I prefer people who don't get caught, and if they do get caught, I prefer people who don't give in.

I know that I come from mid-20th century America, urban, specifically downtown New York, specifically an Italian-American area, Roman Catholic - that's who I am. And a part of what I know is there's a decency to people who tried to make a living in the kind of world that was around us and also the Skid Row area of the Bowery; it impressed me.

Food tells you everything about the way people live and who they are.

If your mother cooks Italian food, why should you go to a restaurant?

I've seen many, many movies over the years, and there are only a few that suddenly inspire you so much that you want to continue to make films.

As you grow older, you change.

I didn't realize there are generations who do not know about the origins of film.