The Silence of the Lambs is a 1991 American psychological
horror thriller film directed by Jonathan Demme and written by Ted
Tally, adapted from Thomas Harris's 1988 novel. It is often cited as one
of the greatest, most influential movies of all time. It stars Jodie
Foster as Clarice Starling, a young FBI trainee who is hunting a serial
killer, "Buffalo Bill" (Ted Levine), who skins his female victims. To
catch him, she seeks the advice of the imprisoned Dr. Hannibal Lecter
(Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial
killer.
The movie's cultural impact still lingers, over 30 years after its
release. If you watched this movie today, you may find it a bit
over-the-top and even comical; however, at the time, this film changed
the trajectory of horror movies from simple "slasher" plots to the more
sophisticated stylings of psychological thrillers. Though not all
impacts are positive — the portrayal of queer-coded serial killer
Buffalo Bill left a bad taste in many LGBTQ+ advocates' mouths. Although
director Demme tried to separate Buffalo Bill from the trans community
in the script, many feel it was not enough.
Although the legacy of this movie is questionable,
The Silence of the Lambs is an iconic piece of American media.
