Blu-ray Movie Reviews

A vicious psychopath is murdering women throughout the Midwest. Believing it takes one to know one, the F.B.I. sends Agent Clarice Starling to interview a prisoner who may provide clues to the killer's actions. That prisoner is Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant, demented cannibal who agrees to help Starling only if she'll feed his morbid curiosity with details of her own complicated life. But as their relationship develops, Starling is forced to confront not only her own hidden demons... but also an evil so powerful that she may not have the courage or strength to stop it.

Arguably one of the best thrillers of all time and the most popular serial killer film of all time, Silence of the Lambs finally makes its way to Blu-ray after a bit of a setback last year. We’ve seen several films dealing with the infamous Hannibal Lector and this is by far the gem of the bunch. Demme did an astonishing job bringing this best seller to the screen and the performances by Foster and Hopkins both more than justified their Academy Award statuettes. Now if only we could get the rest of the films on Blu…

I’ve owned several different DVD versions of this film and none of them have looked this good. The print does show some minor wear and tear but compression artifacts are nowhere to be found giving this presentation a far cleaner look than the DVDs before it. Fine detail is excellent in close ups but most of the medium to long shots are on the softer side. Colors are a bit muted and show their age but contrast levels are pretty strong. The image has a nice dimensional quality and depth is satisfying. While I think this one could use a new polish, it still looks considerably better than the DVDs before it.

The 5.1 mix is engaging enough and I love how the sound designers didn’t go overboard with this one. The ambiance and quiet chill of the film help the mood tremendously and I love the film’s score. Imaging across the main soundstage is excellent and the surrounds do a good job of putting you in the moment without calling too much attention to themselves. Dialogue is devoid of strain and has a nice, natural timbre balance.

Originally this was announced last year and was a bare bones release. Thankfully this edition has a nice assortment of the extras previously released on the special edition DVD. This includes a look at the production and adapting the material to the screen. You also get some insight into the criminally insane, interviews with the cast and some deleted scenes and outtakes. The trailer is also provided along with the TV spots.

This is still a brilliant film and holds up today just as well as it did when it was released. Fox has done a good job with the presentation making this an easy recommendation for any collector’s shelf.