used already in a film version of Harris' first novel featuring him, THE RED DRAGON, but filmed as MANHUNTER. But it was Hopkins portrayal that captured audiences enough that they kept coming back for more.
You may have seen this film when it came out. You may have watched it when it hit DVD shelves. But this is a movie to be watched over and over again, offering something new with each viewing. And in the blu-ray format you get to see it in pristine condition.
For fans of Hopkins this release also offers something you can use at home. A piece that can be used on your answering machine with Hopkins as Lecter giving the reply to phone callers.
So what makes this film a pefect picture? Everything. We have a story that captivates us and holds our attention, giving us clues along the way but not so much that we can figure everything out ahead of our heroine. We have superb acting as seen not only in the in your face Hopkins as Lecter but the subtle touches used by Foster as Clarice, an agent in training in over her head yet rising to the occasion.
The directing is Jonathan Demme at the top of his game, combining all the elements needed for a good film from pulling the performances from the actors to subtle musical scores that highlight what we are watching to editing the film with the right scenes in the right places to clothing that seems appropriate to each character involved. He takes the reins here and holds them firmly, pulling out the best of everyone involved.
Not only do we get to watch the story unfold, we get to feel for each and every character. This even included Hannibal Lecter. What seems like a terrible monster offers glimpses of a refined soul at the center. He may not be someone you want to have dinner with (or be a part of) but he is an interesting killer as opposed to the brutal stalk and slash types. And Hopkins deserved praise here, not only for bringing the character to life but for reviving his own careerr in the process.
The look and feel of this movie captivates from the first moments until the last, which offers a funny twist from Lecter himself. Rarely is a viewer entertained from beginning to end, never looking to see what time it is or how much longer the film has to go. This is such a film. This film holds you in its grasp until the credits roll. And that is the true sign of a perfect film....more info - An Old Friend on Blu-ray; Good Enough!
I hoped for a better picture and sound but considering the source, I'm very happy with the A/V quality of an old friend. It looks and sounds very close to what showed in the theatre. Waiting for a better copy in 3-D may take a while; however a better transfer is possible which will probably happen for the lesser sequels which have a better print to show off. I will keep my early Criterion copy with commentaries featuring an FBI agent, the screenwriter, the director, Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins (dropping items, like him choosing to mimic HAL for Lecter). I think that's a pretty good extra. In spite of it's limitations. the Criterion DVD A/V is close to the film. Ditto on the 2009 MGM BD plus a higher resolution. Many films from the early Orion days are high def challenged (like Robocop). There have been many periods where the flavor of the month was a soft focus picture!...more info - A masterpiece for the ages.
The whole bit of "It takes one to know one" is as true as ever in this film where Hopkins is aiding Foster with hints and clues to finding a sadistic serial killer plaguing the local commute. However at the end of the film, It will leave you speechless. A very smart an epic film by Jonathon Demme That will not fail to dissapoint....more info - Still haunting after repeated viewings
I bought this Criterion DVD when it first was released. It is one of the few movies that translated perfectly from Harris's original novel. And that novel surpasses his later work in style and atmosphere. Hopkins won the award for his fascinating performance. Yet,on repeated viewing,it is the Jodie Foster role as Clarice that is far more interesting. She manages to convey a vulnerability and strength that are a match for the predatory Dr Lector (aka Lecter). Their relationship is one of allure based on intellect. The intellectual marriage is somehow more profoundly sexual in its intimacy,mating of two superior brains and power of revelation (on Jodie's part) that both contrasts and fuses with the impenetrable mystery of this interesting/good professor and mentor/party animal/wild killer/savage obscentiy named Hannibal,which we can never ever hope to understand, and never want to,really. No, the latest book (Hannibal Rising) can't even come close to explaining away this enigmatic fellow. Nor should it. Evil ought to remain mysterious. And we (also empathic with Foster) confront and deal with it...Great Jodie Foster fan here. A real actress worth five stars alone. GS...more info - Yet another Repackaging of a classic
I have an almost pathological devotion to this Film. Like Cassablaca it is that rare meeting of the right director with the right cast at the proper place in time. It is a tribute to this film that all the sequels and prequels have done well inspite of a less then spectacular treatment of the authors writen word. (Don't get me started on the ending of the Movie "Hannibal"!
