Jonathan Demme, Director of Silence of the Lambs, Has Died

The Oscar-winning director also helmed Philadelphia, Stop Making Sense.

By ChrisXMorgan

Jonathan Demme, the Oscar-winning director of Silence of the Lambs, has died at the age of 73. The veteran filmmaker reportedly died due to complications from heart disease, as well as esophageal cancer.

Demme's death was reported by Variety and multiple other outlets this morning.

Jonathan Demme (right) on the set of Ricki and the Flash with Meryl Streep and Rick Springfield

Like a lot of filmmakers who got their starts in the '70s, Demme spent some time working under the tutelage of B-movie legend Roger Corman. His first directorial effort was the now iconic exploitation film Caged Heat, but from there he would go on to direct such movies as Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married, and a fairly respectable remake of The Manchurian Candidate. However, he is probably still best remembered for Silence of the Lambs, the film that turned the character of Hannibal Lecter into an iconic figure in pop culture and also won several Oscars. That includes Demme's Oscar for Best Director. He also directed Stop Making Sense, the Talking Heads movie that remains in the minds of many as one of the best concert films of all time.

His last narrative film was 2015's Rikki and the Flash, starring Meryl Streep. He also directed a 2016 concert film featuring Justin Timberlake.

Chris Morgan is the author of The Comic Galaxy of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and the new novel The Ash Heap of History. Wisely or not, he's also on Twitter.

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