32. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Directed by Jonathan Demme
Screenplay by Ted Tally from the novel by Thomas Harris
Starring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, and Ted Levine
Oscar Nominations: 7 Oscar Wins: 5 (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actress Jodie Foster, Best Actor Anthony Hopkins)
I'm going to start out by saying that Anthony Hopkins is in the film for only about 24 minutes. It seems like a lot more but it's true. That is why the role is so memorable and why some of the later Hannibal Lecter films fail, over-exposure. Hannibal Lecter is one of those film characters that makes the audience uncomfortable and yet he has an air amount him that you can't help but pay attention to. He's humanized but not to the point where you can start sympathizing with him. That would be almost unforgivable. No, it's only to the point where you know this monster is a human being and there's no getting around that. The terrific part of Silence is that everyone is so human and so obsessed. Lecter is obsessed with getting out or at least getting a window. Clarice is obsessed with getting into the FBI to the point where she does some pretty stupid stuff over the course of the film. I mean some really stupid stuff that's over-shadowed by some brilliant stuff. Jack Crawford is obsessed with catching the serial killer. Chilton is obsessed with making himself look competent and failing in every way possible. The characters are so human that they work.
One of the things that I enjoy about The Silence of the Lambs is some of the suspense scenes. Any of Clarice's interviews with Lecter leave the audience breathless since you never know what the hell's going to happen. In fact, any of the scenes with Lecter do that since the character is so methodical that you don't know if he's running a massive Xanatos Gambit or if he's actually just messing with someone's head. For that matter, the ending scene between Clarice and Buffalo Bill is very intense. The kind of movie you've been watching, you seriously don't know if Clarice will live or die and that is what makes this movie grand, such delicious suspense that you can eat it up with a spoon.
31. Young Frankenstein (1974)
Directed by Mel Brooks
Screenplay by Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder
Starring Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Teri Garr, Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman, Kenneth Mars, and Gene Hackman
Oscar Nominations: 2
Mel Brooks is a comedy genius and no where is that more evident than in Young Frankenstein. While many of his later films were just parodies of various movies, Young Frankenstein was a parody of just one and it's a classic. One of the things that just makes this movie work well on so many levels is that the humor is often absurd but it's consistent in that but it also has some more grounded comedy to it as well. The writing is the best part of the film really. Dialogue, singing, everything. I dunno, the humor is often a natural reaction to what came before.
The actor's must be given their dues as well. Cloris Leachmean, ah Cloris, you rock so hardcore. I mean, there is just so many reasons that you are awesome in this movie but let's look at one big one: Horses. The art of the running joke. Enough said. Madeline Khan continues to be awesome in anything she does. The Monster, Peter Doyle is so beautiful as the monster. I mean, a character who really just growls for like half the movie is one of the best. That's the earmark of a great actor and great writing. Gene Wilder as the Doctor is also a great but it's the mark of a great movie when the lead actor who is phenominal, is still not the best part of the movie.
Next time: "The whole book's gender-biased. A woman's responsible for original sin. A woman cuts Samson's coif of power. A woman asks for the head of John the Baptist. Read that book again sometime. Women are painted as bigger antagonists than the Egyptians and Romans combined." "Compared to Clouseau, this doomsday machine is a water pistol!"
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