Quotes by Director | Beyond Motive 20/67

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Quotes by Director

"I think the American West really attracts me because it's romantic. The desert, the empty space, the drama."

"I think the American West really attracts me because it's romantic. The desert, the empty space, the drama."

Ang Lee, Chinese Director

Appreciation, American, Drama, Romantic, Space

51

"In fact, it was the women in our house who were in the saddle. If men are the gods, women are not only the presidents but all the ministers of the government."

"In fact, it was the women in our house who were in the saddle. If men are the gods, women are not only the presidents but all the ministers of the government."

Pedro Almodovar, Spanish Director

Government, Men, Women, Gods

51

"We're talking to New Line. They've got a couple projects they're interested in me doing and I'm having meetings at MGM. There's a lot of available projects."

"We're talking to New Line. They've got a couple projects they're interested in me doing and I'm having meetings at MGM. There's a lot of available projects."

David R. Ellis, American Director

Project, Meetings, Projects, Talking

51

"Lord of the Rings made me realize that I'm not interested in doing anyone else's work."

"Lord of the Rings made me realize that I'm not interested in doing anyone else's work."

Ralph Bakshi, American Director

51

"On the contrary, I'm a strong believer in the necessity of imperfection coming into the film."

"On the contrary, I'm a strong believer in the necessity of imperfection coming into the film."

Walter Salles, Brazilian Director

Film, Imperfection, Necessity

51

"We've been remarkably lucky in that we've been free to make the movies we've wanted to make the way we've wanted to make them. They've all been made for a price."

"We've been remarkably lucky in that we've been free to make the movies we've wanted to make the way we've wanted to make them. They've all been made for a price."

Joel Coen, American Director

51

"All stereotypes turn out to be true. This is a horrifying thing about life. All those things you fought against as a youth: you begin to realize they're stereotypes because they're true."

"All stereotypes turn out to be true. This is a horrifying thing about life. All those things you fought against as a youth: you begin to realize they're stereotypes because they're true."

David Cronenberg, Canadian Director

51

"Every picture that is successful has one little miracle in it."

"Every picture that is successful has one little miracle in it."

Elia Kazan, American Director

Success, Successful

51

"In that, Blade 2 is very much like a rock concert... if it's too loud, you're too old."

"In that, Blade 2 is very much like a rock concert... if it's too loud, you're too old."

Guillermo del Toro, Mexican Director

51

"If you go into a bar in most places in America and even say the word poetry, you'll probably get beaten up. But poetry is a really strong, beautiful form to me, and a lot of innovation in language comes from poetry."

"If you go into a bar in most places in America and even say the word poetry, you'll probably get beaten up. But poetry is a really strong, beautiful form to me, and a lot of innovation in language comes from poetry."

Jim Jarmusch, American Director

Poetry, America, Innovation, Language

51

"The first thing is that we're being attacked by both the Writers Guild and the Producers Guild. Both of these groups are trying to diminish the importance and strength of the director. They're trying to do it through both frontal and side attacks."

"The first thing is that we're being attacked by both the Writers Guild and the Producers Guild. Both of these groups are trying to diminish the importance and strength of the director. They're trying to do it through both frontal and side attacks."

John Frankenheimer, American Director

Strength, Being, First, Importance

51

"There are still 500,000 persons afflicted with leprosy in Latin America, so it is still very much present."

"There are still 500,000 persons afflicted with leprosy in Latin America, so it is still very much present."

Walter Salles, Brazilian Director

Development, America, Present

51

"Perhaps it sounds ridiculous, but the best thing that young filmmakers should do is to get hold of a camera and some film and make a movie of any kind at all."

"Perhaps it sounds ridiculous, but the best thing that young filmmakers should do is to get hold of a camera and some film and make a movie of any kind at all."

Stanley Kubrick, American Director

51

"Directing, I get all kinds of inspiration. It's working with people. It's a lot more fun."

"Directing, I get all kinds of inspiration. It's working with people. It's a lot more fun."

Ang Lee, Chinese Director

Inspirational, People, Inspiration, Fun

51

"If you cast the picture correctly, you have a whole lot of leeway. You can make mistakes in other aspects but pull it off with the right actors."

"If you cast the picture correctly, you have a whole lot of leeway. You can make mistakes in other aspects but pull it off with the right actors."

John Frankenheimer, American Director

Actor, Actors, Mistakes, Right

51

"Film is shot in fragments, and the same moments can be shot again and again until the director is satisfied."

"Film is shot in fragments, and the same moments can be shot again and again until the director is satisfied."

Bruce Beresford, Australian Director

51

"Nobody makes movies bad on purpose."

"Nobody makes movies bad on purpose."

