In the eyes of the Academy, one horror movie reigns supreme — and it was shot in Pittsburgh. The Silence of the Lambs, the 1991 thriller starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, remains the only horror film to win Best Picture at the Oscars. And if spooky season has you thinking about this cinematic masterpiece, there’s two great ways to celebrate it this month.
Silence of the Lambs Celebrates Its 35th Anniversary This Year at Two Filming Locations Near Pittsburgh
According to Chris Rowan, owner and operator of filming location turned overnight rental property Buffalo Bill’s House, Silence of the Lambs has endured thanks to its performances.
“Silence has remained such an integral part of not only cinema but greater pop-culture [because of] the iconic characters that the film created,” Rowan says. “At the end of the day, I’ve always looked at Silence of the Lambs as Clarice’s story — but the show stealers are Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal and Ted Levine as Bill.”
Buffalo Bill, the twisted serial killer pursued by Clarice Starling throughout the movie, gives Buffalo Bill’s House its name; the property was used by director Jonathan Demme and filmmakers as the exterior (and partial interior) of Bill’s unassuming house. Rowan purchased the property and turned it into a shrine to Silence of the Lambs — and an inviting and fun rental property, available year-round for weekend stays.
“I feel that people want to stay close to things that they have fondness for. Buffalo Bill’s House, in addition to paying homage to SOTL and what a film it is, it pays a lot of homage to the retro nostalgia of the era it comes from.”
What You Can Do at Buffalo Bills House
Rowan, a movie set designer by trade, hosts tours of the property when it’s not rented out to overnight guests; the next guided explorations are scheduled for October 23-25. In addition to seeing and recreating moments from the movie, guests can descend the stairs into a recreation of the infamous well from Silence of the Lambs. (The real deal was built on a soundstage, but Rowan worked with special-effects master Tom Savini on a convincing replica.)
“We call ourselves an interactive and immersive tour because we don’t just want you to sit and listen … we want you to recreate film history yourself,” Rowan says.
See Another Silence of the Lambs Filming Location and Watch the Movie at Soldiers & Sailors
Just before Halloween, another local tribute to Silence of the Lambs takes over an Oakland landmark.
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall served as the temporary prison where Hannibal Lecter was kept — until he violently escaped, of course. Lecter was housed in a giant cage within the building; each year, for the aptly named Cage Night, Soldiers & Sailors recreates the set, with a replica cage and several set pieces from the film in use.
They even bring in actors to play Lecter and Starling for the occasion. If you’ve ever wanted a photo with Hannibal the Cannibal, here’s your chance — just don’t get too close.
“People love these characters,” Rowan says. “They love Clarice, they love Buffalo Bill, they love Hannibal. And the pop-culture aspect of the film has kept it vibrant all these years — including endless riffs in so many different formats.”
The evening also includes a vendor fair and more photo opportunities; costumes (without full-face masks are encouraged). Cage Night ends with a full screening of the film.
While Silence of the Lambs certainly makes for a macabre claim to cinematic glory, Rowan stresses that it’s part of a proud Pittsburgh tradition.
“I think Pittsburgh’s rich film history is a beautiful ode to a very specific type of cinema — and I love that it falls into the darker side of it with [the films of George] Romero and Demme’s Silence. All these films have secured a very important place in cinema history.”
Don’t let your spooky Halloween fun end here, there are plenty of horror movies screening throughout Pittsburgh and other Halloween events to explore.
About the Author
Sean Collier is the editor-in-chief of Shady Ave and the arts and culture editor of TABLE Magazine. Before joining the TABLE Media team, he spent nearly 15 years as a writer, editor and columnist at Pittsburgh Magazine. As the in-house film critic for the top-rated WDVE Morning Show since 2009, he’s been Pittsburgh’s most widely heard voice on movies for nearly two decades. A Pittsburgh native, Sean has since 2020 appeared weekly on KDKA-TV’s popular Pittsburgh Today Live talk show. He’s the co-founder of Vigilance Theater Group and an active stand-up comedian and event host. He can be found on Instagram and Twitter at @seancollierpgh.
Featured Photo From Buffalo Bill’s House
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