Fans of horror movies were in for a treat in 1991 because that was the year “The Silence of the Lambs” hit theaters. The movie ran for just under two hours as a thrilling crime film about a young woman in the FBI Training Academy. Jodie Foster took the role of Clarice Starling with elegance and grace. “The Silence of the Lambs” is the type of movie that could make people in FBI training second-guess their career paths. After all, the plot is extremely creepy.
“The Silence of the Lambs” is about an FBI employee named Jack Crawford, played by Scott Glenn. He tells Starling that he needs her to handle a crucial interview. Since he knows Starling is the top student at FBI Training Academy, it makes sense to get the ball rolling on her responsibilities. Starling learns that the interview she’ll conduct is with Dr. Hannibal Lecter, played by Anthony Hopkins.
The name “Hannibal Lecter” is recognized for its almost synonymous relation to cannibalism. In the movie, the despicable murderer is depicted as a vicious psychopath who also worked as a brilliant psychiatrist before getting caught. His serial killer ways and insatiable taste for human flesh got him locked up behind bars, which is where he was when the movie started.
Agent Crawford insisted on Starling’s interview of Lecter to gain insight into another case the FBI is working on cracking. Since Crawford knew Lecter had a weakness for young, attractive women, he believed Starling was the perfect candidate for the job. Nearly every aspect of “The Silence of the Lambs” is jaw-dropping and intense to reflect on today. It’s certainly not geared for the faint of heart. While we’re on the subject of horror movies, click here for the best old horror films that still haunt audiences today.
To gather 25 facts about “The Silence of the Lambs,” 24/7 Tempo consulted several entertainment sources. These include IMDb, Mental Floss, Cinema Blend, Indie Wire, Movie Web, and ScreenRant.
“The Silence of the Lambs” won all the five biggest awards
It’s impressive when movies take home one or two awards after they premiere. When a movie is good enough to take home all five of the biggest awards offered, those awards serve as proof that a movie was produced properly. “The Silence of the Lambs” unanimously won Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. “The Silence of the Lambs” was the third movie to accomplish such a feat. Two other movies that also did it were “It Happened One Night” in 1935 and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” in 1976.
“The Silence of the Lambs” almost went straight to video release
When moviemakers were initially discussing the production of “The Silence of the Lambs,” they thought the best course of action would be sending the movie directly to video release. They were nervous that the subject matter would be too gory and horrific for audiences to comfortably watch in movie theaters. In the end, it was collectively decided that “The Silence of the Lambs” was too big of a production to miss out on movie theater time.
Gene Hackman almost directed and starred in “The Silence of the Lambs”
An actor and director named Gene Hackman was selected to direct and star in “The Silence of the Lambs.” He split the $500,000 cost of purchasing the movie rights with Orion Pictures when he was gearing up to start filming. Then suddenly, he changed his mind at the last minute after seeing clips of himself playing a role. He played an FBI agent named Rupert Anderson in a movie called “Mississippi Burning” in 1988. He didn’t like how he looked in those clips and decided to drop out of “The Silence of the Lambs” to further protect his reputation in the entertainment industry.
The alternative ending of “The Silence of the Lambs” showcases Dr. Chilton’s demise
The conclusion viewers recognize of “The Silence of the Lambs” could’ve looked a lot differently. The alternative ending showcases Dr. Chilton kidnapped and captured by Hannibal Lecter. In the scene, the serial killer dials Clarice Starling from luxurious-looking office while slicing up pieces of an orange. After the call ends, he asks Dr. Chilton, “Shall we begin?” There’s no doubt that this creepy alternative ending would’ve also done well among viewers.
Michelle Pfeiffer was originally chosen to play Clarice Starling in “The Silence of the Lambs”
Jodie Foster wasn’t the first actress in line to play the role of Clarice Starling in “The Silence of the Lambs.” Director Jonathon Demme had his eyes on Michelle Pfeiffer before locking things down with Foster. Pfeiffer wasn’t comfortable filming “The Silence of the Lambs” because she felt the movie was a bit too dark.
Demme was hesitant to hire Foster because of her Boston accent at first. Eventually, he changed his mind about her and realized she was the best option. Pfeiffer’s career turned out just fine with roles like “The Deep End of the Ocean,” “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” and “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” under her belt.
Martha Stewart dumped Anthony Hopkins over “The Silence of the Lambs”
Around the time “The Silence of the Lambs” was being filmed and released, Anthony Hopkins was in a relationship with Martha Stewart. Stewart was famous in her own right as a celebrity chef, businesswoman, author, and television personality. After seeing Anthony portray a cold-blooded serial killer with a cannibalistic nature, Stewart decided to break things off with Hopkins. He went on to marry a woman named Stella Arroyave in 2003, and they’ve been married ever since.
