The Silence of the Lambs

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Summary: Silence Explained
Review: As opposed to the rather horrific and disappointing sequel Hannibal, Silence of the Lambs is still one of the most chilling psychological thrillers of all times. In this beautifully illustrated BFI Modern Classic, Yvonne Tasker (a lecturer in Film Studies) starts out by vividly describing the plot. Building on this basic framework, readers will become increasingly aware of the hybrid creation that this film actually is. It grafts together conventions that belong to various genres, such as the woman's film, the FBI procedural and horror, and Tasker clearly illustrates how the distinctive ways of rendering ideas about reason, madness, gender, sexuality and identity contribute to the complexity of the film. She relates and compares the film to similar films, such as Seven, Psycho and The Cell, and she discusses the predominant reviews and criticisms (both positive and negative) that the film received. In the chapter 'Detection and Deduction' Tasker demonstrates the various ways in which this film is a delicate balance of physical or forensic evidence on the one hand, and speculative interpretation or psychological profiling on the other, by giving a thorough analysis of the FBI investigation and by focusing on the psychological probing of the central characters at the heart of the film. Chapter 4 leads us into Lecter's claustrophobic cell and Buffalo Bill's labyrinthine hell-hole, amongst other things, to introduce us to the conventions of the gothic genre. This particular chapter also deals with the film's imagery in connection to suspense, and moves beyond the gothic in general to a discussion of the 'female gothic' genre. The final chapter (Under the Skin) probes into the minds of Lecter, Bufallo Bill, and of course, 'Clarice', as Lecter likes to call her. All in all, this is yet another elucidating and pleasant-to-read BFI modern classic that comes highly recommended for anyone interested in this defining film of the 1990s.

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Summary: Never judge a book by it's movie...
Review: Just kidding, this book and movie share a common deliciousness. Very little can be said, that hasn't been said already, other than if you have seen the movie, you should by all means, read the book!