A lot of Americans have some view of the Constitution as just this thing that was handed down [intact]. But it really was the result of months and months of wrangling and disputation and ultimately compromise. That's where the brilliance of the American system is -- it's always been built on compromise.

You know when I was depressed I said I didn't want to live? Well, I'll tell you something - I didn't want to die.

We tried to be as ready and solid as we could be, ... Filmmaking is always some form of chaos, and to what extent you're able to harness the chaos.

Remembrance of death saves one from this world's deceit.

Beauty, alone, may please, not captivate; if lacking grace, 'tis but a hookless bait.

Discipline is like cabbage. We may not care for it ourselves, but feel sure it would be good for somebody else.

Much of the rest of the world has already learned some English. They pretty much understand the American way of doing things, because our culture has been ubiquitous and has been the 500-pound gorilla in the global economy. But the world is far more interrelated than ever before, and no one culture can thrive without the knowledge of how to function in other cultures.