The last scary movie I remember seeing was URBAN LEGEND, the masterpiece starring Jared Leto and Tara Reid. I remember bragging to my friends in 4th grade, because you see, I was brave back then. As time passed, I became more and more of a pansy, I stopped riding roller coasters, learned of the dangers of strangers and absolutely stopped watching scary movies…until a couple of weeks ago.
After my last post on watching STAR WARS for the first time, I decided to watch a movie that was more acceptable that I hadn’t seen until 2013, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. I watched it with two of my girlfriends, with the lights on, the windows closed on one couch with a gun (okay, no gun, but clothes that tasted gross, in case of a cannibal attack).
My preconceived notions of gory and jumpy scary movies disappeared after watching a world where the thrill came in the mind games. Writer Ted Tally and Director Jonathan Demme create a world where the thrill comes in the mystery of Dr. Lecter, the haunting deep voice of Buffalo Bill and the chase scene seen through night-vision goggles. Sir Anthony Hopkins plays Hannibal, in arguably his best role ever* intrigues in every scene, especially with his psychoanalytical interactions with Jodie Foster’s Clarice.
What makes this movie even more brilliant are those brief moments of humor (Hannibal the Cannibal? Come on!). The best line in the movie is the funniest, where Hannibal tells Clarice he is “having an old friend for dinner” as he preys on Dr. Chilton, his ex-jailer. And, tell me you didn’t laugh every time Clarice said, “yes shir” a result of her upbringing in West Virginia.
I’m glad I overcame my fears and watched this movie, which has given me a newfound appreciation for the horror genre and has encouraged me to lose weight so that a Buffalo Bill won’t kidnap me for my chubby skin. It also gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “having thick skin”.
Liked SILENCE OF THE LAMBS? Check out the episode of On Story where writer Ted Tally discusses the changed ending for the world’s most famous cannibal and where he anticipated Jodie Foster’s Oscar on www.onstory.tv
– Linzy Beltran
*My friend, Spencer would disagree. He told me to tell you to go watch Hopkins in THE WORLD’S FASTEST INDIAN.