As a genre fan, there's a certain amount of satisfaction when a film is recognized by mainstream audiences. That's what it was like for me in 1992 when Silence of the Lambs swept the Oscar's (Best Picture, Director, Actor and Actress).

And boy did the movie deserve it. Jonathan Demme's fantastic retelling of the classic book by Thomas Harris. Anthony Hopkins' scene-chewing Hannibal Lecter turned him into a pop culture icon (and unfortunately a slew of middling sequels). And Jodie Foster's grim and naive portrayal of Clarice.

The final touch is that haunting score. Some of the bes... read the rest.