The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)

An FBI trainee (Jodie Foster) is assigned by her superior (Scott Glenn) to interrogate a cannibalistic serial killer (Anthony Hopkins) under maximum security in the hopes he may provide information that will help with the capture of another serial killer (Ted Levine) known as Buffalo Bill. Based on the novel by Thomas Harris and directed by Jonathan Demme. It's one of only a small handful of films that have won Oscars for best picture (the only "horror" film to date to have won), best director, best screenplay, best actress and best actor.  I hadn't seen SILENCE OF THE LAMBS for quite awhile and I'd forgotten what an impeccable film it is. It has lost none of its impact since its 1991 release. The film is infused with a sense of dread (aided by Howard Shore's superb score) that very few films can match. Foster's performance is flawless, a case of less is more and one can read the tiniest of emotions as they flutter across her face. Hopkins, of course, is one of the screen's great monsters as iconic as Lugosi's Dracula or Karloff's Frankenstein. For such a disturbing and distasteful and often graphic subject matter, Demme never crosses the line into bad taste or exploitation. The excellent supporting cast includes Diane Baker, Brooke Smith, Anthony Heald, Kasi Lemmons and Charles Napier.