Clarice Starling a young FBI cadet is given the chance to be part of a special project. This leads her to meeting Dr Hannibal Lecter a manipulative cannibal killer who is securing locked up. But she needs his help to find another serial killer who targets women.
I have now seen this film a few times and it certainly is a truly haunting and incredible film from start to finish with outstanding performances and manages to totally get under your skin. You are fully on Clarice's side and want to see her succeed and win, especially when she has the encounters with Hannibal Lecter. I always find that I really enjoy this type of thriller and personally they make me more creeped out than conventional horror films.
While Hannibal Lecter who was a psychiatrist was imprisoned in the most secure ways possible due to his horrific crimes of cannibalising his victims. Which I guess is quite frankly the most awful thing to think about isn't it, eating another person? It does give us a very iconic and well-known scene though involving Chianti! You don't have to wait too long for that epic moment as it happens in the first twenty minutes, it helps to set the scene for the creepiness of Lecter and what Clarice must deal with to help her career.
The media have labelled the latest serial killer as Buffalo Bill, a truly sadistic and troubled man who has targeted slightly overweight women as his victims. When the bodies are found they are missing large parts of skin. What exactly has he been doing with the skin? Well, that is something you have to see to believe and understanding. The killer certainly has a lot of issues and it makes for a truly intense story.
Considering we get a lot of talk about female characters Jodie Foster gives us an outstanding performance as Clarice and leads the film in a tremendous manner. Also working so well with the great Anthony Hopkins, can he actually be any more unnerving as Lecter? I very much doubt it. The problem with that is he is creepy yet charming all at the same time which is utterly confusing when you remind yourself of his true character! Both actors won Oscars for their efforts and that is rightly so as they are outstanding with the performances. The film also picked up Best Film as well, which I also feel it deserved. It also became the third film to win the big five, something that no film has done since (well up to 2019 anyway).
This is all due to the complete nature of the thrilling scenes and exchanges all pulling together to create a very unique experience. It really is worth giving this one a few watches as I have found it gets better each and every time. Everything about it is so perfectly placed, along with the score to really help set the mood. Engaging with plenty of small twists to keep you going from start to finish, a true classic of a film.
