The Silence of the Lambs

Name: The Silence of the Lambs
Director: Jonathan Demme
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Drama
Released: 1991
Duration: 1 h 59 min
Rating: 8.346

To enter the mind of a killer she must challenge the mind of a madman.

1991·Directed by Jonathan Demme·4.3·1h 59m

Letterboxd Trailer Where to Watch

Crime Thriller Drama United States of America

Clarice Starling is a top student at the FBI’s training academy. Jack Crawford wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out.

Recommended by 7 People

“I was thinking about the idea that they had to put him in glass instead of prison bars because they knew they had all these scenes between Jodie Foster and Hannibal Lecter—that if they had to shoot through bars it would be irritating. So they came up with this brilliant idea of having this glass.”

Paul Thomas Anderson

Director, Producer, Writer

“Probably the best classic serial killer film. It's just an example of how you make a really great pop, scary, wonderful film that's smart and terrifying and engaging.”

Ben Affleck

Actor, Director, Writer

“I don't know if there's been a more frightening villain on film.”

Eric Bana

Actor

“Jonathan Demme brought all this humanity to it. He didn't make it feel exploitative. Even when looking at the body of a woman, Jodie Foster feels for this person. It never felt like those things were in the Thomas Harris book.”