In the film The Silence of the Lambs directed by Jonathan Demme, there are two characters that are of mayor concern because of their characteristics as a person, which obviously are related to the way in which each of their minds or psychologies work. These two characters are Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter, they both have in different degrees what can be called “Abnormal Psychologies” that when are crossed pull out a perfect psychological thriller.
Clarice Starling, for her dominant characteristics in personality is portrayed to us as a person that pushes herself to the limits, which in a further future might cause her to break instead of bend. Starling is an athletic person, strong and very determined person with a fragile and small physical appearance, this is shown to us every time that she is set on a shot in which she is surrounded by big men, so she looks even more delicate; yet this might be the reason why she pushes herself to be strong in the flesh, but more important is the fact that she becomes mentally strong, making a balance for her facade. Trough elements of the plot and dialogue, especially when she is opposed to Dr. Chilton a caricaturesque womanizer, we learn that Clarice is a respectful, extremely professional and very intelligent and smart person; because when she is opposed to Dr. Chilton we see the big difference between them, and we are pulled to sympathize with her for her superior ways, a very persuasive way of action used by the director to bring her up to a pedestal. Clarice Starling is also a very resourceful and thoughtful person, she thinks in the possible outcomes of her actions and so, she takes action to secure her future welt; this is clearly seen in the scene in which Clarice goes to a place referred as Myself. Even though, Clarice appears to be fearless and very determined to be the best, which is introduced to us at the beginning of the film when in her training we see some white signs with black letters that say: Hurt, Agony, Pain > Love-It, she is up to the point when she meats with Dr. Lecter, when she is with him she has a naked soul and reveals to Hannibal that inside, she is insecure and scared. Nonetheless, is obvious that Clarice Staling will stand up for whatever she belief is right.
On the other hand, there is Dr. Hannibal Lecter a brilliant and cunning person, devoted to the act of anthropophagic ways, delighted with the taste of human blood and flesh, yet very sensible to the most sublime feelings. Dr. Lecter is the mixture of savage basic instincts and a bright and lucid mind. He is a very perceptive person with an almost supernatural sense of smell. Lecter notices very small details as we see in the scene in which Clarice shows him her credentials, and after looking at them for a few seconds he says that the credentials have one week before they expire. His looks are not very threatening, but he indeed is a very dangerous person, as is implied when we see him at the end of the cells containing very mad individuals. Dr. Lecter has a piercing look, as if he could see through your soul without any problem, he likes to tease people and make them feel bad for his own amusement. Dr. Lecter is a madman with incredible abilities of mind manipulation; he is an extremely knowledgeable and cultured man, yet with a twisted mind and interestingly enough, with a moral and ethic code, very strong, but weird. Lecter makes reference to the bright Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius saying some of his words “What are things in itself?” knowing this, is clear that the reason because Lecter kills is because in itself, he is a person that likes the taste of the better things in life, in this paper opinion his trend of though is very similar to the samurai warriors, who find extreme beauty in death. Hannibal Lecter is the perfect dichotomy; a mixture between violence, brute, savagery and death and a strong sensitivity for music, poetry, painting, (the high arts in general) and outstanding devotion for beauty. For the author of this paper, along with Jack Torrance (The Shining), Alexander the Large (A Clockwork Orange), Patrick Bateman (American Psycho), Annie Wilkes (Misery) and Mr. Blonde/Vic Vega (Reservoir Dogs) among others; Dr. Hannibal Lecter is my favorite psychotic person.
Aside from this, it is important to note the dynamics that are present in the relation ships between Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter in the film. Their relationship dynamic is actually very simple, they are both trying to manipulate each other’s minds, Clarice does it in a very humble and submissive way and Lecter does it so openly that it seems as if he is not doing it. Clarice admires Dr. Lecter and Lecter respects Clarice, because he sees some potential in her, also he likes her. They have what can be called a morbid-affective relationship, which might become sadistic-masochistic. Clarice enjoys spending time with Lecter and Lecter knows it, so he seduces her in his own perverse way. The reasons why they keep up with their relationship is because at first Clarice needs to gain Lecter’s confidence in order to gain a better insight into the twisted mind of the killer by talking to another psychopath and finally catching “Buffalo Bill”, but then she is just seduced by Lecter and I dare to say she might fall for him, the same goes for Hannibal, but with the difference that at the beginning Dr. Lecter enjoys her company because he likes to make a psychological analysis of her, and because he loves to say nasty things about her and her past in order to make her feel and, by this he is amused with the mental pain of another. All of these facts: the dynamics of their relationship, the cinematography, acting, plot construction and dialogue, and the reasons the do things for make The Silence of the Lambs a very terrifying movie with an incredible suspense based on the fact that generally we don’t quite understand and are interested to know the ways in which a mind with an “Abnormal Psychology” works. We never know what going to happen next.
