There is no power on earth that can loosen a man's grip on his own throat

The important thing in writing is the capacity to astonish. Not shock - shock is a worn-out word - but astonish.

You can't do the end of the world in a conventionally dramatic way or Boy Meets Girl way.

Writing on a contract for a major studio you get the very best.

After Strangelove I also started work on an adaptation of The Collector.

In that sense, film is superior, but the difficulty is your lack of control as a writer.

I met Claxton on the set of The Cincinnati Kid.