Silence of the Lambs Review

Note to self: good film adaptations have staying power, especially with Anthony Hopkins.

One overall aspect of this film was the similarities between Clarice and Dr. Lecter. Granted they are on opposite ends of the spectrum, they are both analytical, cold and distant to a point with Dr. Lecter being the coldest and distant of the pair.

“His pulse never went above 85.” Let that sink in. But, I’m more curious about how a man with such inhuman analytical ability could turn out in such a way. But, I also find Dr. Lecter to be incredibly egotistical. It is only glimpsed in a flash, only when Clarice challenged him. What makes Dr. Lecter frightening goes unseen, when he causes Miggs to bite his own tongue off and die from blood loss.

And I will admit, I laughed when Miggs threw his semen at Clarice. Not one of my prouder moments, but moving on swiftly. . . 

Harkening to the monster/demon inside Lecter, he can smell perfume and even blood. The monster with a sharp mind that can cut through any substance. This is Dr. Lecter. This intelligence grants him the uncanny ability to see into others such as Buffalo Bill with only the smallest of bits of information.

Speaking of Bill. . .

What good human monster would he be if he did not have an obsession with someone or something? Lecter’s understanding of Bill was spot-on. Bill may well have been the product of systematic abuse, and that’s a tried and true method of making a psychopath.

Bill’s method of hunting is to pretend he is injured and use that pity of others to his advantage. Afterwards, he tortures them, kills them, and skins them. It is likely this is his method of venting his deep-seeded self-loathing. It is likely a plea for help gone too far, or revenge. I can’t decide which it is.

I found some rather interesting symbolism in this film. But, symbolism can be subjective and hard to pin down.

The glass walls in the cell work as a mirror. It displays the thin boundary between humanity and inhumanity. The Death’s Head Moth is the most disturbing bit of symbolism this film has to offer. The moth means change which is what Bill wants, but cannot and will not have and his murders symbolize his disappointment and utter anger at humanity for its lack of humanity.

I can’t help but see a comparison between Buffalo Bill and Dr. Frankenstein’s monster. Both wanted to be loved by their creators, but were rejected by society as a whole. I find that Bill has a contrast with Dr. Frankenstein. Though through a very symbolic perspective, Dr. Frankenstein mimicked the conception, growth, and birth of a child; his lab being the womb. This is something Buffalo Bill himself would have wanted: to ability to give birth.

If Buffalo Bill had the change and cared for a child, would the monster inside have died cold and alone?

Bill and Lecter share a similarity. They enjoy, even become aroused by, psychological torture. Lecter’s style is subtler and just as damaging if not more so than Bill’s. Bill’s method is more grotesque and physically painful. Dr. Lecter can see into people; he analyzes them without the other being aware of it. Dr. Lecter may be the closest thing to a living void I can think of.

Put the lotion on your damned skin already!