1. Lulu Bradshaw
Textual Analysis of:
The Silence of the Lambs
The Silence of the Lambs

2. Mise en scene
• Two actors: Jodie Foster (FBI trainee, Clarice Starling) and Anthony Hopkins
(Dr. Hannibal Lecter)
• Location: Dr. Hannibal Lecter’s prison cell in the Chesapeake Hospital for the
Criminally Insane - prison cell is shown by the bars separating the actors.
• Costume: Dr Lecter: Prison uniform shows his character of a convict and a
serial killer, Clarice: Tweed suit presents a young professional character
• Lighting: Relatively bright, but very muted, dull colours in the scene to further
prove it is set in a prison and to indicate that Dr. Lecter’s life is very grey and
boring.

3. Camera
• Shot sizes: Mostly close-ups and Medium close-ups of the two characters
which shows an intimacy and connection between the two, but ending with a
long shot of Clarice walking away to help establish the location of a prison.
• Shot angles: Low angle on Dr. Lecter to imply he is powerful and intimidating
and of higher importance than the high angle given to Clarice which indicates
a vulnerability.
• Movement: There is not a great amount of movement of either the characters
or of the camera.

4. Editing
• The whole scene is composed of constant cuts to and from Dr. Lecter and
Clarice. There are no objects of great importance featured in the scene that
need to be filmed and edited in. Cuts to and from the two characters
indicates an intimacy between the two. However, the fact the two are never
once featured together in the same frame suggests that there are no common
interests and no real connection between the two.

5. Sound
• Diegetic sound: The only sound featured that the characters hear is the
dialogue between them - there are no sound effects or background noise
• Non-diegetic sound: Quiet, minor music over the top gives the feeling of an
impending doom, yet also shows the recurrence of sad memories for Clarice
that Dr Lecter is recalling

6. Sound
• Diegetic sound: The only sound featured that the characters hear is the
dialogue between them - there are no sound effects or background noise
• Non-diegetic sound: Quiet, minor music over the top gives the feeling of an
impending doom, yet also shows the recurrence of sad memories for Clarice
that Dr Lecter is recalling