The Silence of the Lambs

The Silence of the Lambs

1991

Does anyone know who Alfred Packer is? For those of you who do not, it is time for a history lesson! That’s just what you wanted, right? Of course! Alfred Packer was a prospector back in the 1800’s. He is also said to be the only person in the United States to be convicted of cannibalism. While wandering throughout the Rocky Mountains with five other men, Packer and his team become extremely lost. Let’s just being lost and snow filled mountains are not a fun combination. Especially when you run out of supplies. It is definitely not pleasant when one of your team members is a crazy man who doesn’t mind munching down on you for a snack. Technically, Packer was imprisoned for manslaughter, as they couldn’t prove that he actually ate his comrades. However, his legend lives on. He’s become infamous and even the University of Colorado at Boulder named a cafeteria grill the “Alfred G Packer Memorial Grill” so that you can “have a friend for lunch!” Coloradians are weird, weird people.

So what does Alfred Packer have to do with The Silence of the Lambs? Well, really, nothing.

Don’t worry. I didn’t give you a large introduction that had absolutely nothing to do with the subject at hand. That wouldn’t be too surprising though, knowing my track record on staying on track. You’re very lucky I didn’t begin by ranting about squirrels or squashes or sasquatches or squirrel sasquatches or sasquatches squashing squirrels or… Where was I?

Right. Cannibalism. Hannibal Lector is one. Hannibal the cannibal. How clever. Fun fact! Hannibal Lector is not a real person! I did not think this at all when I was a child. Nope. Not even. What kind of name is Hannibal anyway? If you name your child that, you are practically asking for them to start making a meal out of their fellow human beings. Just don’t do it.

Hannibal is an insane, yet brilliant man who is imprisoned for the murder and consumption of many people. He is locked away in maximum security prison and left alone from the world. Until the FBI needs his help. A new serial killer is on the loose, and they require the insight only a man like Lector could give them. However, this help comes at a dear cost.

And that’s all you get to know! No, I am not being lazy because it’s one ten in the morning and I am tired and want to go to sleep and don’t feel like going through exactly what happens in this movie. Well. I am. But that’s not the only reason I’m stopping there! If I tell you exactly what happens, it ruins the movie! This is a movie I personally think is worth seeing, if you enjoy the serial killer mystery freaky kind of movies. Which I do. 

Another fun fact! This movie was the most recent of the only three movies to ever win all five major Academy Awards. The catagories considered to be major are Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Screenplay (either adapted or original. Obviously it cannot win both.) and Best Picture. Only two other movies besides this one have achieved this goal: It Happened One Night and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. It deserved each of these awards, particularly Best Actor. Anthony Hopkins brought Hannibal Lector to life in a most terrifying and creepy way that will likely cause me to lose sleep tonight due to the fact I’ll be worried a crazed man wants to eat my internal organs. Not a fun thought, let me tell you. I rather like my kidneys. I do believe most people are rather fond of them. Except maybe Coloradians. Weirdos.