Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #475 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-02-24
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 113 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Based on Thomas Harris's novel, Jonathan Demme's terrifying adaptation of Silence of the Lambs contains only a couple of genuinely shocking moments (one involving an autopsy, the other a prison break). The rest of the film is a splatter-free visual and psychological descent into the hell of madness, redeemed astonishingly by an unlikely connection between a monster and a haunted young woman.

Anthony Hopkins is extraordinary as the cannibalistic psychiatrist Dr Hannibal Lecter, virtually entombed in a subterranean prison for the criminally insane. At the behest of the FBI, agent-in-training Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) approaches Lecter, requesting his insights into the identity and methods of a serial killer named Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). In exchange, Lecter demands the right to penetrate Starling's most painful memories, creating a bizarre but palpable intimacy that liberates them both under separate but equally horrific circumstances.

Demme, a filmmaker with a uniquely populist vision (Melvin and Howard, Something Wild), also spent his early years making pulp for Roger Corman (Caged Heat) and he hasn't forgotten the significance of tone, atmosphere and the unsettling nature of a crudely effective close-up. Much of the film, in fact, consists of actors staring straight into the camera (usually from Clarice's point of view), making every bridge between one set of eyes to another seem terribly dangerous. --Tom Keogh, Amazon.com

On the DVD: On disc one, the film itself looks clinically sharp in a faultless widescreen (1.85:1) anamorphic transfer, while the Dolby 5.1 soundtrack makes the most of the chilling sound effects and Howard Shore's masterfully understated score. Unlike the Region 1 Criterion Collection, however, there is no audio commentary at all. On the second disc, the all-new hour-long "making-of" documentary features contributions from the screenwriter, producer, composer, costume designer, make-up effects people and even the moth wrangler ("There were no moths harmed in the filming!") as well as Ted Levine (Buffalo Bill) and Anthony Hopkins, who talks at length about creating Lecter. Conspicuous by their absence are Jonathan Demme and Jodie Foster. Aside from the usual trailers and stills gallery there are 21 deleted scenes, many of which are not whole scenes but deleted excerpts, a promotional featurette made in 1991 and an outtakes reel that proves the cast really did have fun making this scary picture. For those who want to scare all their friends, there's also an answerphone message from Anthony Hopkins "in character". --Mark Walker

Special Features
English
Region 2

Synopsis
Jonathan Demme directed this genre-bending thriller in which Jodie Foster portrays Clarice Starling, an ambitious FBI student who is on the verge of graduation when her superior enlists her help to track down a serial killer. When a senator's daughter turns up missing, the feds determine the most likely suspect is Buffalo Bill, who is murdering women and doing something terrible with their skin. But to find him, Starling is forced to enlist the aid of another notorious serial killer--the terminally incarcerated ex-psychiatrist known as Hannibal the Cannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). Hannibal is the only one who truly understands the killer's mind and motive. He agrees to help Clarice, but in exchange, she has to tell him her deepest secrets. Slowly she wins Hannibal over as he discovers that unlike most heroes, she is more moved by vulnerability than she is attracted to power. Clarice's relentless search for the killer and Hannibal's unorthodox analysis are chilling. The screenplay is based on the best-selling novel by Thomas Harris.

Customer Reviews

Overated
I watched this just recently-I found it very overated, particuarly Hopkins performance which was somewhat embarrassing. Did he have to talk in slow motion throughout the film-it was like bad theatre

I ate his liver with a nice Chianti.....
Truly terrifying, this film certainly lives up to its fantastic reviews. Hannibal Lecter is a brilliant villian who you come to like by the end of the film - yes he's a demented cannibal, but he's also witty and very funny in his totally unique way.

Jodie Foster also plays a part in making this film brilliant - I have to say that this is the best film I've seen her in. You can really believe that she's her character - her fear right at the end of the film when she's stuck in the same room as Buffalo Bill and has no idea, and how uncomfortable she becomes when Lecter grills her about her past make her character very believable.

I think I'm the only one out of my friends who has ever seen this film, and though I'm trying to convince them to see it they all refuse, saying that it sounds absolutely terrifying. Indeed it was the first time I saw it (I made a point to watch it in daylight), but it's so clever and gripping for a horror film, and the fact that it's so realistic makes it more scary.

I recommend this to people who are looking for a real classic film and don't mind horrors too much - those who get scared easily probably wouldn't enjoy it as much as they should!

Absolute class
Most people that I know, have already seen this, in some cases several times, which is a good pointer.

How many horror films do you know that are stacked with the very top film awards. Apart from this, none, and there you have it. Antony Hopkins puts in one of his best ever performances as the chilling Dr Haniball Lector, a blood thirsty, uncontrolable, maniac, who just so happens to be a genius.

Lector is safely locked up in a high security prison. However it seems there is another monster on the loose who also is not happy with merely killing his victims, called Buffalo Bill (you will see why). The FBI are getting nowhere with their investigation, so is it really a good idea to seek the help of brilliantly sinister Lector, while still locked up.

Jodie Foster is wonderful as the rookie FBI agent, who Lector has a little time for, all be it, at a potentially high price, letting Dr Lector inside her head.

This film is exciting, graphic and chilling, but without overstepping the mark. Both the bad guys (Hopkins especially), both have their moments that will terrify some. The film finishes off with a brilliantly exciting climax, and then with probably the best one liner of all time.