If a film or any piece of work doesn't entertain, it fails - and that is using the word entertain literally, meaning it holds you there and you become absorbed by it so that you don't walk away and get bored and so on.
I'm not prejudiced about what type of movies I'm in, what form they take or whether they're studio or independent. I just want to make films that are going to be good. The main reason is not to make money, although at some points it's really difficult when you're broke.
I have fun making films. I love making films. It's the only thing I know how to do. And I do it well.
Personally, I can't stand violence. In any standard American mainstream movie, there's 20 times more violence than in any one of my films, so I don't know why those directors aren't asked why they're such specialists for violence.
Like every filmmaker, I make my films to reach the widest audience possible.
I don't like to plan anything ever because it never seems to work. I'm just really...let's just get this film out and see how this one does.
One of my favorite films is LATE SPRING by Yasujiro Ozu. To me, it represents film as art.
Sir, I have seen your film and it is vulgar! Madame, my film rises below vulgarity.
You never know how films are going to do and it is daunting if I think about it.
Film is a pretty poor medium to deliver a message. I'm not trying to do that. I'm just trying to ask a lot of questions and hopefully you can draw your own conclusions about whatever meaning might be there or what point there is; but I was conscious of wanting to create something that for a lack of a better word had a positivity and earned that.
I directed three films and each time [I act] I hope it's the last time so I have time to do my film [directing].
One thing I'm not is a moralistic filmmaker. I'm not trying to tell people what to do, and I'm not trying to lead.
I hope I inspire children to make films.
The public has yet to see TV as TV. Broadcasters have no awareness of its potential. The movie people are just beginning to get a grasp on film.
A lot of filmmaking is all about filtering out the bullshit.
In lower budget filmmaking, everything is a favor. You're pushing everybody, all the time. You're trying to get the best out of it that you can, and it has to be a labor of love, or you can't get it done.
There's usually not a lot of rehearsal when you do films.
I'm a huge fan of 1930s horror - Universal films. I grew up with them and I just absolutely love them.
The best times I had on film sets were the times the director let me express myself, but those were rare.
I like when you watch a film and you feel like you're a part of somebody's life for an hour and a half.
I come from a culture where you don't divide it up to what you can do on TV and what you can do on film.
The beauty is that we can blur film and TV a little bit more.
I won't be able to do a film just for bad reasons, for money or for - I just can't. If I have one more where I feel I can bring you something, I will do it.
I like to do films that celebrate life.
The film makers are the true movie stars.
