But perhaps more important, as someone wishing to make a comment or two about contemporary life and values, I don't have to dig through libraries or travel to exotic lands to arrive at a view of our modern situation refracted through the lens of the preindustrial world, or the uncommercialized, unfranchised, perhaps unsanitized-and therefore supposedly more "authentic"-perspective ofthe Third World. Very simply, this is because that "other" world, as alien as if separated by centuries in time, is the one from which I came

I did not go into the film business to be symbolized as someone else's vision of me.

So I had to be careful. I recognized the responsibility that, whether I liked it or not, I had to accept whatever the obligation was. That was to behave in a manner, to carry myself in such a professional way, as if there ever is a reflection, it's a positive one.

I wanted to explore the values that are at work, underpinning my life.

I'd seen my father. He was a poor man, and I watched him do astonishing things.

So it's been kind of a long road, but it was a good journey altogether.

Far as I can tell, I still have most of my hair, my gut is not hanging over my belt, and I still have all of my teeth.