---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All of a sudden I found myself doing…"
description: "\"All of a sudden I found myself doing things like 'Robot Monster' and 'Cat-Women of the Moon,' and I didn't know what the devil was going on. But if you..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/elmer-bernstein-33564_all-time_all-of-a-sudden-i-found-myself-doing-thi_1839827.jpg"
---

#  All of a sudden I found myself doing things like 'Robot…

![“All of a sudden I found myself doing things like 'Robot Monster' and 'Cat-Women of the Moon,' and I didn't know what the devil was going on. But if you're going to do areally bad movie, at least you do one that is at the top of the all-time bad-movie list.” quote by Elmer Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/elmer-bernstein-33564_all-time_all-of-a-sudden-i-found-myself-doing-thi_1839827.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/elmer-bernstein-33564_all-time_all-of-a-sudden-i-found-myself-doing-thi_1839827.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/elmer-bernstein-33564_all-time_all-of-a-sudden-i-found-myself-doing-thi_1839827.jpg)

> “All of a sudden I found myself doing things like 'Robot Monster' and 'Cat-Women of the Moon,' and I didn't know what the devil was going on. But if you're going to do areally bad movie, at least you do one that is at the top of the all-time bad-movie list.”

[Elmer Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-bernstein/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He reflects on making notoriously bad films, yet suggests choosing the very worst to embrace their cult appeal.

**In simple terms:** Even terrible movies can be fun if they’re the worst.

Key Takeaway

Embrace the worst for its unique charm.

Themes

film criticism cult cinema humor

Mood

playful ironic

Type

observational humorous

When to use this quote

- movie night with friends
- retro film festival
- film studies class

Key Concepts

bad‑movie culture nostalgia self‑awareness

Questions to Reflect On

- What makes a bad movie enjoyable?
- How do you decide a film is “the worst”?

A Different Perspective

Choosing the worst may limit artistic growth.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[All time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-time/) [Bad movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-movie/) [Bad movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-movies/) [Cat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cat/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Devil Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil-going-1389073/) [Doing things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-things/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Lists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lists/) [Monsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monsters/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Movie List](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-list-2340881/) [Robot Monster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robot-monster-626173/) [Robotics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robotics/) [Robots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robots/) [Time Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-bad-269872/)

## Related quotes

> [“Peter and I have been working our way down our movie list, which consists of my picks (favorite movies of mine that he’s never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/peter-and-i-have-been-working-our-way-down-our-movie-list-which/)

[Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/)

> [Someone once told me that the '…Baby One More Time' video should be me as a superhero fighting a giant robot monster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britney-spears/someone-once-told-me-that-the-baby-one-more-time-video-should-be-me/)

[Britney Spears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britney-spears/)

> [Mainstream Hollywood makes a few good movies a year. And in order to be in one of those, you have to be one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-gyllenhaal/mainstream-hollywood-makes-a-few-good-movies-a-year-and-in-order-to/)

[Maggie Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-gyllenhaal/)

> [Make movies you love because it's miserable. Every movie I've worked on at one point or another is exhausting, and you feel like you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-kinberg/make-movies-you-love-because-it-s-miserable-every-movie-i-ve-worked/)

[Simon Kinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kinberg/)

> [You know, I've sold a lot of bad movies in my time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-aykroyd/you-know-i-ve-sold-a-lot-of-bad-movies-in-my-time/)

[Dan Aykroyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-aykroyd/)

> [Careers are built on relationships. Even if it's a bad movie, even if I know it's a bad movie, even if it's a team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christophe-beck/careers-are-built-on-relationships-even-if-it-s-a-bad-movie-even-if-i/)

[Christophe Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christophe-beck/)

> [Overnight Success Happens Only in Fairy Tales, Trashy Novels, and Bad Movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-j-zelinski/overnight-success-happens-only-in-fairy-tales-trashy-novels-and-bad/)

[Ernie J Zelinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-j-zelinski/)

> [Somebody once said that Hollywood is based on a lot of producers deliberately making bad movies, and every now and then somebody gets lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/somebody-once-said-that-hollywood-is-based-on-a-lot-of-producers/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [I like to go to really bad movies, during their sixth week, and there's only one other person in the theatre, and I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-galifianakis/i-like-to-go-to-really-bad-movies-during-their-sixth-week-and-there-s/)

