The film “Silence of the Lambs” was released in 1991. It was directed by Jonathan Demmy. This American thriller is a film adaptation of the novel of the same name by writer, journalist and screenwriter Thomas Harris. The production of the picture received five Oscar awards. In addition, for his work, the director received the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. The awards were also awarded to the actors who starred in this film. Critics also speak highly of the music for the film “Silence of the Lambs”. The author of all the title tracks was Howard Shore, who is considered one of the most sought after in Hollywood.
The main character of the film “Silence of the Lambs” is Hannibal Lecturer. Several films were shot about him, the release dates of which do not coincide with the chronological sequence of the plot. In total, this character appears in five films. In addition to them, another series is presented to the attention of the viewer.
Judging by the reviews, all the films “Silence of the Lambs” according to chronology are still better to build. In this case, you can clearly trace the line of the plot. Consider these films in this order as well.
Hannibal: Ascension
This film was shot in 2006. In it, the viewer learns that in front of the main character, when he was still a six-year-old boy, his parents were brutally killed. After 14 years, the young man moved to France, and after that he ended up in the USA. In this country, he received the profession of a psychiatrist. The main character did an excellent job with his work, which allowed him to get quite a few privileges. However, success in the professional field did not interest him. Our hero yearned for revenge.
"Manhunter"
This film was released in 1986. From its plot, we learn that the FBI agent goes on the trail of a killer maniac, whose nickname is Tooth Fairy. In order to understand the psychology of the criminal, the special agent seeks advice from the famous psychiatrist Hannibal Lector, who at that time was in a prison psychiatric hospital.
Originally, this film was called "The Red Dragon" and was shot based on the novel of the same name. However, viewers know him as a tape "Hunter for people." The reason for the renaming was the failure of the film "Year of the Dragon", which appeared on the screens in 1985. The producers, fearing the associations of the viewer, called their work differently.
It is worth noting that the film "The Manhunter" was the first film adaptation of the life story of Lector, a book about which was published in 1981.
"Red Dragon"
The audience got acquainted with this film in 2002. Its plot tells us about the events preceding those that took place in the film “Silence of the Lambs”. In this tape, Hannibal Lecturer was caught by special agent Will Graham, which almost cost his last life. FBI employee resigned. However, the appearance of a killer nicknamed the Tooth Fairy made him return to service again. After all, a cruel psychopath kills entire families. In order to catch the killer, it was necessary to understand his logic. That is why Will Graham went to the famous psychiatrist Lector Hannibal.
"Silence of the Lambs"
This tape, as mentioned above, was released in 1991. Its plot says that in the territory of the Midwest of the USA a psychopath appeared who kidnaps and then kills the girls.
FBI agent Clarissa Starling is looking for the culprit. She decided to speak with the prisoner Hannibal Lector in order to understand the psychological motives that drive the killer. The former psychiatrist accused of cannibalism agrees to help, but at the same time puts forward his condition. Clarissa should tell him the details of her life.
Hannibal
From this film, which the viewer saw in 2001, we learn that after the communication of Clarissa Starling with the maniac Lector, 10 years have passed. And so he wrote her a letter again. The killer finds a new victim. She became the millionaire Mason Vergere. Clarissa Starling manages to get on the trail of the killer.
And again, Hannibal
This series was released in 2013 and is an adaptation of the books of T. Harris. His story says that FBI employee Will Graham has to work with a cannibal doctor to help him unravel the psychology of criminals. After all, a new cruel maniac has appeared in the country, which is clearly beyond the teeth of a special agent.
So, all the films telling the viewer about Hannibal Lecturer were listed above. It is in the proposed order, and not by the release date, that the viewer should look at them, which will make it possible to trace the storyline. Which of the Silence of the Lambs films is the best? It is up to the viewer.
