Rent The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

4.2 of 5 from 488 ratings
1h 53min
Rent The Silence of the Lambs Online DVD & Blu-ray Rental
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Synopsis:
A psychopath known only as Buffalo Bill is kidnapping and murdering young women across the midwest. Believing it takes ones to know one, the FBI sends in Agent Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) to interview an insane prisoner who may provide psychological insights and clues to the killer's actions. The prisoner is psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). Brilliant yet psychotic, with a taste for cannibalism, Lecter will only help Starling in exchange for details and secrets about her own complicated life.
This twisted relationship forces Starling not only to face her own demons, but leads her face-to-face with a demented killer, an incarnation of evil so overwhelming, she may not have the courage or strength to stop him. Horrific, disturbing, spellbinding. This thriller set the standard by which all others are measured.
Actors:
, , Lawrence A. Bonney, , , , , , , , , Maria Skorobogatov, Jeffrie Lane, , , Jim Roche, , , ,
Directors:
Producers:
Ron Bozman, Edward Saxon, Kenneth Utt
Writers:
Thomas Harris, Ted Tally
Others:
Ted Tally, Christopher Newman, Skip Lievsay, Tom Fleischman, Tak Fujimoto, Craig McKay, Howard Shore
Studio:
MGM
Genres:
Drama, Thrillers
Collections:
10 Films to Watch if You Like: Licorice Pizza, Acting Up: British Actors at the Oscars, All You Need to Know About Dump Month Movies, Award Winners, BAFTA Nominations Competition 2024, Behind Bars: Visit These Essential Prison Films, Films & TV by topic, Films to Watch If You Like..., Getting to Know..., Getting to Know: Jack Nicholson, Getting to Know: Jodie Foster, JFK on Screen, Oscar Nominations Competition 2024, Oscar's Two-Time Club, Oscars: Winners & Losers, A Brief History of Film..., The Instant Expert's Guide, The Instant Expert's Guide to Frank Capra, The Instant Expert's Guide to: Ridley Scott, Top 10 Best Picture Follow-Ups, Top 10 Dangerous Dog Films, Top 10 Golden Bear Winners, Top 100 AFI Movies, Top 100 AFI Thrills, Top Films
Awards:

1992 BAFTA Best Actor

1992 BAFTA Best Actress

1992 Oscar Best Actor

1992 Oscar Best Actress

1992 Oscar Best Picture

1992 Oscar Best Director

1992 Oscar Best Adapted Screen Play

1991 Berlinale Silver Bear for Best Director

BBFC:
Release Date:
06/08/2001
Run Time:
114 minutes
Languages:
English Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles:
Croatian, Czech, Danish, English, English Hard of Hearing, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish, Turkish
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 1.85:1
Colour:
Colour
Bonus:
  • Inside the Labyrinth: The Making of Silence Of The Lambs
  • Original Featurette
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Anthony Hopkins Phone Message
  • Outtakes Reel
  • Stills Galleries
  • Teaser Trailer
  • Hannibal Trailer
  • Original Theatrical Trailer
  • TV Spots
Disc 1:
This disc includes the main feature
Disc 2:
This disc includes the following special features:
- Inside the Labyrinth: The Making of Silence Of The Lambs
- Original Featurette
- Deleted Scenes
- Anthony Hopkins Phone Message
- Outtakes Reel
- Stills Galleries
- Teaser Trailer
- Hannibal Trailer
- Original Theatrical Trailer
- TV Spots
BBFC:
Release Date:
04/05/2009
Run Time:
113 minutes
Languages:
English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Subtitles:
English Hard of Hearing
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 1.85:1
Colour:
Colour
Bonus:
  • Inside the labyrinth
  • The Silence of the lambs: from page to screen
  • Scoring the silence
  • Original 1991 "Making of" featurette
  • Deleted scenes
  • Anthony Hopkins phone message
  • Breaking the silence feature
  • Understanding the madness
  • Original theatrical trailer
BBFC:
Release Date:
Unknown
Run Time:
118 minutes
Languages:
English Dolby Digital 2.0, English Dolby Digital 5.1, English Dolby Digital Stereo, English DTS 5.1, English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Subtitles:
English
DVD Regions:
Region 2
Formats:
Pal
Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen 1.85:1
Colour:
Colour
BLU-RAY Regions:
B
Bonus:
  • Audio Commentary by Film Historian Tim Lucas
  • Inside the Labyrinth: Documentary
  • Page to Screen: Documentary
  • Understanding the Madness: Featurette
  • Scoring the Silence: Featurette
  • Original 1991 Making-of Featurette
  • Jonathan Demme and Jodie Foster Interviews
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Outtakes
  • Anthony Hopkins Phone Message
  • TV Spots
  • Teaser
  • Trailer

