Scene Standoff: Joker vs. Silence of the Lambs
Arthur Fleck dancing on the steps in 'Joker' vs. the moment when Clarice meets Hannibal in 'Silence of the Lambs'.
If you've clicked on this wondering what's going on, then click on the link here to read the rules of the Scene Standoff: https://www.focusfilms.online/post/scene-standoff-lion-king-vs-grease
Dancing on the steps - Joker
Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is in full Joker gear for the first time in the movie, and the thing he decides to do before anything else is perform a show-stopping dance on a long flight of steps. It's so elegant yet somehow so chaotic, and is the most recent scene to appear as a Scene Standoff.
- Gareth's scene
Clarice meets Hannibal - Silence of the Lambs
Clarice (Jodie Foster) has been warned about the villainous ways of Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) but the encounter is so much creepier than she could've imagined. Hannibal stands upright in his cell, waiting to greet her. He is well-spoken, polite and oh so menacing.
- Ellis' scene
Ellis - italics
Gareth - bold
PERFORMANCE
Anthony Hopkins is creepy as you like; Jodie Foster is creeped out as you like. There is no way that this scene doesn't get full marks on performance.
Yeah! It's a great scene.
But the Joker scene is performed well as well.
He does a good job throughout. His laugh gets on my nerves but he is good is Joaquin.
In this scene particularly, do you think it's full marks?
I'd say your scene is better performed so maybe not a full 10/10 for Joker.
JOKER - 9/10 SILENCE OF THE LAMBS - 10/10
NECESSITY
If you didn't have this scene in Silence of the Lambs then the two of them wouldn't meet. It establishes loads of relevant information with regards to Hannibal.
I mean, Joker is a dark film and from what I remember this is a bit of light relief. If you took this scene out however, the film would still work.
JOKER - 5/10 SILENCE OF THE LAMBS - 10/10
REFERENCABILITY
Unless you're on some stairs I'm not sure you could reference the Joker scene.
And for Lambs, you've got "I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti". Not a quote you reference a lot to be honest but iconic nonetheless.
And the mouth thing he does. (Tries to replicate mouth thing)
JOKER - 2/10 SILENCE OF THE LAMBS - 8/10
POPULARITY (using Letterboxd for reference)
What is the average rating for Joker?
It is a 3.8.
I remember when we watched that, we were both so down and gloomy walking out of the cinema.
God, yeah!
Well, Silence of the Lambs is a 4.3.
JOKER - 3.8 SILENCE OF THE LAMBS - 4.3
ICONIC RATING
On a scale of farmyard animals...
'cause lambs I get it!
So high end is maybe an alpaca. I'm not being funny but if you see an alpaca at a farm that's the first place you want to go. And low end maybe just a fully grown sheep. They're pretty common!
Yeah, that's fair! Well for Silence of the Lambs...have you ever been to a farm and there's just a peacock wandering around the place?
I have!
It's so random, I'm always like 'why is there a peacock here?' They're a little bit unsettling but equally you can't stop watching them, like Hannibal Lecter.
I'm going with a swan. They're not that iconic at a farm but you don't want to get on the wrong side of one.
They're vicious!
Nice to look at, but they could kill you like that (snaps fingers).
JOKER - swan SILENCE OF THE LAMBS - peacock
THE FINAL STANDOFF
Joker 0-5 Silence of the Lambs
Yet another landslide victory. Hannibal is just too iconic to bow out this early. Not only does this scene gain more cultural recognition from year to year, but the film in general gains more critical success. As time goes by more and more people value the performances given by both Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, and still for both of those actors these are their most iconic and memorable performances.
Due to adverts, trailers and social media, most people have seen at least one of the shots from this dancing scene in Joker. And if you bear in mind that the film only came out in 2019, that's not bad going. As the years go on perhaps this scene and the film that comes with it will gain more commercial recognition, as Silence of the Lambs has done over time.
Current Standings: G - 8 E - 13
NEXT BATTLE:
PULP FICTION VS. THE MATRIX
Silence of the Lambs available on Netflix