I own the original DVD of SOL and the Criterian editon and because of the added extras listed on the sales page I decided to purchase this two disk package. I have to say I enjoyed the new Two Disk package very much but can not really say if it is worth the purchase if you are like me and own any of the earlier multi feature packages.
The feature on the making of the film that show the building of the feature and it's inpact durring it's initial release was very interesting. It shows how unique a film it was and how it's very disturbing story caused such a stur even at Oscar time. I had almost forgoten that.
There is a very interesting "From Page to Screen" piece that I always find enjoyable. These featurettes are always literate and well constructed.
One aspect of the this set I truly loved was the Anthony Hopkins phone message in Character you can transfer to your message machine. I was so there for that. ( I need Help. HeHe)
As far as the transfer quality it is a fine letterbox quality rendering and It is almost theatre like if you have a Hi-Def televison and I urge all who have the Dash for such a purchase to make it. It takes the viewing experiance to the next level.
In the end It is a very good package and I do not feel I was swindled by making the choice of buying it. I don't think alot of new ground was covered from the other special additons but the small diffeances were enough for me....more info - Hello Clarice
Silence of the Lambs of a detective using a serial killer to catch another serial killer. This movie contains two fo the greatest performances in the history of cinema, that of Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter and Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling.
This movie is so good it's almost overwhelming. A definite masterpiece. Jonathan Demme put together an amazing piece of film.
The DVD has extras that, although underwhelming, are quite good. There's a new documentary called "Inside the Labyrith", and also 20 minutes of deleted scenes, other featurettes, and even a collectible booklet.
Definite Must Have....more info - "An Amazing Film in Both Story and Acting Context"
Very rarely does a horror film find it's way into mainstream Hollywood. Most thrillers are big money makers, but much of the movie-going public would never admit to loving a horror film, or being ardent fans of the genre. None of this was true, however, for "The Silence of the Lambs". People to this day admit to loving the film and expressing the fact that it is one of their favorite motion pictures. Horror movies got a new respect after the release of "Silence", but many producers continued producing the garbage that we became accustomed to. "The Silence of the Lambs" was an original, unlike anything we have ever seen before.
The film stars Jodie Foster, who's working as a student for the FBI, and gets an assignment with the Buffalo Bill Murders in the northeast, where women are being brutally killed. It is up to her to try to drain information from Hannibal Lecter, played brilliantly by Anthony Perkins, who is in captivity for being a murderer himself.
The film is graphic, horrifying, but amazingly perfect. The script, acting, and the superb direction would all lead the film to sweep the Oscars in 1991, winning the top four major awards that year. It won acting accolades for its two stars, Jodie Foster and Anthony Perkins, and the movie won for direction, and rare for a horror film, it won Best Picture.
The film transfer is impeccable, and the sound excellent. There are a ton of DVD extras, including interviews with the stars, trailers, and the packaging is one of the best I have seen for a movie release. A wonderful edition to any film library.
The film would also spawn sequels like "Hannibal" and "The Red Dragon", as well as a prequel called "Hannibal Rising", depicting how Hannibal became a killer. If your a fan of "The Silence of the Lambs" pick up all 3 DVD's: they are wonderful pieces of cinematic work.
