THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS 4K Review: Nerve Jangling, To Say the Least

"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti."

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
The film is now available in a three-disc 4K+Blu-ray edition from The Criterion Collection. It is also available on Blu-ray, as well as on DVD.

Spine #13 gets an upgrade.

Originally released by the Criterion Collection on DVD in June 1998, I purchased my copy soon thereafter and luxuriated in the details, especially the audio commentary, featuring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, director Jonathan Demme, writer Ted Tally, and FBI Behavioral Services agent and consultant John Douglas.

I became so fascinated by serial killers that I bought (and devoured) Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker, first published in 1995. Eventually, I moved on to other things, and my DVD copy and the book disappeared at some point from my personal collection -- either sold or lost in a move.

Criterion upgraded with a Blu-ray edition in 2018, which our own Michele "Izzy" Galgana" reviewed at the time, covering all the bases of the film and the supplements.

Eight years later, Criterion has now released an edition in 4k, utilizing their own 4K digital restoration, supervised by director of photography Tak Fujimoto. Director Jonathan Demme passed away in 2017; in my obituary for the filmmaker, I noted: "The Silence of the Lambs was a shock to the system, a horror picture that crept under the skin with unwavering certitude."

Watching the 4K edition twice (so far) has only confirmed my opinion double-fold. It's a film that is immediately gripping, especially once Hannibal Lektor (Anthony Hopkins) is introduced, who spooks FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) and this viewer. The menace grows ever greater as the film moves relentlessly forward, to the point that by the end of the movie, I needed the final scene to remind me to breathe again.

If you've never seen it and doubt its reputation as a superbly performed, harrowing horror thriller, well, ignore the hype and watch it for yourself. And don't forget to breathe once in a while.

Using our previously-noted review by Izzy as our comparison point, here is what is included.

The 4K includes the film and the commentary. One Blu-ray is devoted to the film itself and the commentary. The picture looks superb; even though there are many shadows and many gritty moments, the many, many images of human skin -- on living and dead bodies -- looks splendidly healthy and/or horrifyingly morbid.

When the screen goes black, it is entirely black, to startling effect. The 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack sounds superb, and Howard Shore's horror soundtrack is spectacularly moody. (I'd forgotten how much the music contributes to the unsettling mood. It's truly dark and awesome!)

-- Audio commentary, originally recorded in 1994 in mono for the DVD edition, is included on both the 4K and Blu-ray discs. My note above mentions the participants, and I'll add that it's a superb commentary track, with each separately-recorded participant adding something different, and from their individual perspective. (I especially enjoy hearing Jodie Foster's comments, especially since I thoroughly enjoyed her portion of the commentary for Martin Scorsese's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974).

An alternate 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack is also included. I've not yet watched with that option selected.

The first Blu-ray version features the film and three supplemental features, which were previously included with the 2018 release:

-- "Deleted Scenes" (38 min.) Of limited video quality.

-- "Maitland McDonagh" (18 min.) Recorded in 2017. The critic goes into detail on the genre and the film.

-- Trailer (1:49) Excellent trailer sells the movie without giving away major plot points.

The other Blu-ray contains seven more supplemental features, most of which (possibly all?) were previously included with the 2018 release. I've not yet been able to watch all of these, but plan to Real Soon Now.

-- "Jonathan Demme and Jodie Foster" (52:30) Three-part documentary by the excellent filmmaker Laurent Bouzereau, including interviews with Demme and Foster.

-- "Inside the Labyrinth" (1:06.25) Documentary from 2001 by Jeffrey Schwartz, including interviews with Demme, Foster, Hopkins, and a number of crew members.

-- "Page to Screen" (41:07) Bravo television program from 2002, with members of the cast and crew discussing the film.

-- "Scoring 'The Silence'" (16:00) Interview with composer Howard Shore from 2004.

-- "Understanding the Madness" (19:33) Made in 2008, the program features interviews with six retired FBI agents.

-- "Behind the Scenes Featurette" (8:07) Standard promo piece features Foster, Hopkins, and Demme.

-- "Storyboards" (4:11) Illustrated by artist Kalina Ivanov.

The handsome 64-page printed booklet includes, as on the 2018 Blu-ray only version, an introduction by Foster and an essay by critic Amy Taubin, pieces from 2000 and 2013 by author Thomas Harris on the origins of the character Hannibal Lecter, and a 1991 interview with Demme.

New for the 2026 edition is an excellent essay by critics Caden Mark Gardner and Willow Catelyn Maclay, "Reckoning with Jame Gumb."

The video below gives a sample of the video quality and the audio commentary. This is an excellent disc, with a beautifully rendered 4K transfer, and endless replay potential.