First, there was It Happened One Night in 1934, then One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in 1975. The only other film in history to achieve the “grand slam,” meaning all five top Academy Awards, is 1991’s The Silence of the Lambs, which won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay. It defied the odds in other ways as well. This outstanding psychological thriller, also the first winner in the horror genre, didn’t open during “Oscar Season,” which characteristically runs from late fall up until Christmas Day. Instead, it went into wide release on February 14th. That’s right, Valentine’s Day. The movie was a sleeper hit, gathering momentum by word of mouth, racking up ticket sales and critical raves, which kept it afloat through the spring, summer, fall, and into … well, Oscar Season.
Jodie Foster carries this film as FBI trainee Clarice Starling. Her performance exudes restless restraint. We glimpse her inner thoughts, feelings, and most private fears only at key moments—and those reveals are spectacular. Her vulnerability becomes her strength, which Hannibal Lector appreciates. Foster was already an Oscar-winner (for The Accused), but she wasn’t the first choice for this role. Director Jonathan Demme offered it to Michelle Pfeiffer, then Meg Ryan. Both actresses turned him down because of the gruesome subject matter. Demme wanted Laura Dern next, but she wasn’t a box-office draw, according to the higher-ups in Hollywood. Lucky for us, Foster persisted and won the role.
Anthony Hopkins delivers a performance for the ages as incarcerated serial-killer Hannibal Lector, often cited at the very top of the list for “greatest movie villains.” Hopkins wasn’t the first choice, either, but Sean Connery declined—and the rest is history. It’s quite remarkable, considering the character’s screen time is just under 25 minutes, the second shortest ever to generate a Best Actor win. In addition, it’s rare for a villain to prevail in a leading category.
Much of the success of this film is due to Foster and Hopkins’ work, which is confined to a string of one-on-one scenes that have the impact of a finely tuned, two-character play. Demme and cinematographer Tak Fujimoto capture their probing faces at odd angles, extreme closeups, and tricky two-shots, using a wall of reflective, bullet-proof glass that divides them to great effect. Unsettling key-lighting, particularly in their eyes, elevates the chill-factor, and the cat-and-mouse dialogue is lean and focused from Oscar-winner Ted Tally. It’s the springboard for these two characters to peel away at each other in a nail-biting “game” of quid pro quo.
The plot builds with a genuine sense of urgency as Starling and the FBI’s behavioral science unit led by Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) try to stop a serial killer at large called Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine), who skins young, heavyset females after murdering them. Starling does her best to draw information and insight from Lector, who knew the killer’s first victim as one of his former psychiatric patients. A game of bartering begins, and everything kicks into high gear when a prominent U.S. senator (Diane Baker) discovers her daughter Catherine Martin (Brooke Smith) has disappeared and will likely become Bill’s next victim if they don’t act within a three-day window to save her.
The final section of the film features two masterful twists that still render me breathless, no matter how many times I watch this movie. Spoilers ahead, for those who haven’t seen it …
Lector’s escape is first. He dons the facial skin of a dead police officer and wears it like a mask as they rush the (perceived) officer to the hospital in an ambulance. To watch this “shell game” play out as he suddenly sits up on the gurney and removes the bloody skin from his own face is truly terrifying. The second gasp-inducing twist involves the SWAT team led by Crawford as they move in on the suspect’s house. The editing and pacing are brilliant, and so is the cross-cutting between the front doorbell ringing and Jame Gumb (aka “Buffalo Bill”) going to answer it. As Gumb opens his door, we see Agent Starling instead, standing alone. The SWAT team is at the wrong house, and Starling has stumbled upon the killer’s creepy abode without any backup.
The music must be mentioned, and it’s a shame the Academy didn’t honor it. Howard Shore, who won a trio of Oscars for the Lord of the Rings films, establishes an atmosphere of monumental sadness throughout the story. His haunting score elevates the intimacy of this character study to operatic proportions. The orchestra seems to mourn for everyone concerned, and I don’t think this movie would have nearly the impact without his contribution.
The Silence of the Lambs is an unusual choice for Best Picture, but I welcome the change. It’s certainly first-rate filmmaking in all respects.
The Silence of the Lambs
Director | Jonathan Demme |
Primary Cast | Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine, Anthony Heald, Brooke Smith, Diane Baker, Kasi Lemmons, Frankie Faison, Roger Corman, Dan Butler, Chris Isaak |
Familiar Faces | Roger Corman from The Godfather Part II |
Firsts | First horror film to win Best Picture |
Total Wins | 5 (Picture, Director, Actor: Anthony Hopkins, Actress: Jodie Foster, Screenplay: Adapted) |
Total Nominations | 7 (Picture, Director, Actor: Anthony Hopkins, Actress: Jodie Foster, Screenplay: Adapted, Editing, Sound) |
Viewing Format | Blu-ray Disc |