Silence of the Lambs (1991)

THE GREATEST FILM OF ALL TIME?

Starring: Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster.

Hopefully everyone in their right mind has seen this multi Oscar winning classic, but for the unfortunate few i will give you a brief rundown of why it is my number one.

Hannibal 'the Cannibal' Lecter (Hopkins), is a sociopathic serial killer who, for his crimes (eating people), has been incarcerated for life. He once was a respected and sought after psychiatrist until he got a taste for dining on the rude and incourteous members of the human race. Now he spends his days in his dingy penitentiary cell drawing and sketching in incredible detail the views he holds in his mind of the various places he has visited.

Dr Lecter is feared by most people that visit him which often include census takers, nurses journalists and the FBI. He hasn't the time of day for anybody and often fobs people off with a sarcastic comment or put down. That is until Clarice Starling (Foster), is sent to visit him. Clarice is a trainee with the FBI's behavioural science department and is sent to Lecter to find out information on a new serial killer 'Buffalo Bill,' by picking Lecters brains for a behavioural profile of the new offender. Cue the classic scene of Clarice Starling approaching the glass cell where a standing Dr Lecter is already awaiting her arrival.

I wouldn't dream of spoiling it for those who want to see it but there is a brilliant if not a little chilling scene where Lecter describes to Clarice what he did to a census taker who once tried to test him...favor beans...liver...ffffff. You have to watch it!
Anyway, Dr Lecter begins to like Clarice, they talk (always from behind the glass!), and he helps her, in his own psycho-analytical way on the Buffalo Bill case, which is incidentally a guy who likes women's skin a little bit too much!

Things take a twist when the FBI realise that Dr Lecter is the key to solving the Buffalo Bill case and so they bargain with him for his help and information. This leads to graphic deaths, classical music, blood, gore, lambs and an ending where unusually the bad guy remains alive and at large.

All in all a brilliant film, based on the book by Thomas Harris. This movie is highly recommended for the horror film fans and for those who like a good thriller!