Pick up the novel in which the movie is based on by Thomas Harris, also called "Silence of the Lambs". Don't read it alone though!...more info - Disturbing and Paranoiac Film
This is a mesmerizing tale of the most heinous of nightmares come true as FBI agent Clarice (Jodie Foster) is immersed into an abyss of the darkest side of deviant human behavior where the flesh eating Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) agrees to assist her in her investigation to capture a serial killer who commits unspeakable atrocities on his victims. Jodie Foster must traverse into a world of dark sickening debauchery to capture the killer. The story takes several turns heightening the intensity and unspeakable terror of her assignment. The story is unsettling in its own right but the film seen from Foster's perspective has a pervasive feel of paranoia as if she has not been given all the information she needs or even further to suggest she is actually being set up as bait. One scene in particular comes to mind when sitting in the back seat of the car her boss (Scott Glenn) speaks cryptically to her and she just gazes at the back of his head once he turns around. You really don't know what either character is thinking. Very disturbing....more info - A Story And A Character That You Can't Forget
I'll never forget my first viewing of this movie at the theater and will always look back fondly on it for one reason: helping me quit smoking cigarettes.
I actually read the book first, was fascinated by it, and couldn't wait for the film to come out. That was the day I picked to quit smoking and I knew this movie would take my mind off that matter. I was expecting an intense movie and I got it. Little did I realize how well-received this film would be and how it propelled Anthony Hopkins to super-stardom. Today, after a half-dozen viewings, I still find it fascinating.
This movie is not for the squeamish and there is some extreme crudeness in the story but I suspect everyone knows that by now. What I've always liked best was the by-play between "Dr. Lecter" and "Clarice." The looks on Hopkins' face, his fascinating vocabulary with intelligent sarcasm and frankness, never ceases to entertain.
"Silence Of The Lambs" has turned into a modern-day "classic." If by some odd chance you have never seen this movie, be warned it is a dark, difficult story to watch at times....but it will get your mind off other things....more info - YES!!!!! FINALLY MY FAVORITE GENRE OF FILM GET'S RECOGNIZED BY THE OSCAR
The Silence of the Lambs brought GOLD to the arms of HORROR films
in 1991 and I can still remember it like it was yesterday watching
that Sunday night. The movie had already garnered 3 Oscars for
actress,actor and director...Now was the time for the big MOMENT!
No way was it going to get best picture...NO WAY! For how many
times before has our HORROR been snuffed at from the ACADEMY AWARDS
With the exception of Frederich March in DR.JEKYLL(he won in 1932
for best actor...had to share the honors with another actor..I blame this
for the movie he was in..A HORROR)The Academy has gave out a handful
of statues since the first ceremony in 1927..Some I can think of are
Oscar winners like The Exorcist winner for best sound(oh! "whoopee")
The Omen and Jaws for best score and Piper Laurie with Sissy Spacek carrie
were nominated...O.K. What about Anthony Perkins for PSYCHO(no nomination?
????????????????) Jaws for best picture 75(lost to the STING..The Sting
is good..but c'mon!!!!!!) and we can go on and on Kubrick's Shining
NOTHING! So I knew in my heart Silence too was to get nothing,but
lo and behold..IT WON! I was so happy I jumped up and down and
held (I can still remember)holding my Dracula(1931) and JAWS VHS
tapes in my hand screaming WE DID IT! WE DID IT! I was so ecstatic
I thought the neighbors would call the police. I am not going to go
into details about the plot to this film...I am sorry you can read
any other review to get that! I just wanted to say to every one
involved in this THANK YOU! To Thomas Harris,Johnathan Demme
Jodi Foster Anthony Hopkins Scott Glen and of course MY FAVORITE
the GREAT Ted Levine(don't even get me started on why he did not
get best supporting actor????????????????????) You did give the
best picture for 1991 and a HORROR film I proudly display in my
vast SPOOKY COLLECTION. LONG LIVE THE SHEEP!
DON'T YOU HURT MY DOG!
DONT'CHA MAKE ME HURT YOUR DOG,YOU LOWER A TELEPHONE NOW YOUR DOG'S IN ALOT OF PAIN.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT PAIN IS!!!
OH! WAS SHE A GREAT BIG FAT PERSON?
SHE WAS A LARGE GIRL YES SIR.