More like The Silence of the Lambs

Reviews (3) of The Silence of the Lambs

"The World Is More Interesting With You In It" - The Silence of the Lambs review by ML

Spoiler Alert
15/05/2014

I haven't seen this on any format other than video, so to see it on DVD was a real treat. I had never before heard Clarice mutter "Bill..." under her breath when she first views his handiwork - every bit as iconic as Will Graham's realisation that "it's just you and I now, sport" in prequel Manhunter.

Another enhancement was the distant wind blowing through the obscene ballroom where she tells Hannibal, played by a near-best Anthony Hopkins hamming i up as "pure psychopath" and confident Lecter. Basically, it was nice to see it again.

Because it's genius, or near genius. It's gripping, runs a taught detective thriller alongside the most stirring of psychological interaction between two of the three leads, horrific - the fact that the mess of gore in Buffalo Bill's basement viewed just before the lights go out doesn't even make the top five most memorable moments from this dyed-in-the-wool horror story tells its own story - and it doesn't patronise. Must see cinema. Violent, stirring, clever, even when it tips over into melodrama.

1 out of 2 members found this review helpful.

Spoilers follow ... - The Silence of the Lambs review by NP

Spoiler Alert
11/08/2016

It is difficult to convey what a massive film this was on its release. It transformed second-billed Anthony Hopkins from a highly respected and well-known actor into an international superstar, caused a degree of controversy and cemented Jodie Foster’s reputation as a major talent. Both won awards for this, and the film won several others.

It isn’t difficult to see why. Starling’s (Foster) initial meeting with Lector (Hopkins) has a tremendous build up – tales of Lector’s legendary brutality, warnings and a corridor full of inmates leering (and worse) at Starling as she makes her way to his cell. The following scene alternately fills the screen with first Hopkins’ face and then Foster’, and – considering they are really explaining the plot to the audience - is electrifying.

Starling’s isolation in her male-dominated job is nicely conveyed visually (without over-labouring the point) often simply by featuring her in scenes with men a lot taller than her. Her wilful lack of vulnerability ensures we are instantly on her side. When we meet Lector, such is his beguiling magnificence, we find ourselves on his side too. A dilemma for the audience, but a fascinating one.

Among this terrific cast, it would be an error to overlook the contribution of Ted Levine as Buffalo Bill. His perversion is told to us at first, and revealed slowly thereafter, culminating in a scene in which he hides his penis between his legs and displays himself as a vision of what he believes to be divine beauty. Much of the original novel’s detail regarding Bill has not been included in the film (how much more shocking – perhaps too shocking – it would have been to see him wearing one of his skinned female victim’s breasts, as in Thomas Harris’s story). And yet he still emerges as a deranged and frightening figure.

The double twist towards the end of SPOILER (a) Lector’s ingenious escape, and (b) the realisation that Starling’s back-up team have gone to the wrong house leaving her to face Bill alone, are perfectly handled. And yet for such a controversial film, there is little gore actually in it – it is the implied violence and Lector’s relish in it that shreds the nerves. ‘Silence of the Lambs’ is thoroughly deserving of its acclaim.

0 out of 1 members found this review helpful.

One of the best films ever made - The Silence of the Lambs review by TB

Spoiler Alert
11/07/2021

This is one of the greatest films ever made.

Whilst there is a lot I could write or say about it, for once I am simply going to let the title to my review speak for itself.

Not one thing in this film is out of place, not one performance less than perfect.

This film is one of the reasons people love cinema. See for yourself the reason why.

0 out of 0 members found this review helpful.

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