20 Baffling IMDb Top 250 Placements You Won't Believe

20. The Silence Of The Lambs

The Film:

The legendary adaptation of Thomas Harris' serial killer novel of the same name, which doesn't actually feature any sheep but does feature a terrifying serial killer, some truly horrifying moments and Anthony Hopkins' iconic and mesmerizing work as Dr Hannibal Lecter.

Placement: #23

Why It's Wrong:

This is not an attack on The Silence of the Lambs. It's a very, very fine film; it's unbearably tense, brilliantly acted and full of unforgettable scenes. But the 23rd best film of all time? That ranking doesn't really add up.

It's pretty hard to watch at times and, away from iconic scenes such as all the stuff to do with Hannibal Lecter and the finale, the film resembles a very good police procedural, but not a masterpiece. It's a film which won the big 5 Oscars (The third and most recent film to do this) and has clearly captured the public's imagination a lot, but its high placement still feels surprising. It may be a classic, but it's higher than quite a few other classics which on the whole hold up better.

Given how nasty the film is at times, one would've thought that people might struggle to relate to it as much due to its unpleasantness. Anyhow, The Silence of the Lambs hasn't slipped out of the top 25 on the list for years, and will probably stay in its current place.

Where It Should Be:

#70-#100.