[Zach Galifianakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-galifianakis/)

> [Some movies run off the rails. This one is like the train crash in The Fugitive. I watched it in mounting gloom, realizing I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/some-movies-run-off-the-rails-this-one-is-like-the-train-crash-in-the/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [You can be good in a good movie, you can be good in a bad movie, you can be bad in a bad movie,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gielgud/you-can-be-good-in-a-good-movie-you-can-be-good-in-a-bad-movie-you/)

[John Gielgud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gielgud/)

> [My motto: 'No good movie is depressing. All bad movies are depressing.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/my-motto-no-good-movie-is-depressing-all-bad-movies-are-depressing/)

[Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/)

> [I love bad movies, whereas going to the theater for me is a painful experience. I think it's really hard to sit and watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/i-love-bad-movies-whereas-going-to-the-theater-for-me-is-a-painful/)

[Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/)

> [I think bad movies are made around the world, not just in Hollywood. There are as many bad art films in the whole world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-think-bad-movies-are-made-around-the-world-not-just-in-hollywood/)

[Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/)

> [I firmly believe that you can't get a good movie without risking a bad movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-firmly-believe-that-you-can-t-get-a-good-movie-without-risking-a/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

## More by Elmer Bernstein

> [I thought in terms of the enthusiasm of doing it. I didn't think about whether I was ready.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-bernstein/i-thought-in-terms-of-the-enthusiasm-of-doing-it-i-didn-t-think-about/)

[Elmer Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-bernstein/)

> [When you stop to think about it, so many films today where we don't have that kind of contact are films about alienation. About…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-bernstein/when-you-stop-to-think-about-it-so-many-films-today-where-we-don-t/)

[Elmer Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-bernstein/)

> [There's no way I can compete with someone who can write rap or rock and roll. Nor do I wish to. But I've always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-bernstein/there-s-no-way-i-can-compete-with-someone-who-can-write-rap-or-rock/)

[Elmer Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-bernstein/)

> [I would do the occasional score. I thought it was the most thrilling thing. It was instant. You made the music and they played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-bernstein/i-would-do-the-occasional-score-i-thought-it-was-the-most-thrilling/)

[Elmer Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-bernstein/)

> [I'm generally pessimistic about the dumbing down of America - especially with summer movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-bernstein/i-m-generally-pessimistic-about-the-dumbing-down-of-america/)

[Elmer Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-bernstein/)

> [I made my way on to a grey list, a black list even. That's something I'm very proud of, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-bernstein/i-made-my-way-on-to-a-grey-list-a-black-list-even-that-s-something-i/)

[Elmer Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-bernstein/)

> [Today you have something like A Film by Joe Harry. That is patently asinine and ridiculous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-bernstein/today-you-have-something-like-a-film-by-joe-harry-that-is-patently/)

[Elmer Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-bernstein/)

> [It was a great way to work. In those days, you had to be there. It was your world. It was your club. Your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-bernstein/it-was-a-great-way-to-work-in-those-days-you-had-to-be-there-it-was/)

[Elmer Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-bernstein/)

> [I did 10 years of comedies and 10 years of Westerns. I really like to stay away from car chases. I prefer the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-bernstein/i-did-10-years-of-comedies-and-10-years-of-westerns-i-really-like-to/)

[Elmer Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-bernstein/)

> [You wouldn't think it would but my parents were really balanced about that. When it came time for me to be out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-bernstein/you-wouldn-t-think-it-would-but-my-parents-were-really-balanced-about/)

[Elmer Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-bernstein/)

> [One of the things that happens in the business is that success is a very strange thing in that if you are involved in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-bernstein/one-of-the-things-that-happens-in-the-business-is-that-success-is-a/)

[Elmer Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-bernstein/)

> [Jerry Goldsmith is the #1 composer working now. He's open to new ideas and always inventing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-bernstein/jerry-goldsmith-is-the-1-composer-working-now-he-s-open-to-new-ideas/)

[Elmer Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-bernstein/)

> [Victor Young had been hired to write the score for the dances of The Ten Commandments but he became very ill. You were then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-bernstein/victor-young-had-been-hired-to-write-the-score-for-the-dances-of-the/)

[Elmer Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-bernstein/)

[Explore all 14 Elmer Bernstein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-bernstein/)