Clarice Starling, for her dominant characteristics in personality is portrayed to us as a person that pushes herself to the limits, which in a further future might cause her to break instead of bend. Starling is an athletic person, strong and very determined person with a fragile and small physical appearance, this is shown to us every time that she is set on a shot in which she is surrounded by big men, so she looks even more delicate; yet this might be the reason why she pushes herself to be strong in the flesh, but more important is the fact that she becomes mentally strong, making a balance for her facade. Trough elements of the plot and dialogue, especially when she is opposed to Dr. Chilton a caricaturesque womanizer, we learn that Clarice is a respectful, extremely professional and very intelligent and smart person; because when she is opposed to Dr. Chilton we see the big difference between them, and we are pulled to sympathize with her for her superior ways, a very persuasive way of action used by the director to bring her up to a pedestal. Clarice Starling is also a very resourceful and thoughtful person, she thinks in the possible outcomes of her actions and so, she takes action to secure her future welt; this is clearly seen in the scene in which Clarice goes to a place referred as Myself. Even though, Clarice appears to be fearless and very determined to be the best, which is introduced to us at the beginning of the film when in her training we see some white signs with black letters that say: Hurt, Agony, Pain > Love-It, she is up to the point when she meats with Dr. Lecter, when she is with him she has a naked soul and reveals to Hannibal that inside, she is insecure and scared. Nonetheless, is obvious that Clarice Staling will stand up for whatever she belief is right.
On the other hand, there is Dr. Hannibal Lecter a brilliant and cunning person, devoted to the act of anthropophagic ways, delighted with the taste of human blood and flesh, yet very sensible to the most sublime feelings. Dr. Lecter is the mixture of savage basic instincts and a bright and lucid mind. He is a very perceptive person with an almost supernatural sense of smell. Lecter notices very small details as we see in the scene in which Clarice shows him her credentials, and after looking at them for a few seconds he says that the credentials have one week before they expire. His looks are not very threatening, but he indeed is a very dangerous person, as is implied when we see him at the end of the cells containing very mad individuals. Dr. Lecter has a piercing look, as if he could see through your soul without any problem, he likes to tease people and make them feel bad for his own amusement. Dr. Lecter is a madman with incredible abilities of mind manipulation; he is an extremely knowledgeable and cultured man, yet with a twisted mind and interestingly enough, with a moral and ethic code, very strong, but weird. Lecter makes reference to the bright Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius saying some of his words “What are things in itself?” knowing this, is clear that the reason because Lecter kills is because in itself, he is a person that likes the taste of the better things in life, in this paper opinion his trend of though is very similar to the samurai warriors, who find extreme beauty in death. Hannibal Lecter is the perfect dichotomy; a mixture between violence, brute, savagery and death and a strong sensitivity for music, poetry, painting, (the high arts in general) and outstanding devotion for beauty. For the author of this paper, along with Jack Torrance (The Shining), Alexander the Large (A Clockwork Orange), Patrick Bateman (American Psycho), Annie Wilkes (Misery) and Mr. Blonde/Vic Vega (Reservoir Dogs) among others; Dr. Hannibal Lecter is my favorite psychotic person.
Aside from this, it is important to note the dynamics that are present in the relation ships between Clarice Starling and Hannibal Lecter in the film. Their relationship dynamic is actually very simple, they are both trying to manipulate each other’s minds, Clarice does it in a very humble and submissive way and Lecter does it so openly that it seems as if he is not doing it. Clarice admires Dr. Lecter and Lecter respects Clarice, because he sees some potential in her, also he likes her. They have what can be called a morbid-affective relationship, which might become sadistic-masochistic. Clarice enjoys spending time with Lecter and Lecter knows it, so he seduces her in his own perverse way. The reasons why they keep up with their relationship is because at first Clarice needs to gain Lecter’s confidence in order to gain a better insight into the twisted mind of the killer by talking to another psychopath and finally catching “Buffalo Bill”, but then she is just seduced by Lecter and I dare to say she might fall for him, the same goes for Hannibal, but with the difference that at the beginning Dr. Lecter enjoys her company because he likes to make a psychological analysis of her, and because he loves to say nasty things about her and her past in order to make her feel and, by this he is amused with the mental pain of another. All of these facts: the dynamics of their relationship, the cinematography, acting, plot construction and dialogue, and the reasons the do things for make The Silence of the Lambs a very terrifying movie with an incredible suspense based on the fact that generally we don’t quite understand and are interested to know the ways in which a mind with an “Abnormal Psychology” works. We never know what going to happen next.
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