Here in Phoenix, our Harkins movie theaters were running a Jonathan Demme tribute last week, with $5 screenings of his most famous films. One of my all-time favorites is, of course, The Silence of the Lambs, and even though I've seen it dozens of times and can watch it anytime on dvd at home, I ventured to the theater a few nights ago for an exciting viewing experience.
I was just shy of 13 years old when the movie was released back in February of 1991, so I never saw it in the theater. Only when it came to video (young people, Google VHS tapes) much later, and after my folks gave permission for me to endure the disturbing psychological and criminal elements, did I finally see it on our tiny home television set. What a difference the big screen makes.
Despite the incredible advancements in technology, with beautiful HD-TV and home theater sound on massive living room screens, certain films are just better in the darkness of a traditional theater. The Silence of the Lambs is a tremendous film on any viewing device, but Lecter's face absolutely leaps out off the screen, and the eerie baroque music washes over the audience in a frightening way that just cannot be felt sitting at home.
Even though I can recite nearly every line, I've studied the cinematography, and I've explored the mythology of its archetypes, the film still feels surprising and fresh over 25 years after it first appeared. I was still on the edge of my seat throughout, and I still wanted Starling and Lecter to battle wits long after the lights came up.
We live in an era in which the theater experience is quickly diminishing. Films leave theaters and come to DVD or other streaming services almost immediately, and many people feel like their home set-up is preferable to fighting the crowds and costs of a night out. But don't give up on the magic of the movies. There are still a few out there that should be seen on the big screen. And if you ever get a chance to see The Silence of the Lambs the way it was originally intended, you definitely should.
I was just shy of 13 years old when the movie was released back in February of 1991, so I never saw it in the theater. Only when it came to video (young people, Google VHS tapes) much later, and after my folks gave permission for me to endure the disturbing psychological and criminal elements, did I finally see it on our tiny home television set. What a difference the big screen makes.
Despite the incredible advancements in technology, with beautiful HD-TV and home theater sound on massive living room screens, certain films are just better in the darkness of a traditional theater. The Silence of the Lambs is a tremendous film on any viewing device, but Lecter's face absolutely leaps out off the screen, and the eerie baroque music washes over the audience in a frightening way that just cannot be felt sitting at home.
Even though I can recite nearly every line, I've studied the cinematography, and I've explored the mythology of its archetypes, the film still feels surprising and fresh over 25 years after it first appeared. I was still on the edge of my seat throughout, and I still wanted Starling and Lecter to battle wits long after the lights came up.
We live in an era in which the theater experience is quickly diminishing. Films leave theaters and come to DVD or other streaming services almost immediately, and many people feel like their home set-up is preferable to fighting the crowds and costs of a night out. But don't give up on the magic of the movies. There are still a few out there that should be seen on the big screen. And if you ever get a chance to see The Silence of the Lambs the way it was originally intended, you definitely should.