Quotes by Director | Beyond Motive 67/67

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Quotes by Director

"Whoever becomes the head of the National Theater finds himself in a position like that of Nelson's Column - pigeons dump on you because you're there."

"Whoever becomes the head of the National Theater finds himself in a position like that of Nelson's Column - pigeons dump on you because you're there."

Peter Hall, British Director

Politics, Pigeons, Theater

16

"The belief that the good in American society will finally win out... I don't believe any more."

"The belief that the good in American society will finally win out... I don't believe any more."

Elia Kazan, American Director

Society, Belief, Will

15

"It's flattering to make a picture which becomes a classic within 10 years; it's not so flattering, however, when people get the impression it's the only picture you've ever made."

"It's flattering to make a picture which becomes a classic within 10 years; it's not so flattering, however, when people get the impression it's the only picture you've ever made."

Robert Hamer, British Director

People, Impression, Years

15

"The best thing to do is to behave in a manner befitting one's age. If you are sixteen and under try not to go bald."

"The best thing to do is to behave in a manner befitting one's age. If you are sixteen and under try not to go bald."

Woody Allen, American Director

Humor, Aging, Behavior, Youth

15

"The best scary movies have great humor in them and a great story."

"The best scary movies have great humor in them and a great story."

Stephen Sommers, American Director

15

"Ninety percent of living is just showing up."

"Ninety percent of living is just showing up."

Woody Allen, American Director

Life, Consistency, Effort, Presence

15

"If God exists, I hope he has a good excuse."

"If God exists, I hope he has a good excuse."

Woody Allen, American Director

Spiritual, God, Existence, Humor, Faith

15

"I can't do anything to death, doctor's orders."

"I can't do anything to death, doctor's orders."

Woody Allen, American Director

Health, Mortality, Acceptance, Limitation

15

"They studio were flabbergasted when they discovered how interested everybody was in 'those old people.' And now many upcoming projects feature older people; it's become a trend."

"They studio were flabbergasted when they discovered how interested everybody was in 'those old people.' And now many upcoming projects feature older people; it's become a trend."

Daniel Petrie, Canadian Director

People, Now, Old, Projects

15

"Sex alleviates tension. Love causes it."

"Sex alleviates tension. Love causes it."

Woody Allen, American Director

Relationship, Sex, Love, Tension, Emotion

15

"When we played softball, I'd steal second base, feel guilty and go back."

"When we played softball, I'd steal second base, feel guilty and go back."

Woody Allen, American Director

Behavior, Childhood, Innocence, Play, Guilt

15

"I do not believe in an afterlife although I am bringing a change of underwear."

"I do not believe in an afterlife although I am bringing a change of underwear."

Woody Allen, American Director

Humor, Afterlife, Death, Skepticism

15

"I try to make films that move people when they are in the theater and make them think only after they leave."

"I try to make films that move people when they are in the theater and make them think only after they leave."

Claude Berri, French Director

People, Theater

15

"I've heard what people are saying, and it's a very weird thing. They're going into a realm where it's somethign that's almost ugly, rather than something that can be so beautiful."

"I've heard what people are saying, and it's a very weird thing. They're going into a realm where it's somethign that's almost ugly, rather than something that can be so beautiful."

James Haven, American Director

People, Saying, Ugly

15

"Yes, the experience of all stages of life are valuable, not just of youth."

"Yes, the experience of all stages of life are valuable, not just of youth."

Daniel Petrie, Canadian Director

Life, Experience, Youth

15

"I am fond of depicting the lives of young folks for one thing, and if you have parts for girls or young men, you must absolutely have young people to fill them - that is generally acknowledged now."

"I am fond of depicting the lives of young folks for one thing, and if you have parts for girls or young men, you must absolutely have young people to fill them - that is generally acknowledged now."

D. W. Griffith, American Director

Man, Men, People, Girls, Now

15

"I was the hero of the young insurgent working class art movement."

"I was the hero of the young insurgent working class art movement."

Elia Kazan, American Director

14

"All my life I've been waiting for this, and now it can happen. A Williams is going to win."

"All my life I've been waiting for this, and now it can happen. A Williams is going to win."

Richard Williams, Canadian Director

Life, Now, Waiting

14

"One must have one's delusions to live. If you look at life too honestly and clearly, life becomes unbearable because it's a pretty grim enterprise, you will admit."

"One must have one's delusions to live. If you look at life too honestly and clearly, life becomes unbearable because it's a pretty grim enterprise, you will admit."

Woody Allen, American Director

Philosophy, Delusion, Life, Reality, Honesty

14

"If I had any balls whatsoever, I'd make nothing but Jay and Silent Bob flicks for the rest of my life. However, being a critical whore, I've gotta move on and 'grow' beyond those characters."

"If I had any balls whatsoever, I'd make nothing but Jay and Silent Bob flicks for the rest of my life. However, being a critical whore, I've gotta move on and 'grow' beyond those characters."

Kevin Smith, American Director

Life, Being, Nothing, Rest

14

"Having sex is like bridge. If you don't have a good partner, you'd better have a good hand."

