--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I saw 'Alien' when I was 8 years old. To…" description: "\"I saw 'Alien' when I was 8 years old. To me, it was like a combination of Jaws and Star Wars, and that's the movie that made me want to be a director.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fb/eli-roth-2841_alien_i-saw-alien-when-i-was-8-years-old-to-me_3128229.jpg" --- # I saw 'Alien' when I was 8 years old. To me, it was like a… ![“I saw 'Alien' when I was 8 years old. To me, it was like a combination of Jaws and Star Wars, and that's the movie that made me want to be a director.” quote by Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fb/eli-roth-2841_alien_i-saw-alien-when-i-was-8-years-old-to-me_3128229.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fb/eli-roth-2841_alien_i-saw-alien-when-i-was-8-years-old-to-me_3128229.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fb/eli-roth-2841_alien_i-saw-alien-when-i-was-8-years-old-to-me_3128229.jpg) > “I saw 'Alien' when I was 8 years old. To me, it was like a combination of Jaws and Star Wars, and that's the movie that made me want to be a director.” [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The alien film sparked his imagination, blending horror and sci‑fi, inspiring his directorial ambition. **In simple terms:** Seeing 'Alien' made him want to direct movies. Key Takeaway Let early media experiences guide career goals. Themes inspiration genre blend career motivation Mood enthusiastic nostalgic Type cinematic motivational When to use this quote - film school - directing projects - storyboarding Key Concepts cinema creative spark Questions to Reflect On - Which film shaped your creative path? - How do you merge genres in your work? A Different Perspective Early inspiration may not translate to skill without practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alien/) [Alien Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alien-years-5521810/) [Aliens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aliens/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Combination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/combination/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Jaws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jaws/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Saw Alien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saw-alien-2576064/) [Saws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saws/) [Star War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star-war/) [Star wars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star-wars/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-director-368075/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [The fun of that sci-fi and adventure stuff is that it's always somebody who's not believed and is not being trusted. If you saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-macken/the-fun-of-that-sci-fi-and-adventure-stuff-is-that-it-s-always/) [Eoin Macken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-macken/) > [I was born in 1973, so I did not see 'Alien' when it was released theatrically. I saw 'Alien' when it was on Home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-was-born-in-1973-so-i-did-not-see-alien-when-it-was-released/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [Hey man, Jaws was never my scene, and i don't like Star Wars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/hey-man-jaws-was-never-my-scene-and-i-don-t-like-star-wars/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [I've always been a fan of 3D, going back to movies in the '50s. I was part of the early '80s 3D craze, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-a-fan-of-3d-going-back-to-movies-in-the-50s-i-was/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [“...We got it all wrong, there was no alien swarm descending from the sky in their flying saucers or big metal walkers like something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/we-got-it-all-wrong-there-was-no-alien-swarm-descending-from-the-sky/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [While I prefer generally more personal dramas in which I can stretch myself... and while I'm not a science fiction buff, I consider '2001'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvette-mimieux/while-i-prefer-generally-more-personal-dramas-in-which-i-can-stretch/) [Yvette Mimieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvette-mimieux/) > [My friend once sculpted me a bust of Admiral Ackbar from 'Star Wars.' He's my favourite character in the films after Han Solo. He's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgrath/my-friend-once-sculpted-me-a-bust-of-admiral-ackbar-from-star-wars-he/) [Katie McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgrath/) > [Your job, as an actor, is never to just do what you're told. That's boring, and life is too short. It's your job to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/your-job-as-an-actor-is-never-to-just-do-what-you-re-told-that-s/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [As an actor, you want a director who makes you feel comfortable in a place that you can really create and try a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ansel-elgort/as-an-actor-you-want-a-director-who-makes-you-feel-comfortable-in-a/) [Ansel Elgort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ansel-elgort/) > [I was an executive producer. I've done a lot of jobs and I think each one helps you get closer to what you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoya-akhtar/i-was-an-executive-producer-i-ve-done-a-lot-of-jobs-and-i-think-each/) [Zoya Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoya-akhtar/) > [I want to be a director's actor and stay true to their vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuthirakani/i-want-to-be-a-director-s-actor-and-stay-true-to-their-vision/) [Samuthirakani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuthirakani/) > [I didn't want to be a director for hire. It really just took me a long time to learn how to direct and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-didn-t-want-to-be-a-director-for-hire-it-really-just-took-me-a-long/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [One thing I know is that I don't want to be a director for hire, making genre films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mazursky/one-thing-i-know-is-that-i-don-t-want-to-be-a-director-for-hire/) [Paul Mazursky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mazursky/) > [There were movies that always made me want to be a director. You see brilliant scenes and the way the emotions were handled. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-beresford/there-were-movies-that-always-made-me-want-to-be-a-director-you-see/) [Bruce Beresford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-beresford/) > [Sometimes you can't even find the director on a movie set. Sometimes you don't want to find the director on a movie set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-tucci/sometimes-you-can-t-even-find-the-director-on-a-movie-set-sometimes/) [Stanley Tucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-tucci/) ## More by Eli Roth > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [Twitter is wonderful. You can kill rumours instantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/twitter-is-wonderful-you-can-kill-rumours-instantly/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [Shooting at Quentin Tarantino movie was like a masterclass in directing. Although I went back literally right into rehearsal, started shooting... while I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/shooting-at-quentin-tarantino-movie-was-like-a-masterclass-in/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [I need to eliminate 'like' from my vocabulary. I begin sentences with, 'That's seriously like ' I hear myself talking in this Los Angeles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-need-to-eliminate-like-from-my-vocabulary-i-begin-sentences-with/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [ I started the film \[Hostel Part II\]with the girls in an art class and there's a nude male model. People think that women are… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-started-the-film-hostel-part-ii-with-the-girls-in-an-art-class-and/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [I have so many different projects, I hear voices in my head - the characters talking all at once - and I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-have-so-many-different-projects-i-hear-voices-in-my-head-the/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [I'd love to see us get to a point where you can make a movie and not worry about the limits of the violence.