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The Silence of the Lambs

Play trailer Poster for The Silence of the Lambs R Released Feb 13, 1991 1h 59m Mystery & Thriller Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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95% Tomatometer 153 Reviews 95% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out.
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The Silence of the Lambs

The Silence of the Lambs

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Critics Consensus

Director Jonathan Demme's smart, taut thriller teeters on the edge between psychological study and all-out horror, and benefits greatly from stellar performances by Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster.

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Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide Times (UK) The crux of this excellent thriller is the battle of intellect and wills between them [Clarice Starling and Dr Hannibal Lecter]. Aug 2, 2023 Full Review Jay Scott Globe and Mail A failure that is a function of its success. Dec 7, 2022 Full Review Kathy Huffhines Detroit Free Press Throughout the movie, Demme gets across more terror than a dozen Friday the 13ths by showing not the horrifying thing itself but the faces of people looking at horror. Rated: 8/10 Mar 23, 2022 Full Review Nadir Samara Screen Rant Its impact on movies is still being felt today, and it includes arguably the best performances of both Foster and Hopkins' careers. Rated: 9/10 Nov 10, 2024 Full Review Mark Johnson Awards Daily Suspenseful and shrewd, Hopkins’ Lecter is one of the most fascinating villains in film (despite less than 20 min of screen time). In spite of his contemptible reproach and steely demeanor, there’s just something about Lecter that makes us root for him. Jun 8, 2023 Full Review Terry Francis Southern Voice (Atlanta) Most books, plays or films never give us even this much. Yet The Silence of the Lambs gives us so much that it's a shame the film doesn't find ways to deepen its concentration on the colossal aberrance of the minds of its complementary terrors. May 9, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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William B Must see thriller film. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/22/24 Full Review Gorptholemew T 🍅 8.6/10 Hannibal Horner 👅 bros a freaky. Honestly I prefer manhunter buttt I also prefer Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal. Really good thriller with I think it’s standout sequence being the escape. I also thought Jodie Foster was great even with how is treated adding lots of subtle character. Still I don’t really like the climax that much but everything else is pretty seamless. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/21/24 Full Review Justin K Anthony Hopkins and Jodi Foster put in their finest work. The movie is taut and suspenseful throughout. There isn't a boring moment. Another great performance is Buffalo Bill. His dance scene is so creepy and funny at the same time. I don't think there's ever been a better cop and killer movie and there never will be. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/20/24 Full Review Donald D Decided to watch this after 3 decades and it did not disappoint. A great thriller with a fantastic cast. Well written and directed superbly. From minute one to the last a fabulous tale that builds and builds and your invested throughout. It’s a watch. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/07/24 Full Review Leonel A "You still wake up sometimes, don't you? You wake up in the dark and hear the screaming of the lambs" -Dr. Hannibal Lecter, who is a convicted cannibalistic murderer in “The Silence Of The Lambs.” This quote simply shows just how manipulative Dr. Lecter was shown to be to anybody he speaks to. Have you ever watched a good movie from the 1990s? If so, then you know, but if you haven’t watched it, you are missing out on one of the best movies of the 90’s, which is titled, “The Silence Of The Lambs.” This movie is one of those movies that can be considered as not very scary but still filled with eerie backgrounds and uneasiness as dark rooms appear and tight spaces consume the scenes. This movie is amazing for the era it was produced in and the budget the film had. "The Silence Of The Lambs" is about Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), who is an agent in training, and who has to speak to Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) in order to catch another serial killer under the alias of "Buffalo Bill,” who skins his victims. She slowly enters a mind game of manipulation produced from Lecter as she speaks to him, and Lecter digs into her many issues and fears, one of which includes lambs. She does take some helpful information from Lecter that could help catch Buffalo Bill. Clarice also has to face challenges in dealing with a male-dominated world, which she eventually works on in the course of the film. Jodie Foster’s performance as Clarice Starling shows her character’s mix of vulnerability and strength, especially as she faces her fears throughout the story. Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Hannibal Lecter is incredibly chilling; his calmness makes him even more unsettling, emphasizing the idea that people can have dark sides, while trying to get others on their side. The film uses tight close-ups and dim lighting to build tension, especially in the intense scenes in which both Clarice and Lecter have to interact, making viewers feel the passive-aggressive obsession Lecter shows to Clarice, and placing pressure with his presence. The theme of silence from within the film is important, reflecting Clarice’s internal struggle to deal with her past and how it connects to the overall story. This movie is one of those movies that I would really recommend to everyone, no matter what you think about movie genres, and must be watched if you haven’t watched it for sure. The eerie backgrounds and the manipulation just enhance more of the film than one thinks, and if you need to learn something from that, this is a good movie for this. I would, however, say that if you don’t like things like gore and psychological themes or horror overall (since the movie is not for the faint of heart,) then you may not want to watch this movie. “The Silence Of The Lambs” is definitely one of those movies from the 90s that is a must-watch, so much so that I want to know how it was made when you compare this movie to any other movie from this time period, their budgets, scenery, and more. Clarice Starling, but especially Dr. Hannibal Lecter, were the true stars of the show, even though Dr. Lecter did not appear on the movie as much as the rest of the characters appeared. The manipulation on every side from Lecter, this adding Clarice trying to surpass herself on her own traumas and issues, and her trying to survive and succeed in a male-dominated world, show how even with so many troubles, she was still determined to find Buffalo Bill in the end. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/29/24 Full Review Stephen H "Have the lambs stopped screaming?" Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 10/27/24 Full Review Read all reviews
The Silence of the Lambs

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Cast & Crew

The Silence of the Lambs

The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - It Rubs the Lotion The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - It Rubs the Lotion 1:44 The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Screaming Lambs The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Screaming Lambs 2:13 The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Buffalo Bill The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Buffalo Bill 2:50 The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Quid Pro Quo The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Quid Pro Quo 2:07 The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Love Your Suit The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Love Your Suit 2:06 The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - What Does He Do, This Man You Seek? The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - What Does He Do, This Man You Seek? 2:10 The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Pitch Black The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Pitch Black 2:13 The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Closer! The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Closer! 2:09 The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Fava Beans and a Nice Chianti The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Fava Beans and a Nice Chianti 2:00 The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - You Ate Yours The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - You Ate Yours 1:39 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out.
Director
Jonathan Demme
Producer
Ronald M. Bozman, Edward Saxon, Kenneth Utt
Screenwriter
Thomas Harris, Ted Tally
Distributor
Orion Pictures
Production Co
Orion Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 13, 1991, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 27, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$130.7M
Runtime
1h 59m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby SR, Surround
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.66:1)
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