MovieChat Forums > The Silence of the Lambs (1991) Discussion > Your favourite moment in the film

Your favourite moment in the film

posted 11 years ago by FreeBronson28
68 replies | jump to latest

Just wondering what peoples favourite moment/moments in the film are.

Personally for me it's when Lecter escapes his holding cell and impersonates the wounded police officer, and while in the back of the ambulance sits up and pulls his temporary disguise off when the music hits the big crescendo, that's when you know Lecters in control. Fantastic stuff

As you can probably tell i'm a new IMDb user.

"The blackest eyes....the devils eyes" - Dr Loomis

[–] jsele-38952 9 years ago

Joseph Sain

When Lecter cleverly handcuffs one of the guards to the door, attacks him and rips a piece of his jaw off, sprays him with mace, then turns to his partner and starts to look like the bloodthirsty psychopath we're lead to believe he is.

[–] moviefool09 9 years ago

When Clarice and Jack arrive at the funeral home and Clarice is alone in a room with about a dozen male, similar-looking sheriffs' deputies. The camera is tight on Clarice's face and moves around her, suggesting the eyes of the men on her as well. Great cinematography and a great scene.

"The future is tape, videotape, and NOT film?"

[–] laslopaniflex 9 years ago

When Clarice goes into the storage locker. Even getting inside is made difficult and painful (and she gets no help from the men around her... metaphor!) and as she goes into the darkness, we, like her, are not sure what will be found in the shadows. A scene with most of the themes of the films in one place. Great.

"What are you, some kind of doomsday machine, boy?"

[–] moviefool09 9 years ago

and as she goes into the darkness, we, like her, are not sure what will be found in the shadows. A scene with most of the themes of the films in one place. Great.

Very well said.

"The future is tape, videotape, and NOT film?"

[–] looker7 9 years ago

by moviefool09 » 19 hours ago (Wed Jan 20 2016 12:28:48)
IMDb member since January 2002
When Clarice and Jack arrive at the funeral home and Clarice is alone in a room with about a dozen male, similar-looking sheriffs' deputies. The camera is tight on Clarice's face and moves around her, suggesting the eyes of the men on her as well. Great cinematography and a great scene.

by laslopaniflex » 18 hours ago (Wed Jan 20 2016 13:44:18)
IMDb member since April 2005
When Clarice goes into the storage locker. Even getting inside is made difficult and painful (and she gets no help from the men around her... metaphor!) and as she goes into the darkness, we, like her, are not sure what will be found in the shadows. A scene with most of the themes of the films in one place. Great.

Two great scenes, no doubt. And the above users have explained reasonably well just exactly why they are memorable scenes. If I could just add that a big part of the effectiveness of both scenes lies with the musical score; Howard Shore's score, imo, really enhances both scenes and makes them particularly atmospheric.

It's not really a scene per se, but I enjoyed the sequence where Clarice is about to meet Lecter for the very first time. The symbolism of the descent into a hellish madness (Dante's Infero, figuratively speaking) is gripping stuff, enhanced greatly by the throbbing sounds, hellish howls and computer oscillations and bleeping -- it really adds to the drama, suspense, excitement and anticipation of the first meeting with Lecter. Still an excellent film; one of the best of all time, in fact.

[–] moviefool09 9 years ago

Looker7 said:

It's not really a scene per se, but I enjoyed the sequence where Clarice is about to meet Lecter for the very first time. The symbolism of the descent into a hellish madness (Dante's Infero, figuratively speaking) is gripping stuff, enhanced greatly by the throbbing sounds, hellish howls and computer oscillations and bleeping -- it really adds to the drama, suspense, excitement and anticipation of the first meeting with Lecter. Still an excellent film; one of the best of all time, in fact.