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-d-love-to-see-us-get-to-a-point-where-you-can-make-a-movie-and-not/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [A comedy can actually get funnier and funnier. Even though you know the joke, you enjoy it so much, it's the facial expression, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/a-comedy-can-actually-get-funnier-and-funnier-even-though-you-know/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [The point of the first one was that it was about guys being lured by sex and the stereotypes... I always say it's like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/the-point-of-the-first-one-was-that-it-was-about-guys-being-lured-by/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [I've always dreamed of having a year-round haunted house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-dreamed-of-having-a-year-round-haunted-house/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [Look at comic books. It used to be something that only geeks were into. And now it's everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/look-at-comic-books-it-used-to-be-something-that-only-geeks-were-into/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [I was listening to music to kind of pump myself up and get psyched up, like I was listening to Iron Maiden and Misfits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-was-listening-to-music-to-kind-of-pump-myself-up-and-get-psyched-up/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [One of the great elements of the supernatural is having that mystery and letting people's imaginations run wild with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/one-of-the-great-elements-of-the-supernatural-is-having-that-mystery/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [If you are having fun on the set, you are not getting things done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/if-you-are-having-fun-on-the-set-you-are-not-getting-things-done/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [I hear what people say, I read all the reviews, all the blogs, and I am always curious to hear it, because you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-hear-what-people-say-i-read-all-the-reviews-all-the-blogs-and-i-am/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) [Explore all 148 Eli Roth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) ## More Alien quotes > [If you're going to immerse yourself in a project for three years, why not stake out a chunk of the world that is completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/if-you-re-going-to-immerse-yourself-in-a-project-for-three-years-why/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) > [“If you are an alien, how come you sound like you're from the north?' 'Lots of planets have a north!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-t-davies/if-you-are-an-alien-how-come-you-sound-like-you-re-from-the-north/) [Russell T Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-t-davies/) > [Some pundits have proposed that the aliens have come here to breed with us. Apparently, too much bike riding or something similar has rendered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/some-pundits-have-proposed-that-the-aliens-have-come-here-to-breed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [North Korea is still my homeland, my country. I suffered on the outside because I was alien, without identity. I was nobody. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/north-korea-is-still-my-homeland-my-country-i-suffered-on-the-outside/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [I don't want to be the embarrassment of the galaxy to have had the power to deflect an asteroid, and then not and end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-be-the-embarrassment-of-the-galaxy-to-have-had-the/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Whatever is not commonly seen is condemned as alien.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-chang/whatever-is-not-commonly-seen-is-condemned-as-alien/) [Iris Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-chang/) > [Alien's a great one. That's a scary movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/alien-s-a-great-one-that-s-a-scary-movie/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [As far as I can tell, the only unambiguous consequence of the claimed invasion of Earth by beings from another star system has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/as-far-as-i-can-tell-the-only-unambiguous-consequence-of-the-claimed/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Rick stared at him. "Your brother is an alien." "Yeah, but he's a cute one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/rick-stared-at-him-your-brother-is-an-alien-yeah-but-he-s-a-cute-one/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [You tell me you love me, but Im not sure you know what love is, or how fast it flies, or how much it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/you-tell-me-you-love-me-but-im-not-sure-you-know-what-love-is-or-how/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [Give consideration to the fact that alien astronomers could have scrutinized Earth for more than 4 billion years without detecting any radio signals, despite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/give-consideration-to-the-fact-that-alien-astronomers-could-have/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [“When I was a kid, I used to watch that show, sitting on the couch in my pajamas and wishing more than anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-thomas-ford/when-i-was-a-kid-i-used-to-watch-that-show-sitting-on-the-couch-in-my/) [Michael Thomas Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thomas-ford/) > [We of alien looks or words must stick together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/we-of-alien-looks-or-words-must-stick-together/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [One of the most interesting things for me in playing another species is that you want to make them different enough to be alien…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-murray/one-of-the-most-interesting-things-for-me-in-playing-another-species/) [Jaime Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-murray/) > [In a movie, it's often important to have aliens whose gestures and facial expressions can be 'read' by humans. And in the days before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/in-a-movie-it-s-often-important-to-have-aliens-whose-gestures-and/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) [Browse all 709 Alien quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alien/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I saw 'Alien' when I was 8 years old. 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