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List Price: $19.98 | | Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
Salesrank: 15141
Released: August 21, 2001 |
| Our Price: $3.88 |
| Used Price: $1.50 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Based on Thomas Harris's novel, this terrifying film by Jonathan Demme really only contains 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
Description of The Silence of the Lambs (Widescreen Special Edition):
Based on Thomas Harris's novel, this terrifying film by Jonathan Demme really only contains 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
The Silence of the Lambs (Widescreen Special Edition) Reviews:
Criterion Collection Disc 
2008-11-18 - This review will discuss the merits of the now rare and out of print Criterion Collection version of the film. One of the questions a viewer needs to ask him or herself is whether or not the added expense of a rare edition can be justified.
The Criterion dics presents the film in a letter boxed widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85:1 which appears to be the correct shooting format used by cinematographer Tak Fujimoto. The sound is standard 2.0 Dolby Surround. This is a fairly new film and the Criterion transfer appears to be reference quality. I have heard that there is an inexpensive collector's edition by MGM that presents the transfer as a widescreen anamorphic with a 5.1 surround mix. For pure picture quality either way you go is probably fine.
There is really no reason to discuss the plotting of the film. It is well recognized that the acting by Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins as the two leads is amazing. Both went on to win Academy Awards for their work. The Ted Talley screenplay was also give the Oscar for iis adaptation of the Thomas Harris source material.
The biggest feature of the Criterion Edition is a commentary track featuring director Jonathan Demme, actors Foster and Hopkins, screenwriter Talley and FBI agent John Douglas. As far as I can tell this is the only edition that offers a commentary track. The track is informative and is a good listen. The Criterion Disc features seven deleted scenes taken from a workprint (timecode is included). Most of these scenes are unnecessary but two reveal a dropped plotline that is rather interesting. The rest of the film extras include storyboard galleries and a storyboard to film comparison of the Memphis jail break.
Two rather interesting features are pure textual. There is a lengthy series of excerpts from the FBI Field Classification Manual on Sexual Homicide prepared by John Douglas ans a feature called Voices of Death which is a series of quotes by convicted seriel killers prepared by Michael Newsom from his book. All in all these features compose a great deal of material on the criminal mind and should not be skipped.
The Criterion Disc is well suited to fans of the film or to those with an interest in the subject matter. It is also well worth seeking out for the Criterion completist.
Ugh 
2008-11-14 - I'm surprised that most of the negative reviews on the Silence of the Lambs aim mostly at how boring and overdone of a film it is. I may give it a one star, but only because I think the way movies have become is heinous. Cinematically, this movie is very well done. It may not be like other horror movies and that's what makes it so effective. It doesn't use cheap thrills, or excess of guts and gore. It has all the atmosphere and psychological scare I've seen in a long time. There really isn't that many shocking scenes in the movie, but when it decides to go out on a limb--it's downright disturbing. The images stay in your head for awhile, and that's part of why I hate this movie.
Some people won't be as affected by this as I am, but I don't like watching movies I simply can't enjoy. If there's nothing about the movie I want to remember, then it's simply not worth seeing. People are beautiful in my eyes, and when they're mutilated in disgusting ways-- there are no words for the anger inside for the people who inflict this pain. The movie makes a point to personalize the victims and, even the people you don't know very much about, you still know they are good people being treated the worst injustices in the world. Over the years, villains from any movie become this icon to society and I don't understand how people can look up to somebody they would hate and fear if they ever encountered somebody of the like, in real life.
People somehow don't understand that when some sick people see movies like this, they become copy cats of Hannibal Lecter and Buffalo Bill. I despise the movie industry nowadays because it contributes to our already violent society, and it's always trying to outdo itself with the latest technology, the newest and scariest tacttics, and it's all for the sake of making some big bucks. I can't laugh at anything about this movie because there's nothing hilarious about six beautiful young and talented women being imprisoned in a well, skinned, and dumped at a river.
Movies like this, no matter how well made, are full of crap.
What a shame!
2008-11-11 - I cannot believe that Yahoo users have voted this movie as the No.1 horror movie of all time and I wonder how after all these years many people are still lauding this movie. Maybe 5 or 10 minutes into the movie where they pull out the insect from the mouth of a corpse and I realised I was going to watch one of the most ridiculous movies ever and it sure lived up to that reputation.
How many of the detectives out there in real life searching for serial killers (many of them who are still at large) are visiting disillusioned and demented psychopaths rotting in prison cells for advice on how to nab them? That is what this movie is all about. I really want to know how many students, teachers of psychology thought about the whole meeting a psychopath to get clues to the whereabouts of a serial killer thing. I particularly wanted their opinions on the conversations the two had. Particularly that incredible line this movie is famous for when Jodie says "He said he could smell my c**t." Maybe they were laughing at it all. Actually after I heard this line all I wanted to do was run out of the cinema but stayed back just to watch the remaining garbage. Jodie is a very talented actress and Anthony Hopkins one of the very best there is but I wonder what was going on in her mind as she said that obnoxious line in the movie. Don't tell me it was for the Oscar. Oh God! then please, please give it to her. Yeah, that's what they did. Besides that line the sessions between Jodie and Hannibal are preposterous filled with questions and answers that have no relation to the questions.
In the unnecessarily prolonged climax scene where Jodie kills the killer (who is wearing night vision glasses) in total darkness was just outrageously ridiculous. Was it for this that Jodie went to consult the psychopath and speak that horrible line?
But the way this movie generated a great-movie fervor and zeal is probably a success story for marketing. The super cast (Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster), the attractive movie poster and all the hype lead it all the way up to the Oscars where it netted the coveted ones, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director and Best Picture.
Both Anthony Hopkins and Jodie won oscars for their roles but if you really want to see their true potential check out The Bounty for Anthony Hopkins and Contact, Flight Plan for Jodie to just name a few of the many good movies where Jodie and Anthony had more meaningful and purposeful roles.
Doesn't Amazon have a zero star rating if not a negative rating?
Wow 
2008-10-14 - This is my favorite movie ever. With Jodie Foster as the vulnerable Clarice Starling, and Anthony Hopkins as the deadly Hannibal Lector it is not something you can afford to miss. Best movie by far, I am in love.
Silence of the Lambs
2008-09-28 - I purchased the Criterion Edition for one reason only, that being the commentary provided by the director, writers and actors in the movie, which for some strange unfathomable reason, is not on any other edition.
It was worth the wait to purchase and view this DVD, it being denied the full 5-star rating because it does NOT include a sub-title track so that one can listen to the commentary and follow the dialogue on-screen. This is a personal foible of mine, but may not be relevant to other purchasers.
Otherwise a superlative product, which I recommend highly to anybody.
