'American Graffiti' was unpleasant because of the fact that there was no money, no time, and I was compromising myself to death.

A lot of great thinkers- like Einstein and Newton- come up with their best ideas when they're young because they don't yet think in the way that the establishment teaches them. Sometimes your lack of knowledge frees your mind to be creative and think in a different way. But you still have to be logical and figure out a practical way to get things done, even though you're looking at things differently.

You try to get yourself into a situation where you only have to answer to yourself, where you can ask advice of people and work with your peers and mentors and things to try to do the best job that you can possibly do.

A movie is never finished, only abandoned.

To be renewed is everything. What more could one ask for than to have one's youth back again?

I want to live where I want to live, and I will make films because I love to make films.

Making a film is like putting out a fire with sieve. There are so many elements, and it gets so complicated.