The Big Picture
- Arrow Video’s new 4K Blu-ray release of
The Silence of the Lambs
includes a beautifully presented box set and exclusive physical goodies. - This classic thriller, featuring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, is known for its atmospheric tension and complex themes that still hold up today.
- While some plot points may not have aged well,
Silence of the Lambs
remains a gold standard and is a must-watch for fans of the horror genre.
When it comes to serial killer horror thrillers, the crown jewel to many genre fans is The Silence of the Lambs. The 1991 film directed by Jonathan Demme and starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins is in a class all its own with a thick atmosphere that will serve up for dinner if you’re not too careful. Now, Arrow Video has just announced they’ll be giving Silence of the Lambs a new 4K Blu-ray release this Summer.
The 4K edition will be presented in a nice box set slip case that features one of the thriller’s original posters of Foster’s FBI agent Clarice Starling with a killer moth over her mouth. One of the many deadly animal themes of the film. The physical goodies included are six postcard-sized lobby cards, a double-sided poster, and an illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new work by Alexandra West, Josh Nelson, Sam Moore and Alexandra Heller-Nicholas. The sleeve for the 4K will also be reversible.
In terms of special features, there will be a brand-new audio commentary by critics Elizabeth Purchell and Caden Mark Gardner and a newly restored soundtrack alongside all the previously released bonus material that has been carried over from other editions. This is only going to be a UK release as another boutique label, Kino Lorber, released Silence of the Lambs on 4K domestically a few years ago. However, all 4K releases are region free if you’re looking to pick up this classic for the first time in the format or are just a hardcore fan of the film.
‘Silence of the Lambs’ Is Atmospheric Perfection
While Silence of the Lambs is probably not the first film you think of when horror is brought up in a conversation, it has stood the test of time thanks to its brilliantly dreadful tension. What starts as a race for a young FBI agent to find the serial killer known as “Buffalo Bill” quickly gets twisted into a mental game of bloody chess when Foster’s Starling seeks the help of an incarcerated serial killer, Hannibal Lecter, played by Hopkins. This battle is one of the scariest ever put to film and was the last real horror film to win top prize, Best Picture, at The Oscars. It also gave Foster and Hopkins well-deserved Oscars for their respective efforts. While some of the plot points surrounding Buffalo Bill’s character haven’t aged as well in the last 30-plus years and there have been other great films in this sub-genre like Se7en since, Silence of the Lambs’ complex themes remain the gold standard of uneasy terror.
The Silence of the Lambs is currently streaming on MGM+. Horror fans can also currently pre-order Arrow Video’s 4K edition on their website. They’re also offering a new Blu-ray edition and a 4K Arrow Shop exclusive featuring different sleeve and slipcase artwork. These new editions are set to be released on August 26, 2024. This is just in time for our next Halloween horror movie marathon.
The Silence of the Lambs
A young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.
- Release Date
- February 14, 1991
- Runtime
- 118 minutes
- Writers
- Ted Tally
Watch on MGM+
