1991
Cast- Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Ted Levine, Scott Glenn
It was the top 5 Oscars – Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay
FBI trainee, Clarisse Starling is sent to interview Hannibal Lecter, the mass murderer, to see if he can help the FBI find the serial killer known as Buffalo Bill. When the daughter of an important Senator goes missing and Buffalo Bill is the suspect, time is short and Clarisse must rely on Hannibal’s help.
Why I love it – I think the number one reason I love this film is Anthony Hopkin’s chilling portrayal of Hannibal ‘the Cannibal’ Lecter. I could not tear my eyes away from his cold glare and his creepy voice. He is what most people remember about this movie and he is onscreen for only 16 minutes. How awesome do you have to be to win a Best Actor Oscar for only 16 minutes of face time?! I love his psychoanalysis of Clarisse and Buffalo Bill, even if I don’t exactly approve of his eating habits.
And a close second to why I love this movie is Jodie Foster’s tough, yet vulnerable Clarisse. She’s a woman in a male dominated field and it only makes her work harder. I love the scene in the car with her boss Crawford when she throws his apology for treating her differently in front of the men back in his face. She does not make a scene, but she does make her point.
This is a crime thriller, horror, suspenseful drama that has is all, if you can stomach a little gore. Okay, maybe more than a little. I loved the series Monk and it took me two full seasons to stop picturing Captain Stottlemeyer as the crazy, skin obsessed Buffalo Bill.
I loved watching this again last night. I had forgotten just how good it was. I’m including one of my favorite lines from the movie. When I order Chianti I still think of Hannibal 😉
Stacy's Books 
This is too scary for me!
You are not alone. I was surprised when I posted this movie on Monday how many had said they hadn’t seen it.
This movie makes me scared each and every time I watch it!!!
It really does has some of the most disturbing scenes. And it’s not just Hopkins. Buffalo Bill really freaked me out!
Only 16 minutes!!! I never realized that. I could have sworn his role dominated the movie. Well, it did, but not timewise. When you look at the definition of “on-the-edge-of-your-seat thriller”, this movie’s poster is right beside it. Deserved every award it won.
Edge of your seat thriller is right!
I agree with you and Susan. I would have never guessed he was in the movie for only 16 minutes. What a phenomenal actor! His scene,at the end, where he’s talking to Clarice and watching that man get off the plane is what sticks in my mind.
I love Anthony Hopkins. He is amazing in every movie… Legends of the Fall, Proof, Howard’s End and The Remains of The Day…just to name a few.
I’m seriously thinking about seeing The Wolfman because he’s in it even though I know it’ll scare the $%!# out of me :o)
That last scene and his last lines of the movie are classic. I don’t know about The Wolfman. I’m not a bog fan of big,scary creatures. Let me know what you think if you see it.
I loved this movie – and it scared me sleepless at night!
Then it did it’s job 😉
I’m SHOCKED that Hopkins was only on screen for 16 minutes! Hard to believe. He did make such an impression. That was a fantastic and very very scary movie. I’m so glad it got the Oscars it did … I thought they wouldn’t have the nerve to recognize it because of the subject matter. I bet they wouldn’t today though.
Hard to say if it would win today. It probably depends on what actors were in it. We’re willing to watch our favorites in anything.
I take it back…I now remember seeing this film edited for TV back in the mid nineties. Don’t remember much other than it creeped the heebie jeebies out of me! Anthony Hopkins will always do that to me!
Loved this movie!! Anthony Hopkins is such an awesome actor. The way he talked and his eyes, so chilling. Jodie Foster is good to. This is one of my top 10 movies.
I think I’ve catch a glimpse of this movie but not the whole thing. Too scary…