| Based on Thomas Harris's novel, this terrifying film by Jonathan Demme really only contains a couple of genuinely shocking moments (one involving an autopsy, the other a prison break). The rest of the film is a splatter-free visual and psychological descent into the hell of madness, redeemed astonishingly by an unlikely connection between a monster and a haunted young woman. Anthony Hopkins is extraordinary as the cannibalistic psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter, virtually entombed in a subterranean prison for the criminally insane. At the behest of the FBI, agent-in-training Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) approaches Lecter, requesting his insights into the identity and methods of a serial killer named Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). In exchange, Lecter demands the right to penetrate Starling's most painful memories, creating a bizarre but palpable intimacy that liberates them both under separate but equally horrific circumstances. Demme, a filmmaker with a uniquely populist vision (Melvin and Howard, Something Wild), also spent his early years making pulp for Roger Corman (Caged Heat), and he hasn't forgotten the significance of tone, atmosphere, and the unsettling nature of a crudely effective close-up. Much of the film, in fact, consists of actors staring straight into the camera (usually from Clarice's point of view), making every bridge between one set of eyes to another seem terribly dangerous. --Tom Keogh |
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 A great new Collector's Edition |
| Review Date: February 2, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Jake, Somewhere in Ohio |
If you really love "The Silence of the Lambs", then this is the best edition you could find (though, nowadays it's also the only one you can find).
I have seen every DVD release of this film, though sadly I wasn't old enough to see it when it first came out. Nevertheless, MGM and 20th Century Fox have really outdone themselves:
1. Criterion
The Criterion Collection has always been a trusted source of films for me, and their initial release of this film was decent but lacking with special features, plus the video quality was somewhat scratchy. Still, couldn't beat that commentary track.
2. 2001 MGM
The MGM Speical Edition was pretty nice to promote the theatrical release of Hannibal, with a slew of documentaries and interviews that gave a lot of information of the Silence. No commentary track, but a nice new 5.1 surround mix and a much needed clean-up of the faded picture made the greens rich and the reds blood red.
3. 2007 MGM/20th Century Fox
This new 2-disc set offers the same anamorphic 1.85:1 transfer as was the 2001 release and it still has all of the same documentaries, but this release adds some more features that give even more information about how the film was made and the contoversy afterward. That, and the package art is absolutely delicious. Speaking of which, just behind the inside cover booklet is a tasty treat that invokes both sick humor and helpful tips about "cooking"
Bottom line, if you've never seen this film before then I highly recommend it...that is if you have a strong stomach. It's a brilliant story about good and evil and how dark some people can really be. If you already have all of the previous releases, check this one out too, it's worth the double-dipping into your wallet. The best reason to get this are the added bonus features, but if you really love this film like I do then you'll find it's a great addition to your DVD library. |
Two Very Scarey Killers........One Killer DVD!
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| Review Date: November 14, 2002 |
| Reviewer: L. Shirley, fountain valley, ca United States |
This review refers to the Special Edition(Widescreen) 2001 MGM release of Silence of the Lambs.......
Want to be scared out of your wits??This film will do that for you! Want to see it on an outstanding DVD. This one is top quality!
This film was probably the scariest ever to win the Best Picture(1991) Oscar. I don't think it was the most violent though, that honor most certainly goes to Braveheart. But Silence is just not a good scarey story.It's much more than that. It's an excellent film in all respects. Expert Direction by Jonathan Demme(recieving Best Director) and Cinematography by Tak Fujimoto really is what set this film apart from the others. The stars, Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster(also both oscar winners for their performances), Scott Glenn, Ted Levine, Brook Smith, and Anthony Heald, all were expert in their craft at making these characters either scare us or empathize with them.
For those who by chance have not seen it, here's a little taste of what were treated to. Clarice Starling is an agent in training with the F.B.I. She is bright,pretty and has a way of knowing how to handle people. She is sent out on an "errand" of sorts. To interview a serial killer, known as "Hannibal the Cannibal". He was an esteemed brillant psychiatrist and seems to be able to look into peoples souls. He may be able to help in supplying information to help catch another very demented serial killer nicknamed "Buffalo Bill" because of his desire to skin his victims.
