Episode 250: THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991)

Content warning: Depictions of abuse and violence toward women and transgender people. The atrocities committed by Buffalo Bill, a serial killer known for skinning his victims, make up only some of the injustices outlined in THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, director Jonathan Demme’s adaptation of Thomas Harris’s novel. Among the others: Stunted actualization, systemic removal of agency, and a culture-wide lack of empathy. In this episode, we discuss the motivations of Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins in his most iconic role) as he shepherds Clarice Starling (a thoroughly empathetic Jodie Foster) along the path to Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine in plurality). In achieving full actualization – a comprehensive marriage of form and theme – THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS casts a stylized and sensational, pointed and restrained (but not always fair or friendly) eye toward the people who are ‘allowed’ to capital-B Become and those who must do it the hard way. “A Farewell to Horses” by Natalie Marlin for Perisphere, the Trylon blog: https://www.perisphere.org/2023/10/22/a-farewell-to-horses/ Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/trylovepodcast and email us at trylovepodcast@gmail.com to get in touch! Buy tickets and support the Trylon at https://www.trylon.org/. Theme: "Raindrops" by Huma-Huma/"No Smoking" PSA by John Waters. "Goodbye Horses" by Q Lazzarus as featured in THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. Timestamps 0:00 - Episode 250: THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991) 2:00 - The Patented Aaron Grossman Summary (under exclusive license from AG Enterprises 3:17 - Humanizing 8:59 - Film mechanics in concert with its themes 14:57 - Learning about the monster(s) with a sense of restraint 20:59 - Recognizing agency (or the absence of it) in others 39:21 - Clarice Starling 50:52 - Mom said it’s my turn on the Actualization 58:12 - The Junk Drawer 1:05:31 - Good Grief, Give Me a GIF! 1:11:57 - Cody’s Noteys: Darlove, a Movie Poo-dcast (Darla the acting Bichon Frise trivia)