I think a story should take as long to tell as it is appropriate to that particular story.

One of my favorite movies of all time is 'It's A Wonderful Life', which is a pretty interesting choice for a seasonal Christmas favorite, because it's about a guy who wants to commit suicide and is presented with reasons not to.

If you're going to succeed, you've got to be like one of those punch-drunk fighters in the old Warner Bros. boxing pictures: too stupid to fall down, you just keep slugging and stay on your feet.

I am fascinated with times past.

The amazing thing about any movie is not whether it's good, but that it got made at all.

The only person who can, with impunity, make the movie he wants to make, has got to be Steven Spielberg.

Stanley Kubrick was a big inspiration. People accuse me of never using my own material. But when did Kubrick? You look at his films and they are completely unique... completely separate entities.