The Silence of the Lambs

Oscar™ Best Picture - Winning Movies

8.2

168,859

Ratings

Add to lists

Pro reviews

8 Related Movies

Sequel:

Clarice (TV Series)

Related Documentary:

Stars of Crime: Hannibal Lecter

Original title: The Silence of the Lambs
Year: 1991
Running time: 115 min.
Country: United States
Director: Jonathan Demme
Screenwriter: Ted Tally (Novel: Thomas Harris)
Music: Howard Shore
Cinematography: Tak Fujimoto
Cast: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine, Anthony Heald, Diane Baker, Brooke Smith, Tracey Walter, Kasi Lemmons, Chris Isaak, Charles Napier, Roger Corman, Frankie Faison, Paul Lazar, Daniel Von Bargen, Cynthia Ettinger
Producer: Orion Pictures
Genre: Thriller. Mystery | Crime. Psychological Thriller. Cop Movies. Cult Movie. Serial Killers. Kidnapping Film / Disappearance
Movie Groups: Hannibal Lecter | Thomas Harris Adaptations
Synopsis / Plot: Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), a young and ambitious FBI agent, enlists the aid of criminally insane ex-psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) to help track down a vicious serial killer named "Buffalo Bill" who skins his victims and who has kidnapped a girl, the only daughter of a republican senator.

Awards: 1991: 5 Academy Awards: Movie, Director, Actor (Hopkins), Actress (Foster), Ad. Screenplay

1991: Golden Globes: Best Actress - Drama (Foster). 5 Nominations

1991: 2 BAFTA Awards: Best Actor (Hopkins) and Actress (Foster). 9 Nominations

1991: Berlin Film Festival: Silver Bear - Best Director (ex aequo "Ultrà")

1991: Nominated for Cesar: Best Foreign Language Picture

1991: 3 National Board of Review Awards: Director, Movie, Supp. Actor (Hopkins)

Show 6 more awards

1991: New York Film Critics Circle: 4 Awards including Best Film

1991: Los Angeles Film Critics Association: Nominated for Best Music Score

1991: Chicago Film Critics Awards: 5 Awards, including Best Picture

1991: Producers Guild Awards (PGA): Best Film

1991: Directors Guild of America (DGA): Best Director

1991: Writers Guild of America (WGA): Best Adapted Screenplay

Critics' reviews

"True suspense, unblinking horror and an Anthony Hopkins performance that is likely to be referred to for many years when horror movies are discussed. (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of four)"

Roger Ebert: Chicago Sun-Times
"A supremely sensuous and hypnotic thriller"

Owen Gleiberman: Entertainment Weekly
"Director Jonathan Demme gives the term 'horror movie' a new dimension with his hypnotic thriller"

John Hartl: Seattle Times
"An unnerving thriller (...) [a] brilliantly executed adaptation of Thomas Harris’ gristly novel"

Kathleen Carroll: New York Daily News
"[A] swift, witty new suspense thriller (...) pop film making of a high order"

Vincent Canby: The New York Times
"It's a gnarled, brutal, highly manipulative film that, at its center, seems morally indefensible."

Dave Kehr: Chicago Tribune
"The superbly crafted suspense thriller that director Jonathan Demme has made from Thomas Harris's taut best-selling novel 'The Silence of the Lambs' slams you like a sudden blast of bone-chilling, pulse-pounding terror."

Peter Travers: Rolling Stone
Show 4 more reviews

Movie Soulmates' ratings: Register so you can access movie recommendations tailored to your movie taste.
Friends' ratings: Register so you can check out ratings by your friends, family members, and like-minded members of the FA community.

Ranking Lists Position

2 My Favorite Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Movies (935)
3 Best Movie Posters Ever (My Favorite Posters) (83)
4 Movies with a Great Male Lead (249)
4 Movies with a Great Female Lead (145)
8 Most Original Movie Posters Ever (11)
9 My Favorites from the 90s (498)
12 My Favorite Book to Film Adaptation (78)
24 Movies I Want to Own (143)
24 Movies with Great Screenplays (85)
28 My Favorite Horror Movies (442)
31 My Favorite Movies (4513)
35 Movies I Liked More the Second Time I Watched Them (31)
37 Absolute Musts (31)
39 Most Beautiful Movie Posters in Film History (9)
41 My Favorite Cult Classics (141)
53 Movies I Own (1206)
56 Movies I Have Seen A Billion Times (128)
60 #IStayAtHome - Movies I've Watched / I'm Watching (35)
63 Best Directed Movies (32)
81 Movies with Skillful Editing (16)
81 My Favorite Blockbusters (15)
86 Movies with the Best Endings (90)
98 Overrated Movies (83)
98 The Most Unpleasant Movies I Have Ever Watched (10)

Show 24 lists

Is the synopsis/plot summary missing? Do you want to report a spoiler, error or omission? Please send us a message.
If you are not a registered user please send us an email to info@filmaffinity.com

All copyrighted material (movie posters, DVD covers, stills, trailers) and trademarks belong to their respective producers and/or distributors.

For US ratings information please visit: www.mpaa.org www.filmratings.com www.parentalguide.org