## More All time quotes

> [To be positive at all times is to ignore all that is important, sacred or valuable. To be negative at all times is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/to-be-positive-at-all-times-is-to-ignore-all-that-is-important-sacred/)

[Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/)

> [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [I have learned so much from my dad. Perhaps the biggest thing I've learned from my dad is how to be prepared at all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-sekulow/i-have-learned-so-much-from-my-dad-perhaps-the-biggest-thing-i-ve/)

[Jay Sekulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-sekulow/)

> [I don't know whether we think in moving images or whether we think in still images. I have a suspicion that on our hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-snow/i-don-t-know-whether-we-think-in-moving-images-or-whether-we-think-in/)

[Jon Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-snow/)

> [I'm big on tomato mozzarella salad. That's my favorite all-time food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-fields/i-m-big-on-tomato-mozzarella-salad-that-s-my-favorite-all-time-food/)

[Jan Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-fields/)

> [If you are my friend,you are down for me at all times,not just when it's convenient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-v/if-you-are-my-friend-you-are-down-for-me-at-all-times-not-just-when/)

[Jasmine V](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-v/)

> [At age 22 I set what I insist is an all-time record for distance hitchhiking in Bermuda shorts: 3,700 miles in three weeks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/at-age-22-i-set-what-i-insist-is-an-all-time-record-for-distance/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [Perhaps if only once you did enjoy The thousandth part of all the happiness A heart beloved enjoys, returning love, Repentant, you would surely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torquato-tasso/perhaps-if-only-once-you-did-enjoy-the-thousandth-part-of-all-the/)

[Torquato Tasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torquato-tasso/)

> [I think, as a filmmaker, it's important to be honest with yourself at all times in terms of what's working and what's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-wingard/i-think-as-a-filmmaker-it-s-important-to-be-honest-with-yourself-at/)

[Adam Wingard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-wingard/)

> [For all the concern about bodies and weight, 'Baywatch' has three huge catering trucks on the set at all times. One for entrees, one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-eggert/for-all-the-concern-about-bodies-and-weight-baywatch-has-three-huge/)

[Nicole Eggert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-eggert/)

> ['Lost Boys' is one of my all-time faves. I just thought it would be great to be a vampire. I remember this movie called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-headey/lost-boys-is-one-of-my-all-time-faves-i-just-thought-it-would-be/)

[Lena Headey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-headey/)

> [I have a constant kind of soundtrack going on at all times. I almost always have a song in my head. I'm very musically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-davie/i-have-a-constant-kind-of-soundtrack-going-on-at-all-times-i-almost/)

[Erin Davie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-davie/)

> [Lord, make me less like Jonah and more like Jesus. Save me from being the kind of person who cares more about my comfort,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-s-smith/lord-make-me-less-like-jonah-and-more-like-jesus-save-me-from-being/)

[Colin S. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-s-smith/)

> [The key is to be in a state of permanent connectedness with your inner body - to feel it at all times. This will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-key-is-to-be-in-a-state-of-permanent-connectedness-with-your/)

[Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/)

[Browse all 1,525 All time quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-time/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "All of a sudden I found myself doing things like 'Robot Monster' and 'Cat-Women of the Moon,' and I didn't know what the devil was going on. But if you're going to do areally bad movie, at least you do one that is at the top of the all-time bad-movie list.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Elmer Bernstein"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-bernstein/all-of-a-sudden-i-found-myself-doing-things-like-robot-monster-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "All time"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-bernstein/all-of-a-sudden-i-found-myself-doing-things-like-robot-monster-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/elmer-bernstein-33564_all-time_all-of-a-sudden-i-found-myself-doing-thi_1839827.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/elmer-bernstein-33564_all-time_all-of-a-sudden-i-found-myself-doing-thi_1839827.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/elmer-bernstein-33564_all-time_all-of-a-sudden-i-found-myself-doing-thi_1839827.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“All of a sudden I found myself doing things like 'Robot Monster' and 'Cat-Women of the Moon,' and I didn't…” — Elmer Bernstein",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Elmer Bernstein",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-bernstein/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "All of a sudden I found...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-bernstein/all-of-a-sudden-i-found-myself-doing-things-like-robot-monster-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-bernstein/all-of-a-sudden-i-found-myself-doing-things-like-robot-monster-and/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
