Every time I start the next movie, it's as exciting as the first time.

By the time we got to MGM, and Lions Gate the movie was done there was nothing else to say. It was done. Just as at Universal, it was art by committee.

I always wonder: the images that hit your brain when you're young are so significant, because there's not that much information in your brain. As you get older, things just bounce off. I can remember these minute details of stupid TV shows from the '70s, and I can't remember a book I read yesterday.

I never wanted there to be any moment in my movies when something would happen and the audience would cheer, like sometimes that happens in certain types of horror movies. I was never a fan of that, I wasn't looking for 'inventive' kills and I even hate that word because it's like, if you have these characters screaming or crying in pain I don't think anyone should be jumping out of their seat cheering. It should be horrible and you should feel sick watching it because that's what it is, sick.

My advice: Don't quit. When I got to New York City, I lived so far below the poverty line, because I didn't give in and get a job at 7-Eleven. I think you can thrive in misery.

The hardest part was convincing people that I was serious. The people were like 'you want to do this again'?

I like movies where you can come back and re-watch them and admire the cinematography 25 years later.