All these teachers and [screenwriting] books mean you see movies that have been worked over by more committees wielding more rules, that all originality and authorship is lost. That's why you're seeing superstars like Brad Pitt in THE FIGHT CLUB and Tom Cruise in MAGNOLIA. They're desperately searching for people writing and directing off-formula movies.
Paul Schrader'Taxi Driver' wasn't autobiographical in terms of the actual events, but I did draw on my own mental state.
Paul SchraderThe clock is impotent; mechanical time does not affect those living in an eternal present.
Paul SchraderThere's the generation that made the rules, the generation that codified them. The generation that broke them - that's mine. The generation that laughed at them - that's Tarantino's. And now there's a generation that doesn't know that there were any.
Paul SchraderScreenplays are not works of art. They are invitations to others to collaborate on a work of art.
Paul SchraderAll these teachers and [screenwriting] books mean you see movies that have been worked over by more committees wielding more rules, that all originality and authorship is lost. That's why you're seeing superstars like Brad Pitt in THE FIGHT CLUB and Tom Cruise in MAGNOLIA. They're desperately searching for people writing and directing off-formula movies.
Paul Schrader