John Cassavetes Quotes

34 quotes in 516 categories

• No matter how old you get, if you can keep the desire to be creative, you're keeping the man-child alive.
• I like to act in films, I like to shoot 'em, I like to direct 'em, I like to be around 'em. I like the…
• My films are expressive of a culture that has had the possibility of attaining material fulfillment while at the same time finding itself unable to…
• I’m very worried about the depiction of women on the screen. It’s gotten worse than ever and it’s related to their being either high- or…
• As an artist, I feel that we must try many things - but above all we must dare to fail.
• There's a difference between ad-libbing and improvising. And there's a difference between not knowing what to do and just saying something. Or making choices as…
• People who are making films today are too concerned with mechanics - technical things instead of feeling.
• You must be willing to risk everything to really express it all.
• We only have two hours to change people's lives.
• To me there is a name for each person. I think it’s marvelous to have a name. A woman is not a woman. It’s either…
• During the actual filming, I’m not really listening to dialogue. I’m watching to see if the actors are communicating something and expressing something. I’m just…
• An artist can accomplish anything provided he doesn't accept facts or defeat for more than a few minutes.
• As an artist, I feel that we must try many things - but above all we must dare to fail...Say what you are. Not what…
• When I started making films, I wanted to make Frank Capra pictures. But I`ve never been able to make anything but these crazy, tough pictures.…
• Filmmaking is exploring. Why would I want to make a film about something I already understand?
• You can fail in films because you don't have the talent, or you have too much humility, or you lack ferociousness. I'm a gangster. If…
• I’ve never seen an exploding helicopter. I’ve never seen anybody go and blow somebody’s head off. So why should I make films about them? But…
• The greatest location in the world is the human face.
• (Acting) is an extension of life. How you're capable of performing in your life, that's how you're capable of performing on screen.
• I'm not good at comparing and contrasting. I take what's in front of me for what it is, although I guess there's something about Paul's…

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