Last year, I took a course
in “Story Design and Script Writing”. All the students were required to read
through the screenplay for “The Silence of the Lambs” and to watch the film (if
we could). I read the screenplay and watched the film. Several times. Something
felt off. Rewatching the film and rereading the screenplay did not reveal the
secret I was looking for, so I ventured to its Wikipedia page, hoping to find
information about the film’s development and reception to understand my
feelings. It apparently won numerous Oscars, including the Oscars for Best
Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, etc. Why?
I enjoyed the film. (I
did!) But what made it so special? What wasn’t I getting? Watching the film one
last time before bed, I decided that during this viewing, I would try something
interesting: I would attempt to watch the film from Hannibal Lecter’s
perspective. And it worked. My mind opened up. I finally understood the
brilliance of the film. I accepted the gospel…through my own unique interpretation.
A witty, clever man, down
on his luck, must escape to freedom by defeating numerous dimwitted opponents. How
didn’t I see it before?
“The Silence of the Lambs”
is a comedy, written by Hannibal Lecter himself.
