The silence of the lambs

a. The film begins at the FBI office, where the officials are shown to be in search of Buffalo Bill, a serial killer.
b. The film is mostly set in the atmosphere of a mental asylum.
c. Another important aspect of the physical setup is that of the jail and prison, which is evil personified
3. List three important qualities (values, beliefs, behavior code) of this film’s cultural world.
a. The film contains the atmosphere of evil personified, with a serial killer and a cannibal.
b. The film comprises a psycho-analytic setup, with psychiatrists and other psychological studies.

c. Another important cultural aspect of this film is ‘change’ that is personified by the moth.
4. Identify and give examples of two film techniques (from either Hollywood classical style or film noir style) in this film. Explain how each contributes to the mystery.
a. Technique/example: Imagery and images
Contribution: The gloomy images of the mental asylum, the personified darkness, and imagery of the moth contributes a great deal to enrich the feel of the film and in creating a greater impact on the audiences.
b. Technique/example: Characterisation
Contribution: The characterization of the film contributes greatly to the overall quality of the movie. The forensic psychiatrist turned cannibalistic killer, the serial killer, a young detective, the Senator, murders, etc. greatly accentuate the plot and the effect of the film.
5) Using the two-step method, state the theme of this film. Explain briefly how the theme is presented by the film as a whole
Step #1: Investigation of murder
Step #2 (theme): FBI Investigation of the murder of innocent victims by a serial killer with help of a cannibalistic psychiatrist.
Explanation: This theme is carried on throughout the movie since all attempts are made by the FBI to investigate the series of murders committed by Buffalo Bill. In t he process, Starling takes the help of a forensic psychiatrist turned cannibalistic killer, who is serving consecutive sentences at an asylum. Thus, this theme of Murder and Investigation, amidst some great psychological action runs throughout the film.