The plot of "Silence of the Lambs"
What is this movie about? It talks about the FBI investigation. The agents of this special service are looking for a killer-maniac who has committed a series of crimes. Because the psychopath was skinning the women he had killed, he was nicknamed Buffalo Bill. However, time passes, and the FBI did not appear to have any clues. In order to somehow get on the trail of a maniac, it was decided to turn to Hannibal Lecturer. This former psychiatrist and dangerous cannibal killer is placed in a mental hospital isolation ward. To conduct a conversation with him, the FBI leadership sent a young cadet of his academy, Claris Starling.
There was a connection between the girl and the Lecturer. Hannibal is gradually pulling Clarice into his psychological games. He agrees to help her, but only on condition that she tells him the details of her life. Starling agrees. She tells the killer about her strongest psychological experiences related to childhood. They relate to the period when the girl, in an attempt to save the lamb prepared for slaughter, ran away from her adoptive parents. Hannibal goes on a kind of exchange. He points out some details of the case under investigation, which, in the end, allowed Claris Starling to go on the Buffalo Bill trail.
While the cadet girl is investigating, the killer kidnaps the senator's daughter. In order to make a name for himself, the chief physician Chilton forbids Claris from communicating with the Lecturer. But the senator himself is trying to take part in the investigation and makes a deal with the Lecturer. The killer is transferred to a temporary detention center, from which he escapes, having dealt with the ambulance crew and the police.
Starling continues to follow the track of Buffalo Bill. She studies the life of one of the victims and begins to realize that the maniac was a tailor in the past.
In search of information about the first of the women he killed, the girl ends up in the house of the criminal. She realizes that he is Buffalo Bill, according to the moth in his hands, the cocoon of which in each case he put into the mouth of his victims. Starling chases the killer and finds himself in the basement of his house. Suddenly, the maniac turns off the light and tries to kill Claris, aiming her at the back with a shotgun equipped with a night vision device. However, the girl manages to shoot first. She kills a maniac, focusing on the sound of a cock cocked by him.
The film ends with a conversation between the girl and the Lecturer. He called Claris from the resort town where he was chasing the panicked Chilton. And now we will get acquainted with the main actors of “Silence of the Lambs”.
Hannibal Lecturer - Anthony Hopkins
This hero was not only an outstanding psychiatrist, but also a cannibal. At one time, he received a good education, which, together with the charm given to him by nature, allowed the killer to conquer his patients and colleagues. That is why for a long period no one could even think that this person is a real maniac.
Nonetheless, the FBI was on his trail, and the offender was caught. Doctors were sentenced to life imprisonment in a psychiatric hospital. Hannibal refused to cooperate with the authorities until Clarice came to him. She charmed the former psychiatrist, but he never showed his feelings.
Judging by the reviews of the film “Silence of the Lambs” and the description of the plot seen by the audience, Anthony Hopkins performed his role brilliantly. And indeed, the actor approached the work on the film as carefully as possible. Before entering the set, he looked through the recordings of conversations of the most famous psychiatrists in order to identify and repeat the features of their facial expressions.
Despite the fact that Hopkins can be seen in the frame only for 16 minutes, numerous enthusiastic reviews about the “Silence of the Lambs” relate specifically to his game. No wonder the actor received an Oscar in the nomination for Best Actor. According to AFI, the character of Anthony Hopkins is in first place in the list of "one hundred best heroes and villains."
Clarice Starling - Jodie Foster
Judging by the reviews of "Silence of the Lambs", the audience was pleased with the game and this actress. Jodie Foster brilliantly showed us the best student of the FBI Academy, who dreams of becoming a member of the behavioral analysis department. And then the girl had the opportunity to take part in a high-profile investigation. In this case, she rushed literally with her head. The girl began to work with a crazy Lecturer. Communication with him scared Clarice and at the same time fascinated her. The maniac gave some clues, using which she was the first to figure out the offender. In this way, she saved the new Buffalo Bill victim from death.