Roland Emmerich, German Director

Movies, Purpose

51

"I was quite pleased that Prince Philip didn't say anything like, I hate queers! He was quite well behaved."

"I was quite pleased that Prince Philip didn't say anything like, I hate queers! He was quite well behaved."

Allan Carr, British Director

51

"If I could go back I might change Geronimo a bit. If I do, it will be made a longer version."

"If I could go back I might change Geronimo a bit. If I do, it will be made a longer version."

Walter Hill, American Director

51

"In my early years, my father was away as a soldier in the war. When he came back, work was very difficult to come by. Even though he was a highly skilled man, a maker of furniture, the payment for that work was very poor."

"In my early years, my father was away as a soldier in the war. When he came back, work was very difficult to come by. Even though he was a highly skilled man, a maker of furniture, the payment for that work was very poor."

Trevor Nunn, English Director

Work, War, Father, Man

51

"I always start with characters rather than with a plot, which many critics would say is very obvious from the lack of plot in my films - although I think they do have plots - but the plot is not of primary importance to me, the characters are."

"I always start with characters rather than with a plot, which many critics would say is very obvious from the lack of plot in my films - although I think they do have plots - but the plot is not of primary importance to me, the characters are."

Jim Jarmusch, American Director

Importance, Obvious

50

"In The Name of the King is the right title. To be honest, I don't know who had the final idea for the title but I liked it and it has a strong connection to the movie's story."

"In The Name of the King is the right title. To be honest, I don't know who had the final idea for the title but I liked it and it has a strong connection to the movie's story."

Uwe Boll, German Director

Creativity, Idea, Connection, Name, Right

50

"There are certainly laws and elements that make a film more accessible to mainstream audiences. If you've got Tom Cruise as a strongman, I'm sure it would have larger audiences, but it wouldn't have the same substance."

"There are certainly laws and elements that make a film more accessible to mainstream audiences. If you've got Tom Cruise as a strongman, I'm sure it would have larger audiences, but it wouldn't have the same substance."

Werner Herzog, German Director

Entertainment, Audiences, Film, Laws

50

"I thank God I was raised Catholic, so sex will always be dirty."

"I thank God I was raised Catholic, so sex will always be dirty."

John Waters, American Director

50

"The hardest part of directing is the choosing. Unlike an actor who can do a variety of work, it is a year of your life, you can't afford to get it wrong."

"The hardest part of directing is the choosing. Unlike an actor who can do a variety of work, it is a year of your life, you can't afford to get it wrong."

Tom Hooper, British Director

Life, Work, Actor, Variety

50

"To tell you the truth, in my work, love is always in opposition to the elements. It creates dilemmas. It brings in suffering. We can't live with it, and we can't live without it. You'll rarely find a happy ending in my work."

"To tell you the truth, in my work, love is always in opposition to the elements. It creates dilemmas. It brings in suffering. We can't live with it, and we can't live without it. You'll rarely find a happy ending in my work."

Krzysztof Kieslowski, Polish Director

Love, Work, Truth, Ending

50

"Phillip Harrison was the production designer, though, I think he's uncredited. He's done most of my films like Blue Thunder. Lots and lots over the years."

"Phillip Harrison was the production designer, though, I think he's uncredited. He's done most of my films like Blue Thunder. Lots and lots over the years."

John Badham, British Director

Film, Production, Years

50

"But compared to writing a novel, where you can be God, I did the Bay of Pigs invasion in six pages once, and there were 50,000 guys with boots that I didn't have to pay, and all those extras; we didn't have to pay them."

"But compared to writing a novel, where you can be God, I did the Bay of Pigs invasion in six pages once, and there were 50,000 guys with boots that I didn't have to pay, and all those extras; we didn't have to pay them."

John Sayles, American Director

50

"It turned out that the country was helpless in the face of a new reality."

"It turned out that the country was helpless in the face of a new reality."

Andrzej Wajda, Polish Director

Nation, Country, Reality

50

"I really, really love directing films."

"I really, really love directing films."

John Frankenheimer, American Director

50

"I have lost my seven best friends, which is to say God has had mercy on me seven times without realizing it. He lent a friendship, took it from me, sent me another."

"I have lost my seven best friends, which is to say God has had mercy on me seven times without realizing it. He lent a friendship, took it from me, sent me another."

Jean Cocteau, French Director

Friendship, God, Lent, Mercy

50

"We took up the offer with the BBC, and that was Monty Python's Flying Circus. I didn't have to submit my ideas to the group. I used to turn up on the days we recorded with a can of film under my arm, and in it went."

