Analysis of the opening sequence of "Silence of the Lambs" (1991) Jonathan Demme

Textual Analysis
"Silence of the Lambs" (1991) Jonathan Demme
Opening Sequence

      The scene begins with a fast paced non-diegetic sound, and the image of a tired woman running through the woods alone. This immediately creates a feeling of isolation, which begins to make the audience anxious and suspenseful. Through the trees, you can see and eerie mist hovering above the ground, creating a sinister feeling, and again, adding to the suspense of the audience. A 180 degree shot of the woman climbing over an assault course obstacle reveals she is truly alone, creating a subtle sense of panic and fear for her safety. She is visibly tired, which indicates a sense of vulnerability to her, adding to the audience’s state of growing anxiety. The camera pans across to the woods, revealing the sun setting in the distance, showing that darkness is coming. This subtly foreshadows the events to come, creating a slightly sinister atmosphere. The camera cuts to a shot of the woman running through the forest; her surroundings are visibly darker, indicating a sense of deepening darkness. A man’s voice can be heard shouting “Starling!” and there is a sense of urgency in his tone. This creates a sense of mystery for the audience, but his urgent tone creates a slight sense of panic. The camera follows the man from behind as he attempts to catch up to Starling. His face is masked from the audience, adding to the sense of mystery, but also creates a slightly uncomfortable atmosphere as you cannot see what he looks like, creating a feeling of unease. He eventually catches up to the woman, and instructs her to report to a man named Crawford. The man turns towards the camera, and a close up shot of his hat reveals him to be a member of the FBI. The audience is now able to identify the man, which removes the tense atmosphere. However, knowing the woman’s job potentially puts her in danger adds to the anxious atmosphere and reinforces the idea that something bad is going to happen. The music becomes louder and more dramatic, indicating that Starlings meeting with Crawford is going to be an important and tense moment. This puts the audience in a state of suspense, as they wish to know who this Crawford character is. A high to low shot of a tree with the words, “Hurt, Agony, Pain and Love-It” indicates these people are aware of the danger they put themselves in. It also foreshadows violent future events, which adds to the uncomfortable atmosphere. The camera pans to a shot of Starling running through the woods alone, again, creating a sense of isolation and vulnerability. Glimmers of light indicate that the sun is quickly setting, and that she will soon be in darkness which hints at future events. This adds to the anxious and tense atmosphere, and puts the audience at unease.