I think my films are very English. That certain emotional distance, interest in the world, interest in irony. These are all deeply English propositions.

Since Caesar, we know his historians are liars. The good writers get read. Bad history doesn't get read.

We all live to a formula. Maybe the secret lies in keeping that formula secret.

There are, after all, approaches to be made other than the dependable routes that massage sentimental expectations and provide easy opportunities for emotional identification.

I got in trouble with the stern-faced Russians who didn't want me to create a guy who is mortal.

There's no such thing as history, only historians. That's how we know about the past.

We all know that we're going to die, but we don't know when. That's not a blessing, that's a curse.