"We took up the offer with the BBC, and that was Monty Python's Flying Circus. I didn't have to submit my ideas to the group. I used to turn up on the days we recorded with a can of film under my arm, and in it went."

Terry Gilliam, American Director

Creativity, Ideas, Film, Flying

50

"I feel that my job is to create an atmosphere where creative people can do their best work."

"I feel that my job is to create an atmosphere where creative people can do their best work."

John Frankenheimer, American Director

Work, People, Job

50

"I couldn't have been happier with the relationship we had with Disney, it couldn't have been easier."

"I couldn't have been happier with the relationship we had with Disney, it couldn't have been easier."

Joel Coen, American Director

50

"If you are looking for a producer, try to contact established producers. Don't let the fear of theft paralyze you, or you will never get anywhere with it."

"If you are looking for a producer, try to contact established producers. Don't let the fear of theft paralyze you, or you will never get anywhere with it."

Penelope Spheeris, American Director

Fear, Theft, Will

50

"When we do a movie with the studios, they wouldn't be asking us to do it, I don't think, if it was a movie they wanted to get into themselves. What you see is what you get with us, so they let us do what we want to do."

"When we do a movie with the studios, they wouldn't be asking us to do it, I don't think, if it was a movie they wanted to get into themselves. What you see is what you get with us, so they let us do what we want to do."

Joel Coen, American Director

50

"I don't think about Hollywood at all."

"I don't think about Hollywood at all."

Alex Cox, British Director

50

"You know, I think everything I do cinematically for the rest of my life will probably have some direct route back to Jonathan. But I love him to death. He's like my best friend and my big brother."

"You know, I think everything I do cinematically for the rest of my life will probably have some direct route back to Jonathan. But I love him to death. He's like my best friend and my big brother."

Ted Demme, American Director

Friendship, Life, Love, Death, Brother

50

"It's kind of interesting to be a director who is all of a sudden being an actor playing an agent. This is my whole world!"

"It's kind of interesting to be a director who is all of a sudden being an actor playing an agent. This is my whole world!"

Mark Rydell, American Director

50

"I watched a couple of really bad directors work, and I saw how they completely botched it up and missed the visual opportunities of the scene when we had put things in front of them as opportunities. Set pieces, props and so on."

"I watched a couple of really bad directors work, and I saw how they completely botched it up and missed the visual opportunities of the scene when we had put things in front of them as opportunities. Set pieces, props and so on."

James Cameron, American Director

50

"I like actors that are good with pantomime and that can transmit a lot by their presence and attitude more than through their dialogue."

"I like actors that are good with pantomime and that can transmit a lot by their presence and attitude more than through their dialogue."

Guillermo del Toro, Mexican Director

Attitude, Actors

50

"Too many of Disney animators, and a lot try to emulate Disney, are trying to hit what they call quality levels. They're boring mannerisms."

"Too many of Disney animators, and a lot try to emulate Disney, are trying to hit what they call quality levels. They're boring mannerisms."

Ralph Bakshi, American Director

Quality, Disney, Trying

50

"My Aunt Minnie would always be punctual and never hold up production, but who would pay to see my Aunt Minnie?"

"My Aunt Minnie would always be punctual and never hold up production, but who would pay to see my Aunt Minnie?"

Billy Wilder, American Director

Entertainment, Production

50

"This solution may not appeal to our human pride, but the problem is that our human pride in itself is sinful."

"This solution may not appeal to our human pride, but the problem is that our human pride in itself is sinful."

Walter Lang, American Director

Self-Love, May, Pride, Solution

50

"Life is a horizontal fall."

"Life is a horizontal fall."

Jean Cocteau, French Director

50

"Because I just loved to spend two years of my life in the company of Andy Kaufman and other characters."

"Because I just loved to spend two years of my life in the company of Andy Kaufman and other characters."

Milos Forman, Czechoslovakian Director

Life, Company, Years

50

"The war was the end of an era, in art as well. And we were trying to create a new philosophy."

"The war was the end of an era, in art as well. And we were trying to create a new philosophy."

Douglas Sirk, German Director

Art, War, End, Philosophy

50

"I was the kind of kid that had some talents or ability, but it never came out in school."

"I was the kind of kid that had some talents or ability, but it never came out in school."

Francis Ford Coppola, American Director

Ability, School

50

"Reality shows are all the rage on TV at the moment, but that's not reality, it's just another aesthetic form of fiction."

"Reality shows are all the rage on TV at the moment, but that's not reality, it's just another aesthetic form of fiction."

Steven Soderbergh, American Director

Fiction, Reality

50

"My plan was to stay in Canada to make films."

"My plan was to stay in Canada to make films."

Ted Kotcheff, Canadian Director

50

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