Hannibal takes a shine to Agt. Starling and will help her, but he wants something from her. For his own demented reasons, he wants to hear the details of her life, and as they exchange information, she is then forced to deal with the memories that have plagued her throughout her life. He provides her with clues to who the killer on the loose might be and she goes after him , providing us with some very tense,hide your eyes, nail biting situations.Does she have the will to take on this psychopath as well as her own demons? And don't forget about Hannibal, the story wouldn't be complete, without showing us what atrocities he's capable of.This dark psychological thriller will stay with you for a long time. It has an effect that really makes you think about it for quite a while. This film was released in Feb of 1991 and still was well remebered at Oscar Nomination time. That's not something you see to often. Altough not the more expensive editon,I was not only thrilled by this film, but also with this top quality transfer to the MGM DVD. The picture in the anamorphic widescreen presentation(There is another edition in full screen if you prefer) was beautiful. Colors and clarity excellent,even in the darker scenes. The 5.1 Surround sound is terrific. You can hear everything. I even heard what "Multilple Miggs" in the cell next to Hannibal's was saying, and I never heard that on my tape(that wore out). The Music by Howard Shore sounds great and is always there but unobtrusive to the intenseness of the story. There are some really great "extras". There are documentaries including one with lots of commentary by the stars and all the crew,lots of deleted scenes,photo gallery, trailers, and more. It can be watched in French or Spanish and there are also subtitles for those who may need them. This is a great addition to your DVD collection and for the price you can't go wrong. So "have a friend for dinner" and enjoy this together....Laurie |
The Criterion version is a must have!
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| Review Date: November 22, 1999 |
| Reviewer: , |
| I have seen both versions of "Silence of the Lambs" translated for DVD, and I would vote for the Criterion version any day of the week! From the moment the disc is read by your DVD player, you will be captivated by the start-up menu, with the fluttering of moth wings that move about your surround system, to the cries of Catherine in the background, begging for help from the bottom of the well. I had goosebumps all over again. The FBI reference files were a nice touch, showing Thomas Harris' in-depth research into actuall case files, stemming back to his days as a crime reporter before becoming a successful novelist. If you're looking forward to the sequel based on the latest Harris installation, "Hannibal", then you might want to brush up with this "monster" in the mean time. It's worth the slightly higher price of it's predecessor. |
About the new MGM/UA DVD
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| Review Date: August 28, 2001 |
| Reviewer: keviny01, |
| The new anamorphic transfer on the new MGM/UA Silence of the Lambs DVD is much improved from the Criterion DVD edition, and also noticeable better than the Image DVD version. The picture looks sharp and clean; colors achieve a right balance between being bright in some scenes and subdued in others; black levels are accurately reproduced, a crucial aspect since many scenes take place in the dark. The new Dolby Digital 5.1 track is not state of the art, but definitely a great improvement from the 2.0 mix on earlier DVDs. The much sought-after Criterion DVD edition is, in my opinion, terribly overrated. Its pinkish picture quality is poor, its Dolby Surround sound is [bad], its text material about serial killers can be easily looked up on the Internet, its collection of deleted scenes have unwatchable video quality. Its only worthwhile material is the outstanding audio commentary, but that is not something you want to pay through your nose for now that the DVD is out of print. The Criterion DVD has seven deleted scenes in poor video quality. The MGM disc has 22, including all from the Criterion disc, albeit some are in truncated form. And they all look and sound much better. Some of the deleted scenes that are not on the Criterion disc are quite startling. One of them is a dramatic shot of Lector, close to tears, speaking to the camera about Buffalo Bill's sickness and, via special effects, the prison wall MOVING towards him. Another deleted scene is Lector's offscreen murder of the ambulance driver -- we see a long shot of the ambulance swerving off the road, ending with a closeup of Lector in the driver seat wiping blood from his face, laughing. The MGM disc also has 2 documentaries not on the Criterion disc -- a superficial 10-minute featurette made in '91, and an engaging 1-hour retrospective made for this DVD. Hopkins is the only one interviewed in both. The 1-hour feature has a well-rounded coverage about the making of the film, including production design, costuming, special effects (those moths were "dressed up" since real ones couldn't be obtained), sound design, and of course the various themes of the story. It's too bad Howard Shore's superlative, Oscar-deprived music score is barely mentioned in either documentary. The 1-hour feature also does not overlook the fact that the film was once accused of being gay-bashing. And actor Ted Levine gives a thoughtfully-put analysis of his character, concluding that Jame Gumb is not really gay, but only has fantasies about being that. There are also a theatrical trailer and ten TV spots, one of them reveals something I hadn't noticed before -- the skull figure on the moth is actually made up of figures of naked women. Look closely on the skull figure on the cover of the DVD case. |
Criterion edition a good DVD for a great movie
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| Review Date: January 17, 2001 |
| Reviewer: E. Bein, PC, Florida |
| The Criterion edition of the DVD has many added extras that make the extra cost well worth it. A very interesting commentary is included with Hopkins, Foster and a couple other people. They provide more incite into what went into making the movie, and their own perspecives on various aspects of the film. Some extended scenes are provided, although they are not exactly 'deleted scenes' like the cover says. Plus the 'voices of death' part is text taken from some book about serial killers. It is pretty interesting but also disturbing. Even though the copy is out of print now, you should try to get a copy if you get a chance. You'll like the added features thare aren't present on the other edition of the DVD. Highly recommended. |
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