Some films become classics almost instantly and stay with audiences for decades. And every so often, a movie earns a reputation so strong that viewers still call it one of the greatest ever made. One particular horror film of that kind is now on Netflix, and fans are urging people to watch it immediately.

The movie has been described as gripping, unforgettable and genuinely frightening. Viewers say the performances are still unmatched more than 30 years after its release. They also insist it sets the standard for psychological horrors.

The reviews speak for themselves. One person said: "The film is a rare contender for the best film of all time.

"It's most definitely the best horror film ever. The acting from Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster is fantastic but Hopkins steals the show. He is genuinely terrifying and believable."

Another added: "It's an absolute masterpiece you cannot miss. It's a masterwork of suspense that blends the elements of horror, crime and psychology into one tight and smooth story."

A third wrote: "Just one word for this movie - masterpiece. It's truly an enthralling film and not one to forget. I've seen this film countless times, and it is still riveting each time. A timeless masterpiece of psychological horror."

The film they are talking about is The Silence of the Lambs, the 1991 psychological horror thriller directed by Jonathan Demme.

It stars Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling, an FBI trainee trying to track down a serial killer known as Buffalo Bill.

To catch him, she turns to Dr Hannibal Lecter, played by Anthony Hopkins, an imprisoned psychiatrist and cannibalistic murderer. The cast also includes Ted Levine, Scott Glenn, Anthony Heald and Kasi Lemmons.

The film was released on February 14, 1991 and became a huge success. It grossed around $273 million (£204 million) worldwide from a budget of just $19 million (£14 million).

It premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival, where Jonathan Demme won Best Director.

At the 64th Academy Awards, it achieved something extremely rare. It won the "Big Five": Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay.

To this day, it remains the only horror film ever to win Best Picture at the Oscars.

The Silence of the Lambs has been repeatedly ranked among the greatest films ever made.

The American Film Institute lists Lecter as the number one film villain of all time, while Clarice Starling ranks among cinema's greatest heroes.

The film was added to the US National Film Registry in 2011 for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

It later launched a franchise, including sequels, prequels and two television series. But the original 1991 film remains the most acclaimed.

The Silence of the Lambs is available to stream on Netflix.