How The Silence of the Lambs paved the way for our obsession with true crime The landmark 1991 film traded horror's usual jump scares for a quiet ominousness and a focus on darkly fascinating details. Social Sharing The landmark 1991 film traded horror's usual jump scares for a quiet ominousness and focus on detail Posted: Feb 11, 2021 3:30 PM ET | Last Updated: February 11 Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs.(Orion Pictures) Anne-iversaries is a bi-weekly column by writer Anne T. Donahue that explores and celebrates the pop culture that defined the '90s and 2000s and the way it affects us now (with, of course, a few personal anecdotes along the way).