Absolutely brilliant!

"Believe me, you don't want Hannibal Lecter inside your head."

Michael Mann struck moderate success with a 1986 thriller entitled Manhunter. This film introduced us to a brilliant psychiatrist/cannibalistic serial killer named Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lector. First played by Brian Cox, the role was then filled by actor Anthony Hopkins.

Based on a novel of the same name by Thomas Harris, The Silence of the Lambs is one of the greatest movies of all time and one of the world's most effective thrillers. If you have never seen this absolute classic thriller that redefined the serial killer genre you have no idea what you're missing out on.

Clarice Starling (Foster) is a brilliant FBI agent-in-training who is assigned to assist in the hunt for a serial killer known as Buffalo Bill who has been kidnapping, murdering and skinning young women. The head of the FBI Behavioural Sciences section Jack Crawford (Glenn) sends Clarice to a mental institution to confide with once-renowned Dr. Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lector (Hopkins). It is hoped that Lector will provide a detailed profile of Buffalo Bill and perhaps aid in his capture. Lector only agrees to help if in return Clarice feed facts about her life to his morbid curiosity just for his own amusement.

The Silence of the Lambs is a stunning, taut, intelligent thriller that was an unexpected hit when it was first released. The film also made a successful trip to the Oscars; becoming the third film to clean up the top 5 Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Surely this profitable Academy Awards evening should be enough motivation to warrant multiple viewings.

The Silence of the Lambs is also quite a terrifying experience. It's not the kind of horror you'd find in a typical slasher flick; it's a psychological thriller that makes the audience petrified of the grim characters, and it's played exceptionally well on the underlying modern fear of the lethal human predator with no conscience, remorse or perceived reason. Hannibal Lector looks normal on the surface, but is revealed to be twisted and disturbing on the inside. It's also the macabre images present in the basement of a serial killer that adds to the film's terrifying nature. It will give you the creeps.

The film is also held together by the extremely strong interaction between Lector and Clarice. It's no wonder that both of them received Oscars. Anthony Hopkins cannot be even slightly faulted as the twisted psychiatrist. This was truly a career-changing role of Hopkins. I personally prefer Hopkins as Lector over Brian Cox. Although Cox did a great job, he just wasn't as creepy or spine-chilling as Hopkins' sublime portrayal. It's a close call, though. Jodie Foster's performance also holds the movie together. She always seems so vulnerable with an outward show that suggests a tough-spirited character. Foster always looks somewhat scared whenever she has a conversation with Lector - or even so much as glances at him.

Jonathan Demme's direction is masterful. I'm not sure if it was the direction or the editing - either way, the film is highly suspenseful and effective. Especially towards the climax. Demme keeps the dialogue taut and interesting; receiving engaging performances from the spirited cast.

The Silence of the Lambs is entertaining, smart, effective, imaginative, gory and scary with a high level of intelligence. The thriller genre does not get any better than this!

This is the film that redefined serial killer movies. I have enjoyed viewing this film after multiple screenings and the DVD will continue to be replayed. The Silence of the Lambs can't be missed at any cost.

9/10