I agree with you. That descent sequence leading directly to the first meeting with Lecter is precisely what helps build it up and make it even more memorable, than if Clarice had just walked into a room to see Lecter from the get go. As someone has pointed out before, the scene with Chilton just preceding is lit in red, further giving it a 'hellish' glow. As Clarice walks down the hallway to see Lecter, notice she keeps her head forward at first but then turns left each time she passes a new prisoner, as if they are each dark gatekeepers she must face and then pass on her way to the end. This "build up", I find even more tension-filled than the actual meeting with Lecter.

You also previously mentioned Howard Shore's ominous score, which is indeed very crucial to the film's success as well.

"The future is tape, videotape, and NOT film?"

[–] looker7 9 years ago

by moviefool09 » 22 hours ago (Thu Jan 21 2016 11:21:19)

I agree with you. That descent sequence leading directly to the first meeting with Lecter is precisely what helps build it up and make it even more memorable, than if Clarice had just walked into a room to see Lecter from the get go. As someone has pointed out before, the scene with Chilton just preceding is lit in red, further giving it a 'hellish' glow. As Clarice walks down the hallway to see Lecter, notice she keeps her head forward at first but then turns left each time she passes a new prisoner, as if they are each dark gatekeepers she must face and then pass on her way to the end. This "build up", I find even more tension-filled than the actual meeting with Lecter.

You also previously mentioned Howard Shore's ominous score, which is indeed very crucial to the film's success as well.

Good post. I agree with all that; well said.

[–] moviefool09 9 years ago

Thanks!

"The future is tape, videotape, and NOT film?"

[–] selenedm999 9 years ago

The movie had so many great moments, but my favourites are the ones that show how much of a fighter Catherine is.

"Don't you hurt my DAWG!"
"Don't you MAKE ME HURT YOUR DOG!"
"You don't know what PAIN IS!"

But she's rattled him, and he's crying over that little puffball in a way he'd never be attached to a human being.

And when Clarice goes into the basement and talks to Catherine, then tells her to be quiet.

"COME BACK HERE YOU *beep* BITCH! HELP!"

You just feel all her rage and disappointment that she's not getting pulled out of that awful pit, while the cavalry is off dicking around. So brilliant.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] tyson6633 8 years ago

(Gagging from the smell and chuckling to himself):

".....sure you can use my phone...."

------
Mischief. Mayhem. Soap.

[–] chipbolton-76904 8 years ago

His line about the liver, fava beans, and a nice Chianti especially got my attention because, even tho liver would require a bold wine, I've always found the combination too strong.

[–] FrankBooth_DeLarge 8 years ago

I love so many scenes in this film that it's hard to pick just one. Clarice's first encounter with Lecter is brilliant. I also love the scene in which she shares her story about trying to save the lamb as a child, along with the escape scene and the entire climax in Buffalo Bill's house, which had me on the edge of my seat when I first saw this film and still has that effect on me years later.

And of course the iconic "It rubs the lotion on its skin" scene is a classic too. I proudly wear my Silence of the Lambs hoodie with that written on the back of it every fall and winter.

*Edit* I just looked back at the beginning of this thread and saw that I responded to it a couple of years ago, saying the same basic thing I just wrote.

Trailer For My Second Feature
https://youtu.be/UXsIq-oPxXA

[–] pistrix 8 years ago

Man this is tough, the whole movie rocked.

I'd say:
1) When Lecter and Clarice first meet. We were expecting some sick, crazy, psycho and he was calm and gentle. It was freaky and awesome.

2) When Lecter is with Clarice in Tennessee and he is going quid pro quo of read Marcus Aurelius and he covets.

3) In the elevator when blood starts dripping onto the stretcher. Just imagining the tension in the elevator.

4) When Lecter pulls off the face in the ambo. DAMN AWESOME.

5) When Clarice sees the flying Death Head Moth land on the yarn spool and realizing she is face to face with Bill himself. Just thinking if I was in her shoes, just wow.

((Damn the remakes, Save the originals.))

[–] SuhailSid 8 years ago

Lecter escape scene