There's been too much attention on marketing. Can't we just talk about the paintings?

When I made my first film, Basquiat, I think one of the criticisms was that the way I work is episodic. Later, as people started to look at the movies, they started to realize that maybe that's my style. If I could do it better or another way, I guess I would.

Making a painting is like playing the saxophone. You hit the note and it comes out.

I'm not saying I'm the only Jewish person who cares about Palestinian people, but unfortunately, their voices are not necessarily heard as loudly as they should be.

I think people have problems sometimes when things are too general. In fact, they are not really general at all.

I think that truth is stranger than fiction, and it's nice to know the people you're making a movie about.

I think it's good when people don't write good things about your work. I mean, what a great compliment it is to be called a charlatan.