IT PUTS THE LOTION ON ITS SKIN...IT DOES THIS WHENEVER IT'S TOLD
IT PUTS THE LOTION ON ITS SKIN OR ELSE IT GETS THE HOSE AGAIN
it getz thee hose precious getz thee hose
ARE YOU A SIZE FOURTEEN? (UGHHH!) OHHH! YES-YESSSS.
SURE....YOU CAN USE MY TELEPHONE...
WOULD YOU F^%K ME...I WOULD F$%K ME...I WOULD F$%K ME SO HARD
ted levine RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...more info - The Silence of the Lambs
Jonathan Demme's superb adaptation of Thomas Harris's petrifying page turner makes for an equally riveting, disturbing film. Foster is note-perfect as Starling, a driven but inexperienced operative struggling mightily not to appear both terrified and out of her depth. And Hopkins's seething, malevolent Lecter makes the knife-wielding Norman Bates in "Psycho" look like a boy scout. Ted Levine is also suitably deranged and bizarre as Buffalo Bill, adding further to the goose bump count. One of the more potent shockers out there, "Silence" is not for the squeamish, but those who can take it will love it. The film won a slew of major Oscars, including Picture, Actor, Actress- and earned them all....more info - Great movie and great Collector's Edition
Don't think about buy it or not; buy it now, is a excellent collector's edition....more info - Hannibal at his Height
The Movie
Nevermind the pop culture boogie man the character became. The only superb film in the series was the first good horror/thriller in decades. It did this not by shedding the humanity of it's characters, but drenching them in it. The streamlined script (relying on exposition by showing memory in action rather than the usual talking head, for example, Clarices memories of her father), the superior direction and inventive cinematography steeped the film in tragedy, doom and suspense. The casting was perfect. All surrounded by institutional squalor and the flipside of the american dream.
The Disc
Finally we get the extras we deserve. I already have the Criterion Edition with it's interesting commentary track and more key players than you can shake a script at...well, all of them actually. Too bad they couldn't have combined the two discs for those who don't have the Criterion. As pissed off as I get about the heinous act of Double Dipping, this was one I couldn't pass up, and the extras made it well worth it for me....more info - BE AWARE !
This is a movie I was looking forward to on BD. Unfortunately my Panasonic BD player does not play the disc. There seems to be a compatibility problem with Blu Ray discs and older BD machines. I won't be buying Blu Ray anymore as I have no certainty it will play on my player that I bought for 1000 EUR (!!) 2 years ago. Way to go Panasonic and BD Association ! Get your standards set before you launch a product !
...more info - A classic oscar winning thriller!!!!!!
I first seen this movie on Starz, and thought that this was a great movie. Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins gave great performances that were worth the oscars they won that year. It kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time, especially the part where Clarice is in the dark with Buffalo Bill behind her wearing a pair of night vision goggles. Anthony Hopkins' performance as Hannibal Lecter was haunting, especially the part where he talks about eating the census taker's liver. A very excellent thriller....more info - My review of The Silence of the Lambs
I envy anyone who gets to watch this film for the very first time. It stacks with Alfred Hitchcock's Pyscho as being one of the greatest explorations of the criminal mind. Hell, it's better than Psycho. I don't feel I really need to give a synopsis of the plot. Even those who haven't seen the film essentially know the story. This is a film that has become so ingrained in popular culture that I doubt it will ever be forgotten. The best film of the 90s, and my favorite film of all-time, The Silence of the Lambs is a masterpiece, pure and simple. ...more info - Fast
I got exactly what I wanted. A used DVD that was inexpensive and not all beat up. The delivery was exceptionally fast. I will buy used movies from this merchant again....more info - Classic Movie, Disappointing Blu-Ray
Well after a two year delay "The Silence of the Lambs" has finally made it to blu ray. And what movie fan wouldn't be happy with this? This is one of the best movies to be released during the last twenty years. Unfortunately, it deserves a better BD than this.
Simply put, the quality of this blu ray is only slightly better than the transfer seen on the Criterion DVD release. Also, the special features on the Criterion release are far more satisfying than what is presented here.
