Alternate versions for
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

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• This film has been released on DVD at least 3 times. The first two times were released by Orion Home Vidoe, and by the Criterion Collection. Both of these are based on earlier releases made for VHS or laserdisc and, as such, have a full-screen (4:3) picture signal, even in the wide-screen release. This means that the image, whether wide-screen or full-screen, was made to fit into a 4:3 image. The MGM DVD, for the first time, gave the picture an anamorphic (16:9) transfer.
  
  
• The scene where Miggs throws sperm at Clarice is shown from the different angle in the TV network version, so the audience can't really see what Miggs is throwing.
  
  
• For the TV network version, Miggs says to Clarice 'I can smell your scent' instead of 'I can smell your c*nt'. Lecter's reply "I myself cannot" is omitted.
  
  
• Criterion's Special Edition on DVD features outtake footage not included in the theatrical version, including:
  • a longer version of the scene where Clarice discovers Raspail's head inside Your-Self Storage;
  • a longer version of the scene where Lector explains to Clarice how to identify Buffalo Bill from his rejected applications for sex change surgery. The dialogue is longer and is taken almost verbatim from Thomas Harris' novel, and plays over a scene where the camera moves inside Buffalo Bill's cellar, stopping at the edge of the pit where Senator Martin's daughter is held. This is the same scene that appears in the theatrical version, right after Starling's visit to the enthomologists Roden and Pilcher, with no voiceover but with music and sound effects and Katherine Martin's screams coming from the pit;
  • a brief new scene where Starling is given a gun from instructor Brigham right before her departure for West Virginia;
  • an alternate version of the car scene where Starling and Crawford are talking after the Elk River victim's autopsy. In the theatrical version, Crawford apologizes to Starling for humiliating her in front of the state troopers; the alternate take has Starling revealing that a bug cocoon was found in Benjamin Raspail's throat. In the theatrical version this information is not revealed until later, when Starling mentions it during one of her encounters with Lector;
  • a longer version of the telephone conversation between FBI Director Burke, Paul Krendler and Crawford after the phony offer to Lekter has been discovered; Crawford tries to convince Krendler not to accept Lector's help;
  • a new scene showing a meeting with Starling, Crawford, Paul Krendler and and FBI Director Burke; Krendler blames Starling and Crawford for Lector's escape and Burke suspends them both from the case;
  • the DVD also features the complete video monologue from performance artist Jim Roche as the TV Evangelist; in the theatrical version Roche appears on a TV put in front of Lector's cell, as punishment for Miggs' death.
  
  
  
• This film was originally released by the now-defunct Orion Pictures Corporation. After Orion went bankrupt, all their films, as well as many sequel rights, were acquired by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which produced the sequel, Hannibal, and prequel, Red Dragon. When The Silence of the Lambs was re-issued on video in 1999, and on DVD in 2001, it was released by MGM home video. As a result, their corporate logo now precedes the Orion Pictures logo.
  
  

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