Silence of the Lambs (Blu-ray) (1991)

"...unbearably intense, brilliantly acted (by Foster and Hopkins), and cannily put together...  Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide
"A Knockout! The most exciting thriller in years!  The New York Times
"A mesmerizing thriller that will grip audiences from first scene to last.  Variety

Editor's Note Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins will likely be forever associated with their roles in this bone-chilling masterpiece, based on the novel by Thomas Harris and directed by Jonathan Demme. FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Foster) is sent by her supervisor (Scott Glenn) to interview ferociously intelligent serial killer Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lechter (Hopkins) at his cell in a Maryland mental hospital. The FBI hopes Lechter can provide insight into the mind of killer-at-large, Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine), whose current abductee happens to be the daughter of a senator. Intrigued by Clairice, Lechter demands information about her personal life and in exchange for clues, and the two begin to form a strangely intimate connection, with a girl's life hanging in the balance. Starling is gradually revealed as a woman struggling out of her own darkness, bound to aid the dysfunctional males around her on their own paths of transformation, liberation, and destruction. This is a film of brilliant and disturbing beauty that transcends its B-movie origins (though it does honor them with a cameo appearance by Roger Corman). Its enduring influence has led to a slew of similarly dark-toned serial killer films, and a sequel, HANNIBAL (2001).

	Anthony Hopkins
	Jodie Foster
	Scott Glenn
	Ted Levine
	Craig McKay - Editor
	Gary Goetzman - Executive Producer
	Howard Shore - Original Music By
	Jonathan Demme - Director
	Ronald M. Bozman - Producer
	Tak Fujimoto - Cinematographer
	Ted Tally - Screenplay
	Thomas Harris - Based On Novel By
	Tim Galvin - Art Director

"Believe me, you don't want Hannibal Lecter inside your head."----Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn)

"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti."----Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins); the classic sucking sound Hopkins made after this line was ad--libbed

"I do wish we could chat a little longer, but I'm having an old friend for dinner."----Hannibal Lecter

Rolling Stone
"...Superbly crafted....THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS slams you like a sudden blast of bone-chilling, pulse-pounding terror..." 03/07/1991 p.87-8

Sight and Sound
"...A sombre masterpiece....The film creates a world drained of light, counterpointed by a sinister and unsettling score..." 06/01/1991 p.62-3

USA Today
"...[A] superbly crafted, unsettling movie....Demme pumps up the tension to a deafening din..." -- 4 out of 4 stars 02/14/1991 p.1D

Entertainment Weekly
"LAMBS remains a great film. A groundbreaking film." -- Grade: A 02/02/2007 p.111

Los Angeles Times
"...Hopkins' performance may be the film's bravura showpiece, but Foster's goes the whole distance, steadfast, controlled, heartbreakingly insightful, a fine addition to her gallery of characterizations..." 02/13/1991 p.F1

Premiere
"Hopkins's portrayal of the world's most urbane serial killer is a wonder of both actorly invention and villainous instinct." 04/01/2004 p.70

Uncut
4 stars out of 5 -- "[S]till the definitive upmarket serial killer thriller, achieving the almost unprecedented feat of winning all five major Oscar categories..." 03/01/2006 p.134

Ultimate DVD
5 stars out of 5 -- "[A] rare horror that transcends the genre and has arguably become a modern classic." 03/01/2007 p.114

ReelViews 9 of 10
Since its 1991 release, much has been written about The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal Lecter, Clarice Starling, and the relationship between them. Thomas Harris was so intrigued by the characters that he wrote the sequel, Hannibal, which soared into the top spot on best-seller lists countrywide as soon as it was released. The motion picture follow-up, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Hopkins and Julianne Moore (replacing Foster), is set to open on the 10th anniversary of the release of The Silence of the Lambs. If it's half as involving, it will be a success. The Silence of the Lambs may not have been the best thriller of the year, but it was the most chilling and creepy, and there's no denying that the most celebrated aspect of the film - the Clarice/Hannibal connection - could not have been accomplished with greater skill. - James Berardinelli

Chicago Sun-Times 9 of 10
The popularity of Jonathan Demme's movie is likely to last as long as there is a market for being scared. Like "Nosferatu," "Psycho" and "Halloween," it illustrates that the best thrillers don't age. Fear is a universal emotion and a timeless one. But "Silence of the Lambs" is not merely a thrill show. It is also about two of the most memorable characters in movie history, Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter, and their strange, strained relationship...Hopkins' performance has much less screen time than Foster's, but made an indelible impression on audiences. His "entrance" is unforgettable...We are frightened both because of the film's clever manipulation of story and image, and for better reasons--we like Clarice, identify with her and fear for her. Just like Lecter. - Roger Ebert