"The Silence of the Lambs" is a great movie in almost every way. The good news is that this is one of those titles that is not immune to massive double dipping. Hopefully in the not too distant future this will be re-released on blu ray with a much richer transfer.
Peace...more info - A great movie....
The first time I ever viewed this film, I thought it was stupid, boring, and a waste of how ever much money they spent on making it. Last year I saw in on one of the HBO channels, so I watched it, and it was at the ending. I ran out to the store the next month and I bought it, and I feel like I robbed the store, because I got it for only five dollars.
Anthony Hopkins does a fantastic job playing the psycho, and I was really brought into the mindframe that he was Hannibal Lector. I loved the ending sequence when she is blinded by darkness, and Buffalo Bill is stalking her in his home.
This is a very suspenseful movie, and it has a terrific cast. I would recommend it to anyone....more info - "Put the F**king Lotion in the Basket."
The only film that can be dubbed a "horror film" to win the Oscar for Best Picture, "The Silence of the Lambs" is a film that has and continues to stand the test of time. #65 on The American Film Institute's Top 100, it's also one of the few films on that list to actually make the average film critic's top 100 as well. The film stars Jodie Foster in her 2nd Oscar-winning role as Clarice Starling, a fledgling FBI agent assigned by Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a former psychiatrist doing time in a maximum security facility. There's a serial killer on the loose dubbed Buffalo Bill, who has been kidnapping innocent young women and taking portions of their skin. People often mention that this movie and its book are based on the legendary serial killer Ed Gein. It's not, but that aspect of the story is. As Clarice begins interviewing Lecter, she finds herself drawn further into the case and finds herself forming a sort-of friendship with Dr. Lecter. Now, this is a film that is much like "The Godfather" in the fact that it's been parodied endlessly ("Joe Dirt" and "Family Guy" have recently parodied this film), yet when we actually see the legendary scenes of the film we don't start laughing. Most people who haven't seen this film can still recite the lines "It puts the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again." This movie is not just filled with legendary portions of dialogue, but also legendary scenes. Notably, the introduction of Dr. Hannibal Lecter. This scene is simple, yet unforgettable. Clarice is walking down a hallway, to the final cell at the end. When Lecter is revealed, he is merely standing in his cell completely erect waiting for Starling. It's this kind of body language (among other things) that won Anthony Hopkins the Oscar. Few other actors have created characters that have had so much effect on our society (other examples would be Marlon Brando and Al Pacino). Ask someone to identify a line of dialogue from this film and it will either be the line I listed above or "I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti." This is a film in which Hopkins proved (much like Pacino did in "Dog Day Afternoon" and John Malkovich did in "Of Mice & Men") what a complete actor he is. In a lot of films you watch, you see an actor and think, "there's [insert name here]." When Lecter first appears, my thoughts were "there's Hannibal Lecter." Foster is also effective as Starling, considering she's in damn near every scene of the film. She's also the moral center of the film, as well as the protagonist. Hollywood is nervous about giving a woman the lead role, especially in a role that requires the woman to be both vulnerable and strong-willed at the same time. Foster does both and makes it completely believable. Ted Levine is one of the only actors who could've played Buffalo Bill (the only other actor I can think of that could have pulled off the role is John Malkovich). It's the voice mostly. Much like the line "I coulda been a contender" probably wouldn't have been much had it not been Brando who recited it. "The Silence of the Lambs" is a perfect film, at least of it's genre. The reason it has stood the test of time is for the same reason movies like "Pulp Fiction" and "Casablanca" have. Like those movies, every scene is absolutely necessary for the film to function as a whole. Howard Hawks once defined a great movie as "three great scenes and no bad scenes." "The Silence of the Lambs" has more than three great scenes, several legendary ones, and no bad scenes. After 16 years, more people still see this than they do its sequel and prequel "Hannibal" and "Red Dragon." I'm sure in 16 more years, it will still be seen more than those two films and it's recent 2nd prequel "Hannibal Rising."
GRADE: A...more info
|
|
| |
|
|
|