"Having sex is like bridge. If you don't have a good partner, you'd better have a good hand."

Woody Allen, American Director

Relationship, Sex, Partnership, Skill, Observation

14

"The ear disapproves but tolerates certain musical pieces; transfer them into the domain of our nose, and we will be forced to flee."

"The ear disapproves but tolerates certain musical pieces; transfer them into the domain of our nose, and we will be forced to flee."

Jean Cocteau, French Director

13

"We're from the ghetto. Venus is a ghetto Cinderella. People from the ghetto don't get nervous."

"We're from the ghetto. Venus is a ghetto Cinderella. People from the ghetto don't get nervous."

Richard Williams, Canadian Director

13

"Is sex dirty? Only when it's being done right."

"Is sex dirty? Only when it's being done right."

Woody Allen, American Director

Humor, Sexuality, Provocation, Truth

13

"Sun is bad for you. Everything our parents said was good is bad. Sun, milk, red meat...college."

"Sun is bad for you. Everything our parents said was good is bad. Sun, milk, red meat...college."

Woody Allen, American Director

Health, Advice, Observation, Truth

13

"Maugham then offers the greatest advice anyone could give to a young author: "At the end of an interrogation sentence, place a question mark. You'd be surprised how effective it can be."

"Maugham then offers the greatest advice anyone could give to a young author: "At the end of an interrogation sentence, place a question mark. You'd be surprised how effective it can be."

Woody Allen, American Director

Writing, Advice, Life, Creativity

13

"Perchance the chemist is already damned and the guardian the blackest."

"Perchance the chemist is already damned and the guardian the blackest."

Lewis Gilbert, British Director

13

"We may pretend that we're basically moral people who make mistakes, but the whole of history proves otherwise."

"We may pretend that we're basically moral people who make mistakes, but the whole of history proves otherwise."

Terry Hands, British Director

History, People, May, Mistakes

12

"I hate the Communists and have for many years and don't feel right about giving up my career to defend them. I will give up my film career if it is in the interests of defending something I believe in, but not this."

"I hate the Communists and have for many years and don't feel right about giving up my career to defend them. I will give up my film career if it is in the interests of defending something I believe in, but not this."

Elia Kazan, American Director

Career, Film, Giving, Hate

12

"Death doesn't really worry me that much, I'm not frightened about it... I just don't want to be there when it happens."

"Death doesn't really worry me that much, I'm not frightened about it... I just don't want to be there when it happens."

Woody Allen, American Director

Philosophical, Death, Fear, Acceptance, Life

12

"The difference between sex and death is that with death you can do it alone and no one is going to make fun of you."

"The difference between sex and death is that with death you can do it alone and no one is going to make fun of you."

Woody Allen, American Director

Humor, Death, Sexuality, Truth

12

"I have always believed that opera is a planet where the muses work together, join hands and celebrate all the arts."

"I have always believed that opera is a planet where the muses work together, join hands and celebrate all the arts."

Franco Zeffirelli, Italian Director

12

"I love all of mythology and rules pertaining to all of the monsters, but I like to go the extra step."

"I love all of mythology and rules pertaining to all of the monsters, but I like to go the extra step."

Stephen Sommers, American Director

Love, Mythology, Rules

12

"It's always the small people who change things. It's never the politicians or the big guys. I mean, who pulled down the Berlin wall? It was all the people in the streets. The specialists didn't have a clue the day before."

"It's always the small people who change things. It's never the politicians or the big guys. I mean, who pulled down the Berlin wall? It was all the people in the streets. The specialists didn't have a clue the day before."

Luc Besson, French Director

Change, People, Day, Politicians

11

"I am interested in the notion that people can become so obsessed by their world that they lose sense and awareness of how they appear to other people. They're so earnest about it. But that's true of so many things."

"I am interested in the notion that people can become so obsessed by their world that they lose sense and awareness of how they appear to other people. They're so earnest about it. But that's true of so many things."

Christopher Guest, British Director

People, Awareness, Sense, World

11

"I don't think violence on film breeds violence in life. Violence in life breeds violence in films."

"I don't think violence on film breeds violence in life. Violence in life breeds violence in films."

Robert Aldrich, American Director

Life, Film, Violence

11

"I think that films or indeed any art work should be made in a way that they are infinitely viewable; so that you could go back to it time and time again, not necessarily immediately but over a space of time, and see new things in it, or new ways of looking at it."

"I think that films or indeed any art work should be made in a way that they are infinitely viewable; so that you could go back to it time and time again, not necessarily immediately but over a space of time, and see new things in it, or new ways of looking at it."

Peter Greenaway, British Director

Art, Time, Work, Space

11

"Long time no see. I only pray the caliber of your questions has improved."

"Long time no see. I only pray the caliber of your questions has improved."

Kevin Smith, American Director

Time, Questions

9

"My private life has nothing to do with my films."

"My private life has nothing to do with my films."

Fritz Lang, Austrian Director

8

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