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'The Silence of the Lambs' With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan

September 14, 2017 · The Silence of the Lambs (1991) · Crime · Drama · Horror · 1:07:30

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 19:13The extended sequence from Clarice visiting Lecter in jail through the dinner scene, guards attack, elevator, and ambulance escape - the entire 22-minute sequence
Chris Ryan▶ 18:58Lecter attacks the two guards with the opera playing in the background

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 24:32The concept of the two serial killers - a genius psychiatrist who kills and eats people, and Buffalo Bill. Also mentions the Hannibal Lecter mask/stretcher, night goggles as murder aid, the music, and the dual endings
Chris Ryan▶ 24:09The music, as a tribute to Jonathan Demme's skill at using music in movies - both the creepy, haunting score and the song choices

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 43:54Jonathan Demme — Yes for Anthony Hopkins, Ted Levine, and Jodie Foster. For Jonathan Demme, argues Silence of the Lambs over Stop Making Sense due to winning 5 Oscars.
Chris Ryan▶ 44:03Stop Making Sense — Yes for Anthony Hopkins and Ted Levine. For Jonathan Demme, prefers Stop Making Sense over Silence of the Lambs as his creative apex.

Picking Nits

Bill Simmons▶ 53:32Multiple nits: the two cops delivering a second meal should have been suspicious, Lecter's disguise in someone else's face/uniform being unnoticed, the confusing James Gunn identity switch, and the impossibility of swallowing your own tongue to death
Chris Ryan▶ 55:04Hester Moffat's ability to solve the 'look within yourself' clue to find the self-storage unit - how did she figure out that pun so easily

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 58:14What did Lecter say to get Miggs to kill himself; fake cum vs real cum; did Catherine Martin keep Precious; should Jodie Foster have done Hannibal sequel (no); was Jodie Foster good (prefers Michelle Pfeiffer); would watch Buffalo Bill prequel
Chris Ryan▶ 58:21Is it okay to root for Hannibal Lecter (yes, one of five worst people ever rooted for); would watch Buffalo Bill prequel; Jodie Foster was great in the role, better than Michelle Pfeiffer would have been

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:02:23Anthony Hopkins
Chris Ryan▶ 1:02:24Jonathan Demme

Movies Referenced (45)

Cape Fear (1991)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 5:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Miami Vice (2006)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 10:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Misery (1990)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 8:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Philadelphia (1993)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 26:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Married to the Mob (1988)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 9:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Panic Room (2002)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 45:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Red Dragon (2002)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 32:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sleeping with the Enemy (1991)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 9:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Zodiac (2007)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 38:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Basic Instinct (1992)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 8:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fatal Attraction (1987)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 9:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Halloween (1978)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 8:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (12)

Jonathan Demme

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married▶ 6:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Corman

3 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Silence of the Lambs, Apollo 13, Little Shop of Horrors▶ 9:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mel Gibson

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Braveheart, Conspiracy Theory▶ 11:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Barry Levinson

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Rain Man, Wag the Dog▶ 7:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Corner

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Saint, Open Your Eyes▶ 33:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Singleton

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Boyz n the Hood, Four Brothers▶ 6:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Oliver Stone

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Born on the Fourth of July, Platoon, JFK▶ 7:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Richard Fearless

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Lost in Space, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, The Replacement Killers▶ 5:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ridley Scott

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Martian, Blade Runner▶ 7:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Spike Lee

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, She's Gotta Have It▶ 38:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ted Demme

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Blow, Beautiful Girls▶ 1:02:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Warren Beatty

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Heaven Can Wait▶ 7:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (62)

Anthony Hopkins

19 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Silence of the Lambs▶ 4:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jodie Foster

16 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Silence of the Lambs, Taxi Driver▶ 4:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gene Hackman

11 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for The French Connection, The Royal Tenenbaums, Unforgiven▶ 14:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ted Levine

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Silence of the Lambs, Shutter Island, Heat▶ 7:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Migs Govea

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Ocean's Eight, Motherless Brooklyn▶ 47:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Scott Glenn

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Hunt for Red October, Sucker Punch, The Bourne Legacy▶ 14:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michelle Pfeiffer

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for What Lies Beneath▶ 16:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Denzel Washington

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 2:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ed Harris

5 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Truman Show▶ 16:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert De Niro

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Cape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver▶ 4:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sean Connery

5 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Dr. No, The Untouchables, The Rock▶ 4:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Charles Napier

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Silence of the Lambs, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery▶ 42:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (4)

William Goldman

5 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men, The Princess Bride▶ 39:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Stephen King

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Maximum Overdrive▶ 5:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Colin Trevorrow

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Jurassic World, Deep Cover▶ 10:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jim Starlin

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Guardians of the Galaxy, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings▶ 1:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Anthony Gumbs

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for War Dogs, Ride Along 2▶ 51:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