When it all comes together, a creative life has the nourishing power we normally associate with food, love and faith.

Whom the gods wish to destroy, they give unlimited resources.

Just when you arrive at the apex of your skills, it's time to retire. But as it turned out, I decided that since it was the thing that I felt I did best, I owed it to all that be to pursue it.

Everything is raw material. Everything is relevant. Everything is usable. Everything feeds into my creativity. But without proper preparation, I cannot see it, retain it, and use it.

There are so few people who can really take hold of art and sort of eat and chew it up. Somehow it's got to be held special, sacred in a corner, and if you don't do the same thing with it, if you're not equally reverential, serious, and pompous about it, well, then you're not a great artist. Who needs that?

The more you know, the better you can imagine.

Miloš Forman is a great director; Jim Brooks is a wonderful writer and director.