I've never achieved spectacular success with a film. My reputation has grown slowly. I suppose you could say that I'm a successful filmmaker-in that a number of people speak well of me. But none of my films have received unanimously positive reviews, and none have done blockbuster business.

Take a stress pill and think things over-- HAL in 2001

The most terrifying fact about the universe not that it is hostile but that it is indifferent

I don't like doing interviews. There is always the problem of being misquoted or, what's even worse, of being quoted exactly.

It's crazy how you can get yourself in a mess sometimes and not even be able to think about it with any sense and yet not be able to think about anything else.

A film is - or should be - more like music than like fiction.

Gee, I wish we had one of them doomsday machines things.