There's no point in making a film out of a great book. The book's already great. What's the point?

Ireland is becoming like everywhere else, but that's the one I grew up in: the one that's hugely illogical. Rather wonderful, in a way. I never found this oppression of religion and that, but I did enjoy growing up in a culture that didn't need to be rational all of the time.

Films have gotten leaner and leaner, cutting out all variations from the story line.

It's nice to work with Hollywood because there is never any question of resources put at your disposal to make a film as long as it is the right thing to do.

I hoped that grief was similar to the other emotions. That it would end, the way happiness did. Or laughter.

Well, Company of Wolves was about that literally, about fairy tales.

I don't think we have enough imaginary creatures in cinema. It seems like we're stuck with zombies, vampires, and werewolves. We should have everything. We should have minotaurs. We should have elves. We should have mermen in popular culture. But instead we've stuck with vampires.