Much has been said about this classic horror film. The suspense packed flick has so many memorable qualities to it that it almost seems a daunting task to fully analyse such a masterpiece. And that is what this film truly is, a master class in screenwriting, directing and tactful acting that emboldens the roles being portrayed.
From the offset, we are introduced to our protagonist and audience avatar Clarice (Jodie Foster) as she rushes along an assault course through a huge dense forest. As the camera follows her along from behind we see her almost swallowed by the brash all encompassing woodland. Here Clarice is shown to be small, vulnerable even, yet at the same time plucky and determined. When ordered back to the FBI headquarters, we see her petite frame contrasted by her large and masculine male colleagues. She is constantly fighting to be noticed and not belittled by her dominant male counterparts. At numerous points throughout the film, she is often ostracized or left out of important matters (even by her lower ranked colleagues) because she is a young woman in an “old boys” type club. Because of this she has a feeling of inferiority, which forces her to try and be the first to act in situations of urgency. This weakness is set up and paid off subtly as the film plays out in a way that may require repeated viewings for some to fully grasp.
Likewise, the killer nicknamed Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine) is slowly introduced in a scattering of short scenes with only the smallest of information as to whom he might be. As we follow Clarice in her investigation, we as the audience only find out information just before, or in most cases, as she receives the information. Through this method of revelation we are as confused and repulsed as Clarice is by this killer on the loose. He remains (or at least seems) dangerous to us because he is dangerous to our avatar, Clarice.
This runs as an exact counter to the man helping Clarice in her investigation, the incarcerated convicted murderer and cannibal, Hannibal Lecture (Anthony Hopkins). As a former psychiatrist, he is seen as someone who may be able to help get into the mind of this new killer on the loose. As Lecture continues to help with the investigation he begins to gain more knowledge about Clarice herself. Whilst we know that Lecture is smart and extremely dangerous man, we, like Clarice, are lulled into a false sense of security in knowing that he is locked away, safely behind bars. And through this false sense of security, Clarice grants Lecture certain privileges that Lecture is able to manipulate to his own advantage. In order to rush for a solution to the Buffalo Bill problem, in order to prove her capabilities and worth, she allows herself to be taken advantage of and release an even greater threat on the world.
That’s not to say Clarice is a bad investigator or officer of the law though. At many points in the film she shows her capabilities in her focus on the smaller details. In her investigations, Clarice is able to deduce information that many other officers had managed to overlook. At one point, under the assumption that one of the victims may have known the killer, she goes through the woman’s personal possessions. She stops looking when she comes across a child’s ballerina jewellery box. Rather than thinking of it as just a sentimental or nostalgic ornament, Clarice looks fervour at the device. What she finds is a false top, an opening that contains intimate pictures of the victim undressing, suggesting that there was a secret lover, confirming her suspicions.
To be fair, the level of depth to this film is quite astounding. The level of character depth and the masterful way in which the story has been told mean that you could probably watch this movie a hundred times and get something different, new and exciting from it from each of these viewings. The surface has barely been scratched on this one, but from what I’ve already said, it’s certainly one I’d fully recommend.
