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Trailer

The Silence of the Lambs

1991Movie1 h 59 minR

CrimeThriller
89
ExcellentGoodWatch score
IMDb8.6Letterboxd4.3/5Metacritic868.8Rotten Tomatoes95%95%

A nerve-racking, gripping crime movie about the mind and crime, with standout performances and dialogue.

Good for friends night · thought-provoking · adults

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want fast pacing · graphic violence bothers you

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for warmth, laughs or comfort.

Movies with

Story

To enter the mind of a killer she must challenge the mind of a madman.

Clarice Starling is a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out.

Feels like

  • Psychological Thriller
  • Crime Investigation
  • Intense Dialogue
  • Iconic Performances
  • Gothic Atmosphere
  • Cat-and-Mouse Dynamics
  • Mind Games
  • Dark & Disturbing
  • Character-Driven Suspense
  • Canonical Horror

Cast

24 of 42

Crew

Directed by
Jonathan Demme
Written by
Ted Tally, Thomas Harris
Produced by
Kenneth Utt, Ron Bozman, Edward Saxon
Music by
Howard Shore

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

February 14, 1991 · 1 h 59 min · R

Released
February 14, 1991
Runtime
1 h 59 min
Age rating
R
Content
Violence, Disturbing Imagery, Strong Language
Genres
Crime, Thriller, Drama
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Budget
$19 million
Box office
$273 million
Available in
137 countries
Keywords
based on novel or book

Tropes

The Cameo, Tear Off Your Face, The Mountains of Illinois +9

  • The Cameo
  • Tear Off Your Face
  • The Mountains of Illinois
  • Shout-Out
  • Nominal Importance
  • Trojan Ambulance
  • Malevolent Architecture
  • Asshole Victim
  • I Love the Dead
  • Didn't Think This Through
  • Alone with the Psycho
  • Conversation Cut

12 of 91 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

7 questions, like "Where can I stream The Silence of the Lambs?"

Questions about The Silence of the Lambs

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Silence of the Lambs?

PrimePeacockKanopyHooplaMGM+Amazon Prime Video Free with AdsFawesomePeacock Premium+

In the United States, The Silence of the Lambs streams on Prime, Peacock, and MGM+, and it is free with ads on Kanopy, Hoopla, Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads, Fawesome, Tubi TV, and Amazon MX Player. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, and Plex. It also streams in 76 other countries.

Is The Silence of the Lambs worth watching?

89
ExcellentGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 89 (IMDb 8.6, Letterboxd 4.3 out of 5, Rotten Tomatoes 95%, and Metacritic 86).

Is there a sequel to The Silence of the Lambs?

  1. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
  2. Hannibal (2001)
  3. Red Dragon (2002)

Yes: it's movie 1 of 3 in its series, followed by Hannibal (2001).

Will I feel good after watching The Silence of the Lambs?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for bleakness and 6 for melancholy, against 3 for hopefulness.

Will The Silence of the Lambs scare me?

Not scaryTerrifying

At times: scares are rated 7 of 10, and some images are gruesome (grotesque 7 of 10).

Was The Silence of the Lambs a box office hit?

Budget$19 million
Box office$273 million

Yes, a big one: it cost about $19 million to make and earned $273 million worldwide, 14.4 times its budget.

What tropes does The Silence of the Lambs use?

The CameoTear Off Your FaceThe Mountains of IllinoisShout-OutNominal ImportanceTrojan AmbulanceMalevolent ArchitectureAsshole VictimI Love the DeadDidn't Think This ThroughAlone with the PsychoConversation Cutand 79 more

TV Tropes lists 91 tropes for it, including The Cameo, Tear Off Your Face, and The Mountains of Illinois.