The king of all crime thrillers is a streaming sensation on Netflix

The holiday season is a great time to enjoy good friends and family. The 1991 crime thriller classic currently burning up the Netflix charts indicates that some viewers may think these two things are one and the same. The silence of the lambsthe film that made the combination of beans and Chianti a must-see for the discerning cannibal, is currently at #7 on Netflix’s streaming charts.

The critical and box office success of The silence of the lambs was somewhat unexpected. Thomas Harris‘ first novel featuring Hannibal Lecter, Red Dragonwas adapted for the cinema by Michael Mann in 1986. Renamed Manhunterhe played William Peterson, Tom Noonanand a then unknown Brian Cox like Lecter, and was a critical and financial disappointment, although it has become a cult favorite in recent years. It was such a disappointment that when Orion Pictures acquired the rights to Harris’s next novel, The silence of the lambs, Manhunter producer Dino De Laurentiis gave up the film rights to Lecter’s character for free. However, Jonathan DemmeThe sleek and stylish film adaptation was a huge hit with audiences and critics when it was released on Valentine’s Day 1991; it grossed $272 million on a budget of $19 million and became one of only three films in history to win all five “big five” Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

What is “The Silence of the Lambs” about?

The FBI is looking for “Buffalo Bill”, a serial killer who kills and skins women. Jack Crawford, head of the FBI’s Behavioral Sciences Unit (Scott Glenn) sends trainee agent Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) to interview Hannibal Lecter, imprisoned psychiatrist turned cannibal (Anthony Hopkins) for his thoughts on the case. Through a series of interviews, Starling and Lecter develop a relationship, despite constant interference from Lecter’s jailer, Dr. Chilton (Anthony Heald). Eventually he gives her enough to lead her to Jame Gumb (Ted Levine), the real culprit of the murders… but not before Lecter stages his own escape.

The success of The silence of the lambs launched a series of copycats featuring brilliant and calculating serial killers. It also spawned its own franchise: Hopkins returned for the 2001 sequel. Hannibal and a 2002 prequel, Red Dragonwhile the killer’s origins were explored in 2007 Hannibal risingwith the late Gaspard Ulliel in the title role. On the small screen, that of Bryan Fuller Hannibal brought the series new success with Mads Mikkelsen taking on the role of Hopkins, while the short-lived CBS series Clarisse star Rebecca Breeds as post-Silence Starling.

The silence of the lambs East now streaming on Netflix. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.