Thriller Dog Names

Of all the famous movies and scenes and characters over the years, few are as universally memorable to thriller-loving cinephiles as the scenes that involve Jame Gumb, better known to fans of The Silence of the Lambs as Buffalo Bill. 

Outside of his insatiable thirst for the weird and unconventional (and, you know, the whole being a serial killer thing), Buffalo Bill’s character also cemented one of the most famous dog scenes in thriller history, that of the interaction between Buffalo Bill himself, his dog Precious, and Catherine Martin, the woman at the bottom of his well that has become his latest victim — not to mention forever associating Q Lazzarus’ Goodbye Horses with eternal weirdos and dance parties for one. 

In the scene, Buffalo Bill is holding Precious while he delivers one of the most famous lines in film history: “It rubs the lotion on its skin. It does this whenever it’s told. It rubs the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again.” Precious then barks in agreeance before Ted Levine, the actor playing Buffalo Bill, finishes the line, talking to the dog: “Yes it will Precious. It will get the hose.”

What ensues is nothing short of some of the most unsettling footage ever shot for a thriller — which is impressive considering what has been done before and since — and includes the incredibly helpless attempts by Martin to lure Precious towards the well to use her as leverage for her release, in which the dog matches the top-notch acting by peering over the edge several times and barking, as well as taking the bone, if only momentarily. 

In truth, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Darla (Precious’s real name) nailed her part so flawlessly. In fact, her part in The Silence of the Lambs was her third appearance in a feature film, the first two being her part as the Pink Poodle in Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure and Queenie in The ‘Burbs respectively. She also went on to play the Ratty Poodle in Tim Burton’s Batman Returns as well as making appearances as Watkin’s Poodle in the television show Coach, as well as Fifi in the show Eerie, Indiana. 

While Darla the Bichon Frise only starred in films and TV in her later years (1985-1992), she lived a long and happy life with trainer Cristie Miele as a notorious sock stealer until finally passing away at the ripe old age of 17.