1991’s ‘Silence of the Lambs’ Turns 33 — Let’s Revisit Hannibal Lecter’s Most Chilling Lines

1991’s Silence of the Lambs from Director Jonathan Demme features Oscar-winning, tour de force performances from its dueling leads — Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster. To this day, Hannibal remains one of Hopkins’ most-cited performances, as he managed a fear-striking seduction — curdling blood with his precise and calculated diction and unwavering, piercing eye contact. 

Hopkins conveyed a sense of dominance despite being stuck behind bars for a majority of the movie. His character’s dark psyche comes across in his eyes — flickering with menace and amusement — and in his movements and gestures. He never wastes energy on unnecessary steps — each finger-tapping choice and head tilt serves to maintain his intellectual superiority and confidence. Hopkins’ performance is a masterclass in acting, yet he’s abetted by a script that affords him some of the most memorable and unsettling lines. So, on this lovely Valentine’s Day, 33 years to the date, let’s celebrate the anniversary of The Silence of the Lambs with Hopkin’s most unnerving lines from the movie. 

“A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti.”

“When the Fox hears the Rabbit scream, he comes a-runnin’. But not to help.”

“It rubs the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again.”

“Well, Clarice – have the lambs stopped screaming?”

“Nothing happened to me, Officer Starling. I happened. You can’t reduce me to a set of influences.”

“Quid pro quo, Clarice. Quid pro quo.”

“I do wish we could chat longer, but… I’m having an old friend for dinner.”

“Our little Billy must already be searching for that next special lady.”

“Closer, please. Closer.”

“Tell me, Senator: did you nurse Catherine yourself?”

“People don’t always tell you what they are thinking. They just see to it that you don’t advance in life.”

“You know what you look like to me, with your good bag and your cheap shoes? You look like a rube.”