And not without reason, many enthusiastic reviews about the film "Silence of the Lambs" relate to the game of this actress. For this role, she received the Academy Award and became the first in Hollywood, having twice won a golden statuette until the age of 30. Also, for their role in this film, Foster was also awarded the Golden Globe. She received the British Academy Award.
Jam Gumb - Ted Levine
Numerous reviews about the “Silence of the Lambs” by Thomas Harris relate to the game of the actor, whose character was Buffalo Bill. This is a man who decided to change his gender in his youth. However, all the clinics to which he applied denied him an operation. This led Jame to the idea of correcting the situation himself. He began to kill the girls in order to make a suit out of their skin. The criminal believes that, having completed his work, he will certainly become a woman. Committing murder, a maniac does not perceive his victims as people. The only creature close to him is a dog.
Ted Levine was not immediately selected for the role. The fact is that his appearance did not match the one that, according to the producers, this hero should have had. However, their opinion changed after the actor read the first scene. Ted managed to transform so much into his character that he even frightened the creators of the picture.
It is interesting that viewers and film critics left so many enthusiastic reviews about the film “Silence of the Lambs” and the Levine image created, that for a long time he was invited only to play the role of villains.
Jack Crawford - Scott Glenn
This actor played the head of the behavioral analysis department. At one time, Jack took part in the capture of Hannibal Lector, why the latter is opposed to him.
That is why Crawford brought Claris to the investigation, noting her successes, which she did as a cadet at the FBI Academy.
Frederick Chilton - Anthony Hild
This doctor, according to the plot of the film “Silence of the Lambs”, was the head of the psychiatric hospital where the Lecturers were kept. For many years, the head doctor tried to investigate the maniac. However, he only scoffed at the psychiatrist.
Anthony Hild played the role of Frederick Chilton in two, according to the audience, the best films - “Silence of the Lambs” and “Red Dragon”. But after that, the actor admitted that he was not interested in playing the same hero more than once.
Opinions of critics and viewers
Reviews for the film "Silence of the Lambs" (1991) has been written enough. However, the opinions of critics and viewers about this film can be found very mixed. Many are advised to watch it only for thrill-seekers. At the same time, the film will allow you to reflect on the deep nature of the relationship that takes place between a man and a woman. Judging by the reviews, “Silence of the Lambs” shock viewers to the core.
Many believe that this film is a classic horror film. However, “Silence of the Lambs” in the reviews of many critics is positioned as a psychological thriller. At the same time, the film was shot so realistically that it can have a powerful effect on the viewer. Filming of individual scenes and their quality in "Silence of the Lambs" was carried out with extraordinary brutality of the show. This allows us to attribute the film to the category of horrors, because there is hardly a person who would remain calm sitting in front of the screen and not grab the armrests of his chair from fear.
In the plot of the film, one can observe how Hannibal Lector, talking with young Claris, experiences almost sexual pleasure from talking with her, while enjoying the narrative about the death of her father.
Judging by the reviews of the audience, a particularly tense moment arises in the scene where the girl talks about how she tried to save the lambs that were doomed to death, and how nothing came of it. Since then, she has been tormented by nightmares. Claris hears the screams of the little lambs and can do nothing to help them. The former psychiatrist understands the condition of the girl. He tells her that when she manages to catch the maniac, “the lambs will shut up.”
The mad doctor enjoys Starling's emotional experiences. But at the same time, involuntarily assists her in capturing another maniac. And even after Hannibal escapes from prison, he, understanding the motives that move the girl, does not seek to pursue her.
Judging by the reviews of critics and spectators, it is very interesting to watch the Staring - Lecture duo. After all, here you can suddenly catch yourself thinking that a crazy psychiatrist plays the role of a father-teacher. And this is so, no matter how wild such a thought might seem at first glance. At the same time, the “daughter” is in panic. Nevertheless, she carefully listens to every word of the terrible mentor and tries to figure out the intricacies of his riddles and hints.
Having watched the film “Silence of the Lambs” in good quality, you will certainly enjoy it.