Most iconic films revolve around a standout central performance. Nonetheless, the standout feature of Jonathan Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs is a jaw-dropping double-act starring Jodie Foster as FBI rookie Clarice Starling and Sir Anthony Hopkins as the cold-blooded cannibal Hannibal Lecter. Both of them took home Oscars for the movie, a rare instance of the Academy bothering to honor a genre picture with a trophy. While Hannibal may have garnered media attention, Foster’s portrayal of Clarice, which brought the heart of the horror, actually anchored the $272.7 million flick.
Behind every successful person, there is frequently a family that is encouraging them. But in Foster’s case, her mother initially had reservations about her daughter’s decision to feature in a 118-minute psychological horror thriller. Her mother voiced worries as she found the subject matter too serious and dark.
The Silence of the Lambs: The Protective Instinct of Jodie Foster’s Mother on Her Role
A subset of us adore horror films and watch them whenever we get the chance, hoping they will make us check under our beds before we go to sleep. Others are allergic to jump scares, paranormal activity, and any kind of slasher fiction. The former would regard The Silence of the Lambs as one of the greatest horror films ever made. Jodie Foster, who played the agent, gave an outstanding performance. Thus, it makes sense that Foster was drawn to the role of Clarice Starling as soon as she “read” the book. The actress informed W Magazine:
“I do love horror, I love the supernatural. I talked about The Silence of the Lambs, I really wanted to do, having read the book, so I really wanted to make the book into a movie and found out that it had already been bought. So I kind of went and pitched myself to play Clarice Starling because I loved it so much.”
However, according to Total Film, Foster was not initially sure she was the right fit for the role. One of the reasons could be her mother’s concerns, who at first was apprehensive about her daughter’s choice to take on a role in Jonathan Demme’s flick. The actress, 61, informed W Magazine, saying:
“I didn’t realize at the time that the genre scared people a lot and a lot of people on my team specifically my mother [while laughing] wasn’t really that keen on me doing it in the beginning but the script was so magnificent that it was effortless and we all did the best work of our life but mostly because the text was so good..”
Foster’s perseverance earned her an Oscar for Best Actress. Additionally, The Silence of the Lambs is frequently listed among the best and most influential movies by reviewers, filmmakers, and viewers. It came in at number 48 on Empire’s list of the 500 best films ever made in 2018.
The Silence of the Lambs Was a Risky Film to Make?
Despite the book’s popularity, Hollywood executives thought it would be difficult, if not impossible, to adapt The Silence of the Lambs‘ terrifying story for the big screen. The New York Times was informed in 1991 by screenwriter Ted Tally:
“A prominent producer [said] this book could never make a movie and that I shouldn’t even try.”
However, director Jonathan Demme’s film, anchored by producer Dino De Laurentiis, was allowed to move forward by Orion Pictures. After just ten pages, Anthony Hopkins, who played the sophisticated, terrifyingly intelligent, cunning Dr. Hannibal Lecter, called Tally’s screenplay (via Variety):
“The best script I have ever read.”
As a seasoned actor with both stage and screen experience, Hopkins “knew exactly” how to approach the role. In 2021, Hopkins told GQ:
“’He knows how to scare people. One rule of naturalists when they’re confronting the great gorillas is don’t look at them..”
The Silence of the Lambs brought in $272 million worldwide, a remarkable amount of money for the time. The film genuinely accomplished feats on screen that no one had ever done before, giving our worst fears a new face and establishing the bar that would be set for generations to come.
The Silence of the Lambs is streaming on DIRECTV.