Jodie Foster had concerns about the representation of the FBI
Sometimes movies and TV shows depict police officers as unintelligent individuals who can never figure things out. Jodie Foster was concerned about that being the case when filming “The Silence of the Lambs.” She didn’t want the FBI to look silly, nor did she want the FBI to be portrayed in a negative manner. She spoke with Jonathan Demme about her concerns before getting started. Foster made it clear to him as her director that the FBI needed to be portrayed respectfully and properly in “The Silence of the Lambs” – and Demme agreed.
Anthony Hopkins pulled a genuine reaction out of Jodie Foster
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 15: Jodie Foster walks onstage during the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on January 15, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Actors occasionally take their methods to the next level to make certain scenes as believable as possible. Anthony Hopkins did exactly that while playing Hannibal Lecter. During a scene with Jodie Foster, he made fun of her southern accent. The reaction she had on screen was real because she was shocked and offended that he would poke fun at the way she spoke. Later on, she thanked Hopkins for garnering a genuine and believable reaction out of her.
Julianne Moore replaced Jodie Foster in the sequel
Since “The Silence of the Lambs” was so successful in 1991, producers knew they wanted to release a sequel as soon as possible. “Hannibal” hit theaters in 2001 as a follow-up to the first beloved film. The main difference between the original and the sequel is that Julianne Moore was cast to replace Jodie Foster. Foster chose not to return for the sequel, even though Anthony Hopkins reprised his role as Hannibal Lecter.
Sean Connery was originally chosen to play Hannibal Lecter
The producers of “The Silence of the Lambs” had Sean Connery in mind as their first choice to play Hannibal Lecter. They felt he would do an amazing job in the role. Unfortunately for them, Connery found the screenplay to be disturbing and disgusting. He immediately rejected it. Derek Jacobi and Daniel Day-Louis were also considered for the role, but obviously, those actors didn’t work out either. Anthony Hopkins was ultimately selected, which turned out to be a great decision for all parties involved.
Anthony Hopkins clocked less than 25 minutes of screen time in “The Silence of the Lambs”
Although the entire plot line of “The Silence of the Lambs” is about Anthony Hopkins’ character, he didn’t spend much time in front of the camera crew. The character of Hannibal Lecter only clocked a little less than 25 minutes of screen time. As a reminder, Lecter is locked in a prison cell for the entire duration of the movie. He only shares four scenes with Clarice Starling from start to finish. With less than 25 minutes of screen time, Hopkins still made a lasting impact on viewers.
Hannibal Lecter wore white to emphasize the widespread fear of doctors
Plenty of people have fears when it comes to doctors and dentists. No one wants to endure painful appointments like getting poked with needles or prodded with teeth cleaning tools. For this reason, the costume design team for “The Silence of the Lambs” made sure Hannibal Lecter wore white in every scene. The white outfits were used to emphasize the widespread fear of doctors and dentists people tend to have.
The parody musical of “The Silence of the Lambs” was a success
Despite the fact that “The Silence of the Lambs” was a spooky horror movie in 1991, the musical parody of the movie still did incredibly well. The musical parody added randomly placed jokes to cut the tension. The playful dialogue turned the storyline into something far more silly and lighthearted. Audiences who were ready to laugh absolutely loved it and as a result, the musical parody proved to be quite successful between 2005 and 2011.
Hannibal Lecter isn’t based on one single criminal
If you thought Hannibal Lecter’s character was inspired by one singular criminal, you’d be wrong. The brilliant minds behind the creation of “The Silence of the Lambs” drew inspiration from multiple criminals with horrible records. They also incorporated details from freaks tendencies for cannibalism. Thomas Harris was the man who did the majority of research while coming up with details about Hannibal Lecter as a fictional character for “The Silence of the Lambs.” His research shed light on tons of diabolical felons.
Meg Ryan was considered for the role of Clarice Starling
Viewers are well aware that Jodie Foster was ultimately selected to play Clarice Starling in “The Silence of the Lambs.” Still, she wasn’t exactly the first choice for the iconic role. Beyond Michelle Pfeiffer, Meg Ryan was also considered. Ryan turned it down because she felt the movie was much too grisly for her taste. With Pfeiffer and Ryan out-of-the-way, an opening for the role was left wide open for Foster. Ryan’s career moved forward successfully with roles like “In the Land of Women,” “My Mom’s New Boyfriend,” and “Addicted to Love” on her resume.
Most scenes from “The Silence of the Lambs” were filmed in Pittsburgh
Have you ever been curious to know where “The Silence of the Lambs” was filmed? The bulk of scenes you’ll see in the movie were filmed in different spots around Pittsburgh. Plenty of movie lovers are convinced that every film and TV show is made in Hollywood, California, but that’s not always true. Pittsburgh happened to be a great backdrop for “The Silence of the Lambs” with its gloomy weather during the time they were filming.
