If we were a primitive society, movie stars would be gods.

Editing feels almost like sculpting or a form of continuing the writing process.

Hollywood was set up by a bunch of businessmen. They do not see their job as being philanthropists. I don't think it's a contradiction in terms to attempt to be a good businessman and to also be liberal.

Making films is much more difficult than people imagine, and so the experience of actually directing them is not one I've ever relished.

All films are political, whether they mean to be or not. Star Wars is political. As soon as you have conflict, which is the key to most films, you have politics. It's just that some are more artful with the handling of politics than others.

I'm not a very good predictor in any area of art, particularly my own. I don't know how to evaluate that.

But, I've made films in Japan, in Yugoslavia, all over Europe, all over the United States, Mexico, but not Hollywood.