Silence of the Lambs is a psychological horror directed by Jonathon Demme, which is focused on the infamous character of Hannibal Lecter, created by the author Thomas Harris. Within the opening sequence, the audience is introduced to the main character Clarice Starling, as well as the character of Jack Crawford.
The audience are met with the visual image of dark, secluded woodland area, until a woman appears pulling herself up using a rope. This image is accompanied by the non diegetic audio of slow paced music as well as the diegetic audio of crickets chirping and heavy breaths, which creates suspense amongst the audience as they are offered no explanation to the scene unfolding in front of them, which could lead them to feel afraid of what could happen next. The camera appears to be slowly stalking Jodie Foster's character through the woods as she continues to run, with no other people apparently in sight, which would lead them to assume that this character is isolated. Isolation is often considered a convention of the horror genre as it plays on the fear, that some members of the audience may have, of being alone. Although eventually, the audience are able to realise that Clarice is running through a course that contains many obstacles, which arguably could foreshadow later events.
As she is shown to be making her way to Jack Crawford's office,
a tracking shot is used to follow her, and the audience are able to observe Clarice's body language. She walks with her hands held behind her back which could suggest that she is feeling anxious which could in turn cause the audience to also feel the same way.
A medium shot shows her entering the office, and she looks around as she waits for Crawford to arrive, and her eyes wander to the board of newspaper articles and photos in relation to a "Buffalo Bill" which is the name for a serial killer that is yet to be caught. The audience are made aware of the nature of Buffalo Bill's character as a newspaper article heading reads "Bill Skins Fifth". The article is accompanied by a multitude of horrific images. The non diegetic audio is parallel to the visual image and builds suspense amongst the audience, as it is slow and eerie. It is also at this moment that a zoom is used to focus on Clarice's expression of deep concern and quick cut shots are used to switch between the image of Clarice and the board that she is observing. Additionally, low-key lighting is used which adds to the building dread of the audience, as it may be associated with the unknown, and the darkness.
To conclude, a range of camera angles, framing and movement, alongside the use of mise en scene within the opening sequence allows the audience to be overcome with a sense of dread through the use of subtle details that cause fear. Although the audience are not immediately faced with a horrific and gruesome scene, the subtle elements can create fear amongst the audience.
-S
0 Comments