Quotes by Director | Beyond Motive 37/67

top of page

Quotes by Director

"I lose tons of stuff on the cutting room floor. For Scary Movie 3, for example, we had a lot of Matrix spoofs, a Hulk scene, and some of that stuff just doesn't hold up - it's too much plot, audiences just didn't want to hear about it."

"I lose tons of stuff on the cutting room floor. For Scary Movie 3, for example, we had a lot of Matrix spoofs, a Hulk scene, and some of that stuff just doesn't hold up - it's too much plot, audiences just didn't want to hear about it."

David Zucker, American Director

Movies, Audiences, Example, Want

36

"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

36

"There were a couple Aborigines in my primary school, but we never spoke to them. They kept to themselves, and we never really even locked eyes. They weren't acknowledged officially either."

"There were a couple Aborigines in my primary school, but we never spoke to them. They kept to themselves, and we never really even locked eyes. They weren't acknowledged officially either."

Phillip Noyce, Australian Director

36

"I'll rebel against powers and principalities, all the time. Always, I will."

"I'll rebel against powers and principalities, all the time. Always, I will."

Paul Thomas Anderson, American Director

36

"There are moments when television systems are young and haven't formed properly, and there's room for lots of original stuff. Then things become more and more top-heavy with executives who are trying to guarantee the success of things."

"There are moments when television systems are young and haven't formed properly, and there's room for lots of original stuff. Then things become more and more top-heavy with executives who are trying to guarantee the success of things."

Terry Gilliam, American Director

Success, Moments, Television, Trying

36

"I'm less comfortable making American movies because I don't know them so well."

"I'm less comfortable making American movies because I don't know them so well."

Neil Jordan, Irish Director

Movies, American

36

"One might have thought that the most significant change in the film industry that would come about with a transition from the communist economy to capitalism would fundamentally concern the sources of funding."

"One might have thought that the most significant change in the film industry that would come about with a transition from the communist economy to capitalism would fundamentally concern the sources of funding."

Andrzej Wajda, Polish Director

Change, Thought, Capitalism, Concern

36

"These are bagpipes. I understand the inventor of the bagpipes was inspired when he saw a man carrying an indignant, asthmatic pig under his arm. Unfortunately, the man-made sound never equalled the purity of the sound achieved by the pig."

"These are bagpipes. I understand the inventor of the bagpipes was inspired when he saw a man carrying an indignant, asthmatic pig under his arm. Unfortunately, the man-made sound never equalled the purity of the sound achieved by the pig."

Alfred Hitchcock, English Director

Man, Purity, Sound

36

"When I go to movies I generally want to be taken to another world."

"When I go to movies I generally want to be taken to another world."

Darren Aronofsky, American Director

Movies, Want, World

36

"It's because we are so flooded with American culture that we're startled when we see ourselves up there on the screen."

"It's because we are so flooded with American culture that we're startled when we see ourselves up there on the screen."

Yahoo Serious, Australian Director

Cultural, American, Culture

36

"I'm open to comments. I'm open to objective points of view, because I've been very narrow and very subjective."

"I'm open to comments. I'm open to objective points of view, because I've been very narrow and very subjective."

Richard Donner, American Director

36

"Our goal isn't to close Wal-Mart down. It is to make it a better, more humane company toward its employees and the communities it is in."

"Our goal isn't to close Wal-Mart down. It is to make it a better, more humane company toward its employees and the communities it is in."

Robert Greenwald, American Director

Goal, Company, Employees

36

"Seeing a murder on television can help work off one's antagonisms. And if you haven't any antagonisms, the commercials will give you some."

"Seeing a murder on television can help work off one's antagonisms. And if you haven't any antagonisms, the commercials will give you some."

Alfred Hitchcock, English Director

Work, Help, Murder, Television

36

"Married people from my generation are like an endangered species!"

"Married people from my generation are like an endangered species!"

Patrice Leconte, French Director

36

"You must find the note, the correct key, for your story. If you find it, everything will work. If you do not, everything will stick out like elbows."

"You must find the note, the correct key, for your story. If you find it, everything will work. If you do not, everything will stick out like elbows."

Louis Malle, French Director

Work, Key, Will

36

"The Communists automatically violated the daily practices of democracy to which I was accustomed."

"The Communists automatically violated the daily practices of democracy to which I was accustomed."

Elia Kazan, American Director

36

"I think experience will teach you a combination of liberalism and conservatism. We have to be progressive and at the same time we have to retain values. We have to hold onto the past as we explore the future."

"I think experience will teach you a combination of liberalism and conservatism. We have to be progressive and at the same time we have to retain values. We have to hold onto the past as we explore the future."

Oliver Stone, American Director

Experience, Time, Values, Conservatism

36

"I watched Someone to Watch Over Me the other night. I thought it was a really good movie. It's a great movie."

"I watched Someone to Watch Over Me the other night. I thought it was a really good movie. It's a great movie."

Ridley Scott, British Director

36

"The art of motion pictures is pictorial and language comes a distant second."

"The art of motion pictures is pictorial and language comes a distant second."

Jean-Jacques Annaud, French Director

36

"Naturally we need black men to give this movie serious credibility."

"Naturally we need black men to give this movie serious credibility."

Walter Hill, American Director

Man, Men, Credibility

35

"You sit at the board and suddenly your heart leaps. Your hand trembles to pick up the piece and move it. But what chess teaches you is that you must sit there calmly and think about whether it's really a good idea and whether there are other, better ideas."

"You sit at the board and suddenly your heart leaps. Your hand trembles to pick up the piece and move it. But what chess teaches you is that you must sit there calmly and think about whether it's really a good idea and whether there are other, better ideas."

Stanley Kubrick, American Director

Heart, Idea, Ideas, Chess

35

"Todd and I have a very complementary working style ."

"Todd and I have a very complementary working style ."

Sam Wood, American Director

35

"I think they quite like me when I work because I'm one of the safer directors to back, because even if my films don't bring their costs in back home, once they're shown outside of India they manage to cover the costs."

"I think they quite like me when I work because I'm one of the safer directors to back, because even if my films don't bring their costs in back home, once they're shown outside of India they manage to cover the costs."

Satyajit Ray, Indian Director

35

"Those movies, Decline I and II and Suburbia, are dearly loved, but they never made any money. I didn't even have the rights for some of them."

"Those movies, Decline I and II and Suburbia, are dearly loved, but they never made any money. I didn't even have the rights for some of them."

Penelope Spheeris, American Director

Money, Movies, Rights

35

"If one horror film hits, everyone says, 'Let's go make a horror film.' It's the genre that never dies."

"If one horror film hits, everyone says, 'Let's go make a horror film.' It's the genre that never dies."

George A. Romero, American Director

35

"The characters are the result of two things-first, we elaborate them into fairly well-defined people through their dialogue, then they happen all over again, when the actor interprets them."

"The characters are the result of two things-first, we elaborate them into fairly well-defined people through their dialogue, then they happen all over again, when the actor interprets them."

Joel Coen, American Director

People, Actor, Result

35

"I believe in justice, maybe not in this life, but there has to be justice. And if there isn't a God, I think it would be very depressing. I'd prefer to believe there is."

"I believe in justice, maybe not in this life, but there has to be justice. And if there isn't a God, I think it would be very depressing. I'd prefer to believe there is."

David Zucker, American Director

God, Life, Justice

35

"So our films had a lot more to them than entertainment value, and I'm glad that a lot of people recognize that now. People realize now the value of them as educational."

"So our films had a lot more to them than entertainment value, and I'm glad that a lot of people recognize that now. People realize now the value of them as educational."

Ray Harryhausen, American Director

People, Entertainment, Now, Value

35

"A woman can be very beautiful and an ideal model and she will photograph incredibly well, but she'll appear in film and it won't work. What works is some fusion of physical beauty with some mental field or whatever you call it. I don't know."

"A woman can be very beautiful and an ideal model and she will photograph incredibly well, but she'll appear in film and it won't work. What works is some fusion of physical beauty with some mental field or whatever you call it. I don't know."

Oliver Stone, American Director

Beauty, Work, Film, Will

35

"You can dress it up, but it comes down to the fact that a movie is only as good as its script."

"You can dress it up, but it comes down to the fact that a movie is only as good as its script."

Curtis Hanson, American Director

35

"To me, watching a movie is like going to an amusement park. My worst fear is making a film that people don't think is a good ride."

"To me, watching a movie is like going to an amusement park. My worst fear is making a film that people don't think is a good ride."

Darren Aronofsky, American Director

People, Fear, Amusement, Film

35

"It took me a long time to film the plastic bag, and then I had to get the cut of the scene right. But if you find it as beautiful as the character does, then suddenly it becomes a different movie, and so did he as a character."

"It took me a long time to film the plastic bag, and then I had to get the cut of the scene right. But if you find it as beautiful as the character does, then suddenly it becomes a different movie, and so did he as a character."

Sam Mendes, British Director

Time, Character, Film, Right

35

"We love the Stooges, and young kids today don't watch them. They think it's their dad's comedy. So we thought we could reintroduce them to a new audience."

"We love the Stooges, and young kids today don't watch them. They think it's their dad's comedy. So we thought we could reintroduce them to a new audience."

Bobby Farrelly, American Director

Love, Thought, Dad, Comedy

35

"I have to think as Bugs Bunny, not of Bugs Bunny."

"I have to think as Bugs Bunny, not of Bugs Bunny."

Chuck Jones, American Director

Creativity, Bugs

35

"I suppose directing on set is the most fun because it's a good crack and you feel you're on the battlefield whereas writing is a fairly solitary undertaking."

"I suppose directing on set is the most fun because it's a good crack and you feel you're on the battlefield whereas writing is a fairly solitary undertaking."

Guy Ritchie, British Director

35

"I guess everything having to do with your background has some influence on how you tell stories but it's hard to parse how growing up in a Jewish community in Minnesota really affected it."

"I guess everything having to do with your background has some influence on how you tell stories but it's hard to parse how growing up in a Jewish community in Minnesota really affected it."

Joel Coen, American Director

Community, Growingup, Influence

35

"Do people really want liberty, equality, fraternity? Is it not some manner of speaking?"

"Do people really want liberty, equality, fraternity? Is it not some manner of speaking?"

Krzysztof Kieslowski, Polish Director

Equality, People, Liberty, Want

35

"Because when you have millions of people with this kind of need for gratification, and the culture is saying that it's possible for everyone to satisfy all of their needs and desires all of the time, there are obviously going to be clashes - clashes of ego."

"Because when you have millions of people with this kind of need for gratification, and the culture is saying that it's possible for everyone to satisfy all of their needs and desires all of the time, there are obviously going to be clashes - clashes of ego."

Taylor Hackford, American Director

Time, People, Culture, Ego

35

"We've got so many stories to tell, you know, we could take on the world."

"We've got so many stories to tell, you know, we could take on the world."

Yahoo Serious, Australian Director

35

"In horror movies today it's lots of fast cut shot and lots of loud noises on the soundtrack. I tried to do the opposite. Playing with silence for instance."

"In horror movies today it's lots of fast cut shot and lots of loud noises on the soundtrack. I tried to do the opposite. Playing with silence for instance."

Alejandro Amenabar, Spanish Director

Movies, Horror, Silence, Today

35

"When you look at our world, the truth is that we're all under the influence of politics."

"When you look at our world, the truth is that we're all under the influence of politics."

Roland Joffe, English Director

Politics, Truth, Influence, World

35

"We are going to finish this picture just the way I want it... because you cannot compromise an artist's vision."

"We are going to finish this picture just the way I want it... because you cannot compromise an artist's vision."

Ed Wood, American Director

Vision, Artist, Compromise, Want

35

"You know what I would like to do: make a film with actors standing in empty space so that the spectator would have to imagine the background of the characters."

"You know what I would like to do: make a film with actors standing in empty space so that the spectator would have to imagine the background of the characters."

Michelangelo Antonioni, Italian Director

Actor, Actors, Film, Space

35

"A novelty in Polish filmmaking was that it was possible to find funds for a big production. However, at the same time, the state budget committed less and less money to filmmaking."

"A novelty in Polish filmmaking was that it was possible to find funds for a big production. However, at the same time, the state budget committed less and less money to filmmaking."

Andrzej Wajda, Polish Director

Money, Time, Novelty, Production

35

"He's too short, he's too... tall, he's... just not going to work."

"He's too short, he's too... tall, he's... just not going to work."

Ed Wood, American Director

35

"Pain can be alleviated by morphine but the pain of social ostracism cannot be taken away."

"Pain can be alleviated by morphine but the pain of social ostracism cannot be taken away."

Derek Jarman, British Director

35

"We're always looking at this love through the eyes of the person who is suffering because of this love."

"We're always looking at this love through the eyes of the person who is suffering because of this love."

Krzysztof Kieslowski, Polish Director

Love, Eyes, Suffering

35

"I guess why the Ocean's films are hard for me is because on the one hand you have to make sure the performances are there, but on the other hand it's a film that demands, to my mind, a very layered and complex visual scheme. That takes a lot of time to figure out."

"I guess why the Ocean's films are hard for me is because on the one hand you have to make sure the performances are there, but on the other hand it's a film that demands, to my mind, a very layered and complex visual scheme. That takes a lot of time to figure out."

Steven Soderbergh, American Director

Time, Film, Mind, Ocean

35

"But in terms of satire and comedy, our biggest and earliest influence was Mad magazine."

"But in terms of satire and comedy, our biggest and earliest influence was Mad magazine."

Jerry Zucker, American Director

Comedy, Influence, Satire

35

"But I couldn't cut that whole septic tank scene out because the audience liked it so much. So I sort of fell right back into getting a cheap laugh, but I still loved it."

"But I couldn't cut that whole septic tank scene out because the audience liked it so much. So I sort of fell right back into getting a cheap laugh, but I still loved it."

Jay Roach, American Director

35

bottom of page