Silence of the Lambs (1991)
"A young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims."
- IMDB
So here I am, in a post Hannibal series world. Mads was great, but nothing beats Anthony Hopkins.
I was today years old when I learned Colleen Atwood did costuming. Guys, do you understand how this got me shook? Fantastic Beasts, Chicago, literally every Tim Burton movie. hello????? Atwood designed the famous mask??????? Coleen Atwood is literally my favorite costume designer, the only one I know by name. Unsung hero in the film industry.
I loved seeing the Chilton character after everything that happened on the show, they definitely cast well in the show. It was exciting to see the character, but at some point, during his and Clarice’s descent to the deepest chambers, I started holding my breath. I was just so tense until Clarice walked out of that hospital. I’ve seen this movie a few times now, and it still has this effect on me? I was just soooo captivated by Anthony Hopkins. The way that entire scene was filmed and how him and Jodie Foster acted... This was movie magic. Extraordinary.
Ted Levine is a phenomenal Buffalo Bill. We love talking about Jodie and Anthony, but dang. This whole movie is just wonderfully cast, well performed. Levine was creepy and unnerving. I was always uncomfortable during his scenes. It’s kind of funny, both in the show and this movie, I feel comfortably captivated by Dr. Hannibal Lecter when he’s around. It’s the charisma & intellect that differentiates Lecter from all the other psychopaths. They’re crazy, he just isn’t.
Scenes between Clarice and Lecter are a highlight. There was one shot of Clarice with a clear reflection of Hannibal, quite reminiscent to what I watched in Season 3 of Hannibal. Lecter easily worms his way into Clarice’s mind, and with that Hannibal series mindset, I see the appeal of both sides. It goes to that moment when Clarice told her friend, “Oh he won’t come after me, he’d consider that rude.” There’s a lot to unpack from that when it comes to the analysis of Hannibal the Cannibal.
Hannibal makes his way to Tennessee and he & Clarice have a final encounter face to face. I don’t even know what to say. The extreme close ups of Hannibal speak louder than words, I feel like Hannibal is psychoanalyzing me. It’s chilling. And wow.... that escape is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I guess the only thing to compare it to is anything I’ve seen in the series. But wow.... Hannibal did this with such little effort. Go watch it. When I think about this film, this is the part of the movie I remember the most.
After this is a great climax with Clarice catching Buffalo Bill once and for all. She saves the day and is recognized for her work. Then the final phone call. "Having an old friend for dinner." rip Chilton. But man... the credits role and I always feel satisfied with my movie experience. This really is one of the greatest movies of all time. Anthony Hopkins is just a legend.
My Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★
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