BFI Modern Classics: Silence of the Lambs by Yvonne Tasker
This was the first BFI Modern Classics book I’ve read, and I
decided to read Tasker’s Silence of the Lambs analysis after recently
reading David M. Stewart’s excellent Demme biography There’s No Going Back.
I haven’t watched Silence of the Lambs for some time, but I did read and
watch Red Dragon and Manhunter about 2 summers ago, so it seemed
like a good time to revisit this classic film and read up on some analysis of
the film. In re-watching the film after reading Stewart’s book, I was struck by
all of the amazing cinematography in the film, as well as the incredible
editing that leads to a brisk and engaging pace towards the end of the film. This
is truly one of the best films of the 90s and arguably one of the best horror/thriller
films. Rewatching the film also made me appreciate Tasker’s analysis of the
film’s themes, symbols, and groundbreaking story at the time. Furthermore,
Tasker analyzes not just the film, but contrasts it with the book to show what
elements were either left out, emphasized, or adjusted for the purpose of the
film. Tasker walks through the film’s chronology, but also emphasizes certain
elements in each chapter. Chapter 1 examines the symbolic nature of the film, looking
at birds, lambs, and butterflies. I didn’t even think about Starling’s name,
and how that represents the idea of a bird, something that is sometimes free to
roam, but at other times hunted or in a cage. The lamb and butterfly symbolism
are a little more apparent, but Tasker provides a useful and insightful
analysis in understanding how these symbols function in the overall narrative
and themes of the film, as well as how the visual imagery of the film helps to
further highlight and emphasize the meaning.
Chapter 2 was particularly interesting as Tasker notes how this
film helped to launch the female investigator films that often copied from Silence
of the Lambs. While the book was written in the early 2000s, and includes
films like Copycat and The Cell, I also thought about Longlegs,
which not only takes place around the same time as Silence of the Lambs,
but shared a similar visual aesthetic with the film. One of the other elements
of Silence that stood out to me on this re-watch was how much Starling
was scrutinized as a woman, not just as a cadet. There are several scenes in
the film where Demme uses an eye-line match to have the audience experience men
staring at her with questioning or skeptical eyes. I was amazed by how many
close-up and eye-line match shots there are throughout the film, which enabled
viewers to build a kind of empathy and understanding with Starling.
Chapter 4 was also interesting in that it presented the dichotomy
between the settings for the film, shifting between the modernist settings like
the FBI offices and the more gothic settings like Lecter’s cells and Gumb’s
(Buffalo Bill) home. Tasker notes the idea of female gothic, and how gothic
settings are often presented as places of disturbances and disorientation, but
in both gothic settings, there are paths to understanding or further journeys. Tasker
notes the stairs that lead to an undisclosed location in Lecter’s basement
cell, as well as the labyrinth like arrangement of Bill’s basement. Both places
push Starling to uncomfortable and even dangerous interactions, but enable her
to “look deep within” to put clues together and solve the mystery. The last
chapter focuses on touch and skin, which I was also glad to read since I
noticed that both Lecter and Director Crawford touch Starling’s hand, while the
camera focuses a closeup on these interactions. Tasker notes the psychoanalytic
qualities of these interactions, and how they lead back to Starling’s memories
of her father, and how Lecter and Crawford serve as different types of father
figures for her.
In addition to the thoughtful and detailed analysis of the
film, the book features amazing color photos from the film that highlight some
of the shots, symbols and scenes that Tasker references in her analysis. This
was also helpful in understanding her analysis and looking at some of the
amazing images from the film. I really enjoyed reading this analysis, and I’m
looking forward to reading a few other of these BFI Modern Classics from my
library. This is a great, short selection to read if you are a fan of films,
and especially if you want to explore some interesting and thoughtful interpretations
of this amazing film.
No comments:
Post a Comment