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The Silence of the Lambsgoes down, without any argument, as one of the finest pieces of pure cinematic excellence delivered in the history of Hollywood. Not only did the psychological horror-thriller masterpiece get numerous nominations and wins at the Academy Awards, but it is also the first horror movie to have won an Oscar so far, to date.
While Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, and mastermind Jonathan Demme are the ones to be credited for the flick’s tremendous success, there’s also one major reason why the movie received as much acclamation and recognition as it did. And this reason is as uncanny as the film itself, for it is quite literally linked to America’s scariest timeline of serial killers.
The Silence of the Lambs‘ Oscar win is linked to this unsettling timeline
For one that pretty much served as the film that sparked culture’s obsession with serial killers and transformed true crime from cheap thrillers into prestigious films and television,The Silence of the Lambsstill ranks as one of the most epic thrillers of all time despite being released more than three decades ago, back in 1991.
As criminologist and author Scott Bonn said about the film and its impact on the horror-thriller genre, perVanity Fair: “I think it’s responsible for keeping this genre alive and in vogue. It was the right story, the right talent, at the right time—at the peak of serial murder in the U.S.” And he isn’t wrong either, for the flick did come out just at the right time.
When theAnthony Hopkins-starrer hit the screens back in 1991, it was around two years after the infamous American serial killer Ted Bundy was captured and executed. If that wasn’t enough, the release of the film followed the apprehension of the cannibalistic Jeffrey Dahmer 5 months later, in July 1991. All of these events enforced that serial killers were no longer mythological.
Jodie Foster Went Against Her Own Mother’s Wishes For Her Oscar-Winning Role in Sir Anthony Hopkins Film ‘The Silence of the Lambs’
To say the least, Buffalo Bill – the serial killer in the film who skinned his female victims – was said to be part Bundy, part Ed Gein aka the Butcher of Plainfield, and part Gary Heidnik, who kept his victims in a pit in the basement. Hannibal Lecter, on the other hand, was said to be partly inspired by Alfredo Ballí Treviño, who killed and chopped up his lover.
That being said, it’s unarguable that, amidst the craze and fear surrounding all these newly brought-under-the-limelight serial killers as opposed to their fictional existence in what might as well be deemed America’s scariest timeline, the film served as the perfect piece delivered just at the right time. That also justifies its numerous Oscar nods and wins.
A walk down the memory lane:The Silence of the Lambs‘ commendable performance
Starring Hopkins in the lead as Hannibal Lecter andJodie Fosteras the young FBI trainee Clarice Starling who seeks Lecter’s help to capture the serial killer Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine), the psychological horror thriller film helmed byJonathan Demmeand adapted from Thomas Harris’ 1988 novel of the same name was nothing short of a masterpiece.
Being delivered right at the perfect point in the timeline, the movie managed to rack in a fresh 95% score onRotten Tomatoes– both critical and general – and even had a commendable box office performance as it brought in a whopping $272.7 million from global box offices on a budget of only $19 million (perBox Office Mojo).
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Plus, there were all the major accolades the flick got nominated for and won. Becoming the fifth-highest-grossing film of 1991 worldwide,The Silence of the Lambsearned nominations across the Golden Globes and BAFTAs. Not to mention its 7 stunning Oscar nods and 5 wins forBest Picture, Director, Actor, Actress,andAdapted Screenplay, which is more than enough to justify the film’s excellence and perfect time of delivery.
The Silence of the Lambs can currently be watched on Prime Video.
Mahin Sultan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2478
Mahin Sultan is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, where she brings a fresh perspective to entertainment news. Having been in the field for over 3 years now, she has already written more than 2,000 articles across a variety of niches, from entertainment to health and fashion. This diverse experience has allowed her to quickly build a solid foundation and a deep understanding of the industry.