“The Silence of the Lambs” is based on a book series written by Thomas Harris
Thomas Harris is a talented author who’s widely known for writing the original Hannibal Lecter novels. Throughout the course of his life, Harris penned six novels that have been published for readers to enjoy. Four of his books were specifically written about Hannibal Lecter and his willingness to act on his cannibalistic desires. The first book Harris wrote about Lecter was published in 1988. A few years, that book inspired the 1991 movie.
The Buffalo Bills dance scene wasn’t part of the original screenplay
One of the scenes in “The Silence of the Lambs” showcases a Buffalo Bill dancing sequence. Interestingly enough, the dance sequence wasn’t written into the original screenplay. Ted Levine played the role of a serial killer named Jame Gum in the movie. He told producers that the dance sequence needed to be added to showcase the insanity and instability of his character. Without the dance scene, his character came across as a little too normal. Levine threw back a few alcoholic drinks to prepare for that particular dance scene.
The rights to Hannibal Lecter as a character were handed out for free
You might think gaining the rights to include a fictional character like Hannibal Lecter in your movie would be an extremely expensive feat to accomplish. After all, Lecter is arguably the most well-known cannibal in history. The movie makers didn’t have to break the bank to get rights for the use of his character persona, though. In fact, it was completely free to incorporate Lecter into “The Silence of the Lambs.”
Anthony Hopkins genuinely frightened Jodie Foster while filming
Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster weren’t method acting while filming “The Silence of the Lambs,” but that didn’t stop her from getting genuinely frightened whenever they shared screen time. She admitted that she would feel a chill come over the room anytime she filmed scenes with Hopkins. Interestingly enough, Hopkins also revealed that hanging out with Foster when they weren’t actively filming was a bit spooky for him as well.
An FBI agent named Mary Ann Krause inspired the crying scene
The scene in “The Silence of the Lambs” when Clarice Starling starts crying in her car was inspired by a real FBI agent named Mary Ann Krause. Krause explained that working as an FBI agent was a difficult job that took a toll on her emotions over the years. In an attempt to make Starling’s character more believable, Jodie Foster broke down in tears for one of the most unforgettable and iconic scenes in the entire movie.
Anthony Hopkins visited prison to prepare for his role
Anthony Hopkins didn’t simply jump into the role of playing Hannibal Lecter in “The Silence of the Lambs” without any preparation or well-thought-out research. He spent time visiting prisons to observe behaviors from incarcerated men in real life. Additionally, Hopkins cleared his schedule to show up at court hearings whenever murderers were being tried. He wanted to figure out how their minds worked.
Director Jonathan Demme wanted cast members to break the fourth wall
L - R: American film and television director Jonathan Demme at the 64th Academy Awards holding his award for Best Director for 'The Silence of the Lambs', American actress Jodie Foster holding her award for Best Actress for 'The Silence of the Lambs' and Welsh actor Anthony Hopkins with his award for Best Actor for 'The Silence of the Lambs', 30th March 1992. (Photo by Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images)
When actors break the fourth wall in movies and TV shows, they speak directly to the camera as a way of trying to connect with audiences. Director Jonathan Demme seemed fascinated by the concept of having his cast members break the fourth wall. For this reason, you’ll notice various characters looking directly into the camera whenever they’re supposed to be speaking to Clarice Starling. Breaking the fourth wall can often lead to funny community moments that are tough to take seriously. In “The Silence of the Lambs,” the characters looking directly at the cameras were still taken seriously.
Anthony Hopkins believed “The Silence of the Lambs” was a children’s movie at first
Before Anthony Hopkins had a chance to read the full screenplay for “The Silence of the Lambs,” he was under the impression that the movie was going to be a kid-friendly project project for children. Despite Hopkins’ confusion, “The Silence of the Lambs” is actually rated R. It’s not the type of movie children should watch unless they want to be haunted with trauma and ongoing nightmares.
“The Silence of the Lambs” is the only horror movie to win Best Picture at the Oscars
We already know that “The Silence of the Lambs” won the big five awards at the Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay – but there’s more to the story than that. “The Silence of the Lambs” is the only movie to win Best Picture at the Oscars from the horror genre.
A couple of other horror movies have been nominated including “Jaws” and “The Exorcist,” but no other horrors have been able to fully take home the gold the way “The Silence of the Lambs” did. There’s no debate that “The Silence of the Lambs” is revered as one of the best scary movies of all time. Click here to find out more about horror movies that were loved by audiences, yet hated by critics.