The Silence of my Expectations
By: Kenny Viera
Terror. Fright. Anxiety. Many people enjoy these feelings while watching films. I on the other hand, do not enjoy this experience AT ALL. However, while in my ever enjoyable film class, I experienced one film that terrified me, but also caught my eye as a fantastic movie. The Silence of the Lambs, directed by Jonathan Demme, is a thriller that stars Jodie Foster as the main character. Foster plays Clarice Starling, a student at the FBI academy. She is to question the brilliant serial killer, Hannibal Lector, who may have knowledge about another case, involving an inhumane person in “Buffalo Bill,” whose name is made famous because he skins his female victims. Lector, played by the fantastic Anthony Hopkins, is a very sneaky character that uses anagrams to clue Starling closer to Buffalo Bill. Bill proceeds to kidnap the local U.S. senator’s daughter, Catherine, which makes the case an even more pressing issue. Desperate for more information, Clarice must play a game of quid pro quo with Lector, where she reveals parts of her personal life, in order to receive information for Lector. She eventually tells the story of her childhood with the lambs, where she experienced them being butchered at her uncle’s farm where she had to live after being orphaned. After revealing insightful information about Buffalo Bill to Clarice, Lector breaks out of his cell and kills the guards who were guarding him. Surprisingly, however, he does pursue Clarice. After viewing the case files and Lector’s hints, Starling discovers that Buffalo Bill knew his first victim in the film. After exploring the first victim’s hometown and talking to friends and family, Starling discovers Buffalo Bill’s house. Although not knowing it was him at first, she soon realized it was him, and eventually killed him after some frantic moments in the deranged man’s home. Agent Starling eventually graduates from the FBI academy, being awarded for her efforts. At the after party, she receives a phone call from Lector; he insists that he is not pursuing her. The film ends with Lector ironically saying “I’m having an old friend of dinner.” This film is a tremendous film that should be viewed by all movie buffs, or anyone who just flat out loves great movies. Although creepy, this movie is a tremendous view for anyone, above the age of say, 14 that is.
One reason this movie is so great is because of the suspense it develops. From the very beginning of the film, the director Jonathan Demme uses great point-of-view shots to build suspense and develop the plot. When Agent Starling is called to the office of the officer put in charge of the Buffalo Bill case. Upon entering his office, the point-of-view shot begins, sequencing from her face, to the pictures on the wall, to her reaction. The pictures on the wall are of Buffalo Bill’s “work”, which in other words are his skinned victims. This sequence of filming is worked to perfection in building suspense for the plot, one of the great things this film carries out so well. In one of the final scene, Starling is in Buffalo Bill’s house, where the lights are turned out, and you see Starling from Buffalo Bill’s night vision view. The scene is very long, and seems very real as well. The tension really builds fast and you’re just waiting for Bill to strike. The suspense that is a built is done so well, and is another addition to why this film is so awesome.
A second reason why this film is so amazing is the creative title. The Silence of the Lambs fits this film perfectly because when Clarice reveal’s her story about the lambs, you realize how amazing the title really is. Although it is not made clear, Lector sees that Starling may be so passionate about this case because maybe if she solves this case, then the lambs in her head will stop screaming at night. Even though this title does mean much at first, the movie develops into a story that fits this title perfectly, and this clever title makes the film so much better.
Looking back at my hatred towards horror movies, I laugh at myself because I just thought they were all stupid. The Silence of the Lambs is a tremendous film that is very terrifying, and ended up being a great film. I have a new found respect for horror movies, because this movie set the bar so high for me in this genre of film. I expected horror films to just be gory and bloody, and not really have true, suspenseful plot to them. This phenomenal film really opened my eyes, and now I won’t be hesitant about watching terrifying, frightening, and anxiety-causing movies.
