There's nothing I've done which I'm ashamed of or I thought was actually bad.

I'm a huge fan of world cinema, because each country uses cinema in a very individual way.

I made my first film on 16mm. Then I began using 35mm.Then I began working in Hollywood. And I began to really understand how films were made by professionals. I have to say I wasn't very impressed.

I had no plans to be a director.

In discussing the process with the actors, I made it clear to them that they could improvise but that the sum total of their improvisation needed to impart certain plot points, and schematic material.

Films take up so much time, and with theatre, you do have to plan a period of time that you can be free.

Obviously, I try to make the films work for an audience. That's the main point of making a film, and in retrospect, one can see that certain films, let's say Leaving Las Vegas, demonstrated its own success.