Silence Of The Lambs Suspense

Suspense is an element of fiction building on foreshadowing and other aspects of fiction that creates a tense, anxious, or excitement. I chose the film Silence of the Lambs to describe suspense because this film in particular touched me in a suspenseful way. The basis of the movie in itself is suspenseful; police investigations and attempts at stopping a serial killer who is at large creates an exciting atmosphere. Its themes also create some suspenseful aspects to the film that are also applicable to life. The themes present in this film include gender--the main character is a female FBI agent, making her a minority and a kind of outcast in certain situations, who also faces some harassment due to her gender--and manipulation. Another theme …show more content…
The point of view shot occurs multiple times throughout the film; one instance where this occurs is Clarice Starling’s point of view is used when she enters a new area, which depicts her being in unfamiliar territory and creates an uneasy feeling. Another type of shot used is the close-up, which shows the character’s emotions. One excellent example of the use of close-ups is when Starling is going to see Hannibal Lecter for the first time and she is shown a picture of a nurse he attacked. In this case, the picture is not shown, but the audience can still understand the horrid nature of what she sees because of her expressions that have been magnified with the camera angle. Another case where camera angle emphasizes the suspenseful nature of the film is when Starling starts to share some of her personal information and break other rules with Lecter: as she is talking, the shot shows her with Lecter’s reflection close to her, depicting that he is getting into her …show more content…
It creates suspense through the way things are portrayed and emotions are shared using camera angles. Lighting is important to show how it changes a situation, and it shows what its absence does to build on an intense situation. Most importantly to the character of Clarice Starling, the film finds a way to enhance her story, including her history, through suspense. The themes present in Silence of the Lambs are parts of life that everyone must deal with to some degree; the underlying message of the struggles portrayed is about how different situations create the people we are, for better or worse, and there are certain things that are an inevitable part of life. Gender roles and restrictions due to gender affect everyone, male and female. Along with this, there is the struggle to prove yourself and form an identity that people go through as they get older and pursue their careers. Simply put, I chose this film to analyze suspense because it is interesting and made me think. The things present in Silence of the Lambs are real, and things that happen everyday: murderers and psychopaths exist in our world, and there is the possibility that anyone could get somehow involved with them and become a tool for manipulation or worse. To sum up, Silence of the Lambs is a great example of suspense being produced through aspects of