Silence of the Lambs

I seem to have a strange obsession with shows, books, and films about serial killers. I've been watching copious amounts of Dexter, reading murder mysteries, and reading/watching true crime stories. I like basically anything involving detectives finding clues, solving cases, and catching the bad guys who are responsible for the madness.

I decided to watch Silence of the Lambs (1991) a couple of nights ago. I've watched it several times before, but it had been a long time and I felt like watching it. I'm assuming that the majority of you have watched, read, or at least heard of Silence of the Lambs. (If you enjoy reading, I recommend reading the novel that this film is based on. It's a quick and fantastic read. The author is Thomas Harris). However, if you have not, it is about an FBI trainee who, with the help of a highly manipulative and brilliant cannibalistic serial killer, tracks down a crazed killer, Buffalo Bill, who has been skinning his victims.

The best part of Silence of the Lambs, in my opinion, is the character Hannibal Lecter. The character intrigues me because he used to be a respectable psychiatrist, responsible for analyzing the twisted minds of fellow psychopaths. A psychiatrist becoming a cannibalistic serial killer is extremely unnerving. I find it fascinating the way he works with Clarice (Jodie Foster), allowing her to think on her own, yet giving her guidance and clues as to who Buffalo Bill is, the way that he thinks, how to analyze his mind, and how to uncover where he is hiding. Anthony Hopkins plays the part of Hannibal Lecter to perfection. The way he speaks, observes, and listens to Clarice is what makes the character seem so realistic and creepy.