--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Films today show only a dream world and…" description: "\"Films today show only a dream world and have lost touch with the way people really are... In this country, people die at 21. They die emotionally at 21..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86f/john-cassavetes-12820_artist_films-today-show-only-a-dream-world-and_1034931.jpg" --- # Films today show only a dream world and have lost touch… ![“Films today show only a dream world and have lost touch with the way people really are... In this country, people die at 21. They die emotionally at 21, maybe younger... My responsibility as an artist is to help people get past 21... The films are a roadmap through emotional and intellectual…” quote by John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86f/john-cassavetes-12820_artist_films-today-show-only-a-dream-world-and_1034931.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86f/john-cassavetes-12820_artist_films-today-show-only-a-dream-world-and_1034931.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86f/john-cassavetes-12820_artist_films-today-show-only-a-dream-world-and_1034931.jpg) > “Films today show only a dream world and have lost touch with the way people really are... In this country, people die at 21. They die emotionally at 21, maybe younger... My responsibility as an artist is to help people get past 21... The films are a roadmap through emotional and intellectual terrain that provides a solution on how to save pain.” [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Art should confront reality, guiding audiences beyond youthful emotional stagnation. **In simple terms:** Art helps people grow beyond early emotional limits. Key Takeaway Create work that challenges emotional maturity. Themes art growth emotional development Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - film festivals - educational workshops - therapy sessions Key Concepts cinema psychology social critique Questions to Reflect On - How can art balance realism and hope? - What stories best illustrate this journey? A Different Perspective Risk of alienating audiences seeking escapism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dream world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream-world/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Emotional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Help people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-people/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [You already past 21 and you still talking about "I'ma be a rapper." You ain't did one show, niggas ain't seen you on TV.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/schoolboy-q/you-already-past-21-and-you-still-talking-about-i-ma-be-a-rapper-you/) [Schoolboy Q](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/schoolboy-q/) > [Mentally I can die, Emotionally I can cry, Physically I can sigh, Spirituality I can fly. If I just try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/mentally-i-can-die-emotionally-i-can-cry-physically-i-can-sigh/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [I was so focused at 21, maybe to my own detriment because I didn't allow myself to have fun. I was constantly looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayma-mays/i-was-so-focused-at-21-maybe-to-my-own-detriment-because-i-didn-t/) [Jayma Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayma-mays/) > [I started writing when I was about 20, 21 maybe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-started-writing-when-i-was-about-20-21-maybe/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [The responsibility of an artist is to be honest with themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-kweli/the-responsibility-of-an-artist-is-to-be-honest-with-themselves/) [Talib Kweli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-kweli/) > [The responsibility of the artist consists in perfecting his work so that it may become attractively disinteresting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/the-responsibility-of-the-artist-consists-in-perfecting-his-work-so/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [I think it's part of the responsibility of an artist to shock, to upset, to make people think differently, and to surprise people. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-plympton/i-think-it-s-part-of-the-responsibility-of-an-artist-to-shock-to/) [Bill Plympton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-plympton/) > [The responsibility of the artist is to transcend the human ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-selby-jr/the-responsibility-of-the-artist-is-to-transcend-the-human-ego/) [Hubert Selby, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-selby-jr/) > [It's my responsibility as an artist and public figure to put the right frequency out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheem-devaughn/it-s-my-responsibility-as-an-artist-and-public-figure-to-put-the/) [Raheem DeVaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheem-devaughn/) > [I don't believe in rushing and saying this is done and over with. That form of rebellion doesn't make sense to me. I've always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-don-t-believe-in-rushing-and-saying-this-is-done-and-over-with-that/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [My responsibility as an artist is to turn up at the page or the piano or the microphone. The rest is up to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/my-responsibility-as-an-artist-is-to-turn-up-at-the-page-or-the-piano/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [I think it’s a responsibility for any artist to protect freedom of expression and to use any way to extend this power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/i-think-it-s-a-responsibility-for-any-artist-to-protect-freedom-of/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Even if you're playing the most well-known repertoire under the sun, I still believe you have a responsibility as an artist to tell the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-hazlewood/even-if-you-re-playing-the-most-well-known-repertoire-under-the-sun-i/) [Charles Hazlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-hazlewood/) > [My responsibility is to the artist first. There's something that artists intrinsically know about their music and their fanbase that neither the record company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nile-rodgers/my-responsibility-is-to-the-artist-first-there-s-something-that/) [Nile Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nile-rodgers/) > [Your responsibility as an artist is to experiment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/squarepusher/your-responsibility-as-an-artist-is-to-experiment/) Squarepusher ## More by John Cassavetes > [I think I probably have the philosophy of a poor man. You know, like maybe I'd steal the pennies off a dead man's eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/i-think-i-probably-have-the-philosophy-of-a-poor-man-you-know-like/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [I have a one-track mind. That's all that I'm interested in - love. And the lack of it. When it stops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/i-have-a-one-track-mind-that-s-all-that-i-m-interested-in-love-and/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [(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.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/acting-is-an-extension-of-life-how-you-re-capable-of-performing-in/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [I hate entertainment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/i-hate-entertainment/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [My mother and father were never frightened of anything. They always felt that they should go through life happily and without fear, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/my-mother-and-father-were-never-frightened-of-anything-they-always/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [People don't know what they are doing most of the time. They don't know what they want. It's only in 'the movies' that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/people-don-t-know-what-they-are-doing-most-of-the-time-they-don-t/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [The most difficult thing in the world is to reveal yourself, to express what you have to. As an artist, I feel that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/the-most-difficult-thing-in-the-world-is-to-reveal-yourself-to/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [I have the confidence that I can take anybody and have them give a good performance, because I don't think there's anything to acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/i-have-the-confidence-that-i-can-take-anybody-and-have-them-give-a/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [I like to act in films, I like to shoot 'em, I like to direct 'em, I like to be around 'em. I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/i-like-to-act-in-films-i-like-to-shoot-em-i-like-to-direct-em-i-like/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [People have said that my films are very difficult to watch