Director: "Cut!" Anthony Hopkins: "Can I blink now?"

btw antony hopkins improvised the accent diss on the go,wasn't in the script,a man of genius.

Lecter knew “rube” was the one insult that would cut to her core. He had it ready as soon as he heard the West Virginia in her voice.

Such good writing. Just about any other insult Starling could have brushed off, but not "rube". That one, Lecter knew, would hit home.

Well if it isn't agent Takahashi, of the F.B.I.

I love the way the light catches his eyes. It reflects just like it would on a doll's eyes and makes him look truly evil.

The soundtrack after he calls Clarice a rube is very underrated. It gives off an aura of despair; as Lecter picks apart Clarice's West Virginian roots, the music offers a bleak and depressing summation of Clarice's ancestors who were trapped in poverty and how she came from essentially nothing, in a cruel effort to make her feel worthless. Truly genius.

Brilliant acting by Jodie Foster when Hopkins is psychologically destroying her character.

The joys of watching this scene over and over

I always loved the way he said "FBI" at the end.

excellent reasoning.

What is so great about this scene is that he goes from being completely polite and courteous and turns into a monster right before your eyes

Perfect acting by Anthony Hopkins! The voice, the eyes and just about everything else about him is so intense and believable. Just like a real sociopath, not like some other actors who portray these kind of characters as utterly crazy, overly aggresive or goofy. He portrays the character as a real person with just a little bit of a scary edge. He's right up there with Anthony Perkins' Norman Bates and Christian Bales' Patrick Bateman. He really deserved the oscar (unlike some other actors!).

"while you could only dream of getting out. Getting anywhere. "

The way he whispered at the end was amazing

"...you look like a rube" OH DAMN. He went there! That is HER word...and he had no right!

In less than a minute of interaction he was able to catch up with basically everything about her, and at no moment she ever mentioned anything about her past and who she is. Now, THIS is scary.

I love this so much. Brilliant writing, brilliant delivery by Anthony Hopkins, and brilliant reaction from Jodie Foster.

One of the most iconic scenes in film history! We love you Anthony Hopkins!

As so many comments below say, the acting is excellent! But I have to give some props to the incredible music score underneath all of this. It's the ominous and chilling underscore to his every word and pause that cuts through to the very core of her identity. A fitting first scene introduction to the Lunatic Legend himself Hannibal the Cannibal.