“The Silence of the Lambs”: A Timeless Masterpiece Turns 30
30 years ago last month, Jonathan Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs was released in theaters. The film adaptation of Thomas Harris’s novel grossed a staggering $273 million and become the third (and most recent) film to sweep the “Big Five” Oscar categories. Three decades later, it is rightfully regarded as one of the best films ever made — but it is not without controversy.
The Development, Release, and Initial Reception
The story of The Silence of the Lambs really begins in 1981, a full decade before the film premiered. That year, Thomas Harris published the novel Red Dragon, which chronicled the relationship between FBI agent Will Graham and cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter. The novel received a warm reception from critics and readers and was subsequently adapted into a 1986 film directed by Michael Mann entitled Manhunter. The film starred William Peterson (who later headlined the CBS blockbuster CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) as Graham and Brian Cox (currently scoring acclaim for his role on HBO’s Succession) as Lecter. The film received mixed reviews and generated little excitement at the box office, but has developed a cult following in the intervening years.
Despite the tepid initial reception to the film, the success of the novel led Harris to continue the saga of Hannibal…
