Silence of the Lambs Trailer Analysis

Silence of the lambs is another example of a psychological thriller. The genre can be identified through the references to the mind showing the psychological element of the film, and the mystery provided, a common theme, shows the thriller side of the film.

   The film is certificated 18, and for this reason I think the films target audience ranges from 18 to about late thirties. The film is quite dark and so I think it would appeal to the older age slightly more than it would younger teens.

   The trailer lasts for 1 minute and 44 seconds, with around 90 camera shots. The most frequently used transition between these shots is the jump cut. In many cases, these jumps cuts speed up drastically for a very short amount if time, showing a collection of short clips. This intrigues the audience, as it all happens so fast. It will make them want to watch the full length of the trailer.

   A sense of narrative is created through the use of a voiceover. This allows the audience to come to grips with the general basis of the film, and reveals information about the characters. The trailer reveals enough of the plot to the audience to keep them intrigued, but doesn’t give away the outcome and consequences within the film. We see that an FBI agent has been given the case to find a serial killer who tortures people. However, in order to do so, she needs the help of Hannibal Lecter, a psychiatrist charged of murder. The narrative shows us that she appears to have some difficulty, creating a code of enigma for the audience.

   The first character we are presented with is Hannibal Lecter. At the very beginning of the trailer, the first shot is a close up of his face, which then flashes to black and then flashes once more to his face again. This gives the audience the impression he is a mysterious character, intriguing them to find out more later on in the trailer. In the diegetic dialogue, we hear, “Believe me, you don’t want Hannibal Lecter in your head”, this suggesting there is a lot of negativity surrounding the character. This is strengthened through, “the darkest of minds”. This not only provides a way of establishing the psychological element of the film, but makes it clear from the very onset of the film, that Hannibal Lecter is a mentally unstable character. Although presented in this way, I find there is still something intriguing about his character, due to all the mystery.

   The FBI agent is female, which could be argued to be rather unstereotypical. At the start, when asked if she gets spooked easily, she replies saying no, presenting her as a strong individual. However, it is the woman with the power, who is later seen as vulnerable.

   The mood and expectations of the film are set up through the dialogue of the trailer. For example, “He’s impulsive, he’ll never stop”, along with “He’s a raging maniac, God knows what he’ll do”, create a sense of danger and fear for the characters, causing the audience to believe something bad is going to happen. The mood of the film is very dark and mysterious, creating tension. As the film starts, at the end we again see a close up of Hannibal Lecter’s face. In this shot, we hear him say “Thank you Clarice, thank you”. This is said in a whisper, creating a spooky atmosphere, leaving the audience feeling as if something is unsettled.

   The non-diegetic music of the trailer changes as the action in the trailer does. There is a slow, ghostly, eerie sound playing at the background at the start, setting up a tense and unsettled atmosphere, giving the impression something isn't right. The repetition of the non-diegetic thud-like sound at various points of the trailer adds to the tension.

   The intertitles give information about the actors of the film, this possibly being some of the unique selling points of the film. No hints towards the film are given through the titles, this is left down to visual and voiceover.