Book Vs Movie
The Silence of the Lambs
Thomas Harris’s 1988 Novel Vs the 1991 Classic Film
The Margos are closing out our Halloween episodes with one of the best films about a serial killer of all time--The Silence of the Lambs. The Thomas Harris book was released in 1988 and is a sequel to 1981’s Red Dragon (which is the basis for the 1986 movie Manhunter and the 2002 remake Red Dragon.)
There is also an origin story about Hannibal Lechter in 2007’s Hannibal Rising and a TV series called Hannibal (NBC TV 2013-2015) which uses many of the original Red Dragon characters but set in more modern times. Confused? Don’t worry, we stick to the Jonathan Demme-directed film for this episode.
The story features FBI trainee Clarice Starling (played by Jodie Foster in this film) who meets convicted killer Hannibal Lechter and with his guidance--finds the serial killer named “Buffalo Bill” before he is to kill Catherine Martin (Brooke Smith.) (Spoiler!)
Anthony Hopkins is (perhaps) the most celebrated version of Hannibal Lechter and the film not only made millions at the box office at a usually quiet time of year (released February 14, 1991) but there were multiple awards for the cast and crew from the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, and the BAFTAs over a year after its release.
Listen to this episode to hear us talk about the novel & film while we decide which we like better.
In this ep the Margos discuss:
- The reclusive life of author Thomas Harris
- Major changes between the 1988 book and the 1991 film
- The controversies that still surround the film 30 years later (and how Jonathan Demme felt about the character of Jame Gumb)
- The incredible art direction of the prisons
- The cast: Jodie Foster (Clarice Starling,) Kasi Lemmons (Ardelia Mapp,) Scott Glenn (Jack Crawford,) Frankie Faison (Barney,) Anthony Hopkins (Dr. Hannibal Lechter,) Anthony Heald (Chilton,) Ted Levine (Jame Gumb,) and Chris Isaak (hunky FBI guy.)
Clips used:
- The Silence of the Lambs trailer
- Clarice meets Dr. Lechter
- Jame Gumb with Catherine
- Clarice visits Dr. Lechter at the courthouse/jail
- The last scene
- The Silence of the Lambs score by Howard Shore
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/