For a Catholic kid in parochial school, the only way to survive the beatings - by classmates, not the nuns - was to be the funny guy.

I've always felt that the real horror is next door to us, that the scariest monsters are our neighbors.

Ever since 'Lassie' and 'Old Yeller', I won't watch animal movies. Animals in movies always die.

As a filmmaker, I love the medium. I have a great affection for it and I've been lucky enough to do all different kinds of films. The greatest part of the success I've had comes from horror. I love the idea of mixing humor and horror and to me, it's all a giggle.

I don't think you need to spend $40 million to be creepy. The best horror films are the ones that are much less endowed.

As great as Ed is, the wisdom out here is that he can't carry a movie. They'll pay him $3 million to be the second banana in Julia Roberts things. But they won't put up $3 million for an Ed Harris movie.

Just because I'm showing somebody being disemboweled doesn't mean that I have to get heavy and put a message behind it.