The Silence of the Lambs (1991) - Parents Guide Movie Rating

MPA: R BBFC: 15 Maturity Rating 16+

BBFC Reason: strong violence, gore, sex references, very strong language

BBFC Ratings info: SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is a horror thriller, from 1991, in which an FBI cadet enlists the help of an imprisoned serial killer in order to track down another killer who has been skinning his victims. Violence: There are scenes of strong violence including a man being beaten to death with a baton and another having his face bitten into. There are also strong verbal descriptions of the activities of serial killers. In one scene it is suggested that a prisoner is masturbating, after which he flings what is supposed to be semen at a passing woman. Disturbing images: Gory scenes include a disembowelled police officer splayed across a prison cell, images of dead bodies with the skin removed and a decomposing body in a bath tub. Sex: There are strong verbal and visual sex references. Language: There is infrequent very strong language ('c**t'), occasional strong language ('f**k') and use of milder terms ('bitch', 'hell', 'shit', 'bastard', 'damn', 'asshole').

Sex & Nudity

moderate

As Agent Starling is searching for the killer near the end of the movie, Polaroids of exotic dancers are seen tacked to a doorframe in the basement. It doesnt show anything though. Crude references are heard throughout the prison A man dances naked in front of a CERY BLURRY camera Several photos of fully nude females but only showed from behind. A nude female body is briefly seen on an autopsy table. Sensitive nudity isn't very noticeable. A brief shot of the 'Woman Suit' that Buffalo Bill is creating from dead bodies this has one breast and pubic hair is visible for a short time. The camera never focuses on the suit itself. In the background and extremely fake looking.

Violence & Gore

severe

The actual amount of killing and violence is condensed mainly into the last 47 minutes although the worst stuff isn't usually fully onscreen. A woman threatens to harm a dog Menacing violence with frightening images. We can see a rusty corpse that was in the water for many months, although it doesn't seen fully, we can see some parts of it, including its teeth. The dead body of a prison guard is shown hung from a prison cell in a mimicry of the crucifixion scene. The guard's stomach is cut up, and we see the body from a distance. We can briefly see blood dripping from his body. We see crime photos of the dead bodies of women in a lot of scenes. An autopsy scene shows the dead, nude, and decomposing body of a woman. A man's decapitated head is found in a jar. Sudden. An old woman's petrified body is seen briefly in a bathtub. Brief references to cannibalistic acts. A dead corpse is seen on the roof of an elevator (we assume it is Hannibal Lector), blood is seen on his back. The corpse is shot in the leg with some blood spurting. Blood is dripping from the ceiling of the elevator, the hatch to the ceiling is then opened and the corpse flings out of the ceiling. No violence is shown onscreen, it is mostly just talked about, apart from in the last ten minutes where Agent Starling kills Buffalo Bill. Most of the horror is psychological When Hannibal escapes from prison, he bites off part of a man's cheek (it's somewhat implied). He then smacks the man's head against the cell and sprays mace in his eyes. He then hits the other on the head with a night stick offscreen. Blood is still seen on his face. Buffalo Bill, the film's primary antagonist uses butterflies to put inside peoples' throats after killing them, we can see it at the corpse reveal scene at the middle of the film. Clarice shoots Buffalo Bill six times in the chest, he spits up blood and gurgles as we briefly see the bloody bullet wounds. During Hannibal's escape, he wears the face of a dead guard as a disguise. His own face is completely covered in blood. A woman is kidnapped by a psychopath and kept in a pit in their basement. No violence befalls her, but they plan on starving and skinning her, as they have with their other victims. As the Senator's daughter has been kidnapped, she's yelling at Buffalo Bill, the film's villain, to let her go, although he doesn't want to release her because of his desire to become a woman through using her skin, she screams in fright as she looking at the pit's walls, in which there are a few dead bodies and blood.

Profanity

moderate

14 uses of "fuck", 2 uses of "piss" 2 uses of "bitch", 2 uses of "son of a bitch", 6 uses of "shit", 1 use of "Goddamn", 2 uses of "hell" 4 uses of "damn".

Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking

none

None A woman is drugged

Frightening & Intense Scenes

severe

Dr. Hannibal kills two guards in a violent manner In many ways this film is considered a horror movie The premise of a killer skinning their victims is, by itself, frightening, although the shock factor is greatly lessened by the fact that they does it on corpses rather than living people, and the skinning is not shown. An intense sequence when a killer uses ruthless means to escape. We see finger nails on the wall Buffalo Bill's pit, that is frightening as well as disturbing. It can be disturbing to hear the violent acts that a character has supposedly inflicted. The film's villain is transgender and has a desire to biologically become female, as they makes suits from female skins. There is a chopped head in a glass jar Hannibal talks about sex in a disturbing way. The movie has an overall frightening atmosphere. During the climax of the scene, Agent Starling is stalked in the dark by Buffalo Bill, who has night vision goggles.