'It Puts the Lotion on Its Skin': the Chilling Story Behind Hollywood's Darkest Line
By Alexander Ross
Q1: Why does Buffalo Bill force Catherine Martin to put lotion on her skin?
Buffalo Bill plans to murder Catherine and skin her to construct a tailored "woman suit." He forces her to apply skin lotion while held in the basement pit so her skin remains soft, hydrated, and elastic, making the leathering and sewing process easier once harvested.
Q2: Was the basement well filmed on a real location or a soundstage?
The basement pit was constructed inside an abandoned turbine factory outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While the exterior of Buffalo Bill’s house was a real property in Perryopolis, Pennsylvania, the complex underground dungeon was designed entirely on a soundstage by production designer Kristi Zea to give Demme complete control over camera angles and lighting.
Q3: How much of Buffalo Bill's behavior was improvised by Ted Levine?
Ted Levine stuck closely to Ted Tally’s screenplay, but he improvised several physical gestures and vocal rhythms. Most notably, the infamous dance scene to Q Lazzarus’s "Goodbye Horses" was actively pushed by Levine, who felt it was crucial to depict Gumb’s private ecstasy and self-absorption before the film's climactic confrontation.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
