Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysAPA Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)

The Silence of the Lambs

  • 19911991
  • RR
  • 1h 58m
IMDb RATING
8.6/10
1.4M
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
301
43
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Jodie Foster in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Watch {VideoTitle}
Play trailer1:49
7 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Thriller
A young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.A young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.A young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.
IMDb RATING
8.6/10
1.4M
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
301
43
  • Director
    • Jonathan Demme
  • Writers
    • Thomas Harris(based on the novel by)
    • Ted Tally(screenplay by)
  • Stars
    • Jodie Foster
    • Anthony Hopkins
    • Lawrence A. Bonney
Top credits
  • Director
    • Jonathan Demme
  • Writers
    • Thomas Harris(based on the novel by)
    • Ted Tally(screenplay by)
  • Stars
    • Jodie Foster
    • Anthony Hopkins
    • Lawrence A. Bonney
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1.5KUser reviews
    • 246Critic reviews
    • 85Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #22
    • Won 5 Oscars
      • 69 wins & 51 nominations total

    Videos7

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:49
    Official Trailer
    The Silence of the Lambs
    Trailer 1:44
    The Silence of the Lambs
    'The Silence of the Lambs' | Anniversary Mashup
    Clip 1:35
    'The Silence of the Lambs' | Anniversary Mashup
    Watch Like a Pro: Giancarlo Esposito's Ultimate Villain Watchlist
    Clip 3:51
    Watch Like a Pro: Giancarlo Esposito's Ultimate Villain Watchlist
    Giancarlo Esposito's Ultimate Villain Watchlist
    Video 3:54
    Giancarlo Esposito's Ultimate Villain Watchlist
    Meet Hannibal
    Video 2:58
    Meet Hannibal
    'Blockers' Movie Emoji Game
    Video 2:05
    'Blockers' Movie Emoji Game

    Photos277

    Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Jodie Foster in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Jodie Foster in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, and Scott Glenn in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Jodie Foster in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, and Scott Glenn in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Jodie Foster in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Ted Levine in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jodie Foster
    Jodie Foster
    • Clarice Starlingas Clarice Starling
    Anthony Hopkins
    Anthony Hopkins
    • Dr. Hannibal Lecteras Dr. Hannibal Lecter
    Lawrence A. Bonney
    • FBI Instructoras FBI Instructor
    Kasi Lemmons
    Kasi Lemmons
    • Ardelia Mappas Ardelia Mapp
    Lawrence T. Wrentz
    • Agent Burroughsas Agent Burroughs
    Scott Glenn
    Scott Glenn
    • Jack Crawfordas Jack Crawford
    Anthony Heald
    Anthony Heald
    • Dr. Frederick Chiltonas Dr. Frederick Chilton
    Frankie Faison
    Frankie Faison
    • Barneyas Barney
    Don Brockett
    Don Brockett
    • Friendly Psychopathas Friendly Psychopath
    Frank Seals Jr.
    • Brooding Psychopathas Brooding Psychopath
    Stuart Rudin
    Stuart Rudin
    • Miggsas Miggs
    Maria Skorobogatov
    • Young Clariceas Young Clarice
    • (as Masha Skorobogatov)
    Jeffrie Lane
    • Clarice's Fatheras Clarice's Father
    Leib Lensky
    • Mr. Langas Mr. Lang
    George 'Red' Schwartz
    • Mr. Lang's Driveras Mr. Lang's Driver
    • (as Red Schwartz)
    Jim Roche
    • TV Evangelistas TV Evangelist
    Brooke Smith
    Brooke Smith
    • Catherine Martinas Catherine Martin
    Ted Levine
    Ted Levine
    • Jame Gumbas Jame Gumb
    • Director
      • Jonathan Demme
    • Writers
      • Thomas Harris(based on the novel by)
      • Ted Tally(screenplay by)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    More like this

    Se7en
    8.6
    Se7en
    Pulp Fiction
    8.9
    Pulp Fiction
    Forrest Gump
    8.8
    Forrest Gump
    Saving Private Ryan
    8.6
    Saving Private Ryan
    The Green Mile
    8.6
    The Green Mile
    Fight Club
    8.8
    Fight Club
    The Matrix
    8.7
    The Matrix
    One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
    8.7
    One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
    Goodfellas
    8.7
    Goodfellas
    Schindler's List
    9.0
    Schindler's List
    Gladiator
    8.5
    Gladiator
    Inception
    8.8
    Inception

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      (at around 17 mins) Jodie Foster claims that during the first meeting between Dr. Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling, Sir Anthony Hopkins's mocking of her southern accent was improvised on the spot. Foster's horrified reaction was genuine since she felt personally attacked. She later thanked Hopkins for generating such an honest reaction.
    • Goofs
      (at around 44 mins) As Forensics comes to take photos of the victim's body, the "corpse" visibly blinks as hands touch its face.
    • Quotes

      Hannibal Lecter: A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.

    • Crazy credits
      After the Copyright notice and MPAA logo, a logo appears with the text "A Luta Continua". This is not a production company credit; instead, it's Portuguese for "The Struggle Continues" ("To be continued").
    • Alternate versions
      The Finnish-dubbed VHS version removes:
      • Hannibal Lecter beating Pembry against the cell's bars, and spraying liquid to his eyes (along with the shots of the cuffed guard screaming "Jesus Christ!", and a shot of him trying to break loose).
      • Lecter beating a guard with a nightstick several times (reduced from 6 hits to 1!).
      • A outdrawn sequence that comes right after Lecter has whacked the guards (where he plays music and walks across the dead guard's body) is completely removed (along with Lecter's dialogue Ready when you are, sergeant Pembry).
      • Right after Buffalo Bill is shot by Clarice Starling there is a long-lasting (about 15 secs) shot of his bloody dead body, that in the cut version is not that long anymore.
    • Connections
      Edited into A-Z of Horror (1997)
    • Soundtracks
      American Girl
      Performed by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (as Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)

      Written by Tom Petty (as T. Petty)

      Courtesy of Gone Gator Records

    User reviews1.5K

    Review
    Top review
    Absolutely Brilliant.
    Sweeping all five major Academy Awards ("Oscars" for Best Movie, Director, Actor, Actress, Screenplay) is quite an accomplishment. Doing it nearly a year after a film was released is a miracle considering the notoriously short attention span of Oscar voters. It is a powerful example of how great a movie can be when superb writers, directors, actors, and others work at the top of their craft.

    `Silence of the Lambs' is the story of a young FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) who is summoned to help find one serial killer called `Buffalo Bill.' by interviewing another. Foster's performance is absolutely brilliant. While Anthony Hopkins receives most of the (well-deserved) praise for his chilling portrayal of incarcerated serial killer `Hannibal ‘the Cannibal' Lector', it is Foster's performance that holds the movie together. The fear she shows just behind her eyes makes Clarice's outward courage all the more interesting and vulnerable. This is the perfect way to play the part because it explains Lector's interest in Clarice. Her only bargaining chip in getting Lector's help is to let him `feed' on her innermost secrets and fears in exchange for his brilliant insights into the psychotic mind. The title of the movie comes from these exchanges and is very poignant.

    Director Jonathan Demme is masterful. There is one scene late in the movie that I will not spoil. It is one of the most simply brilliant scenes ever staged in a movie. I don't know if all the credit goes to Demme or the writers, but there is a moment in the film where the suspense builds beautifully to a what seems to be a common movie scene. However, through skillful timing of the direction, the audiences assumptions are used against them and when the truth is revealed (hint: it involves a doorbell) it is shocking and induced a collective gasp from the audience I saw it with at the theatre. It set the stage for an edge-of-your seat climax.

    Do not miss this movie.

    The movie is incredibly suspenseful and an absolute must see.
    helpful•478
    98
    • Scudder-3
    • Feb 19, 1999

    FAQ24

    • Why do Dr Chilton and Barney make a point of telling Clarice not to touch or approach the glass housing Dr Lecter? Wouldn't she be perfectly safe since he obviously can't reach her?
    • Why does Dr. Lecter think the guy ejaculating in his hand throwing the result in Clarice's face crosses a line while he would do much more awful things to people himself?
    • Can someone actually swallow their tongue like Miggs did?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 14, 1991 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Languages
      • English
      • Latin
    • Also known as
      • Silence of the Lambs
    • Filming locations
      • Bimini Airport, South Bimini Island, Bimini Islands, Bahamas
    • Production companies
      • Strong Heart/Demme Production
      • Orion Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $19,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $130,742,922
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $13,766,814
      • Feb 18, 1991
    • Gross worldwide
      • $272,742,922
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 58 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Jodie Foster in The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
    Top Gap
    What is the streaming release date of The Silence of the Lambs (1991) in India?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The 10 Most Anticipated Marvel and DC Movies
    See the full list
    Image caption not available
    2:14
    The Most Anticipated Movies and Shows to Watch in May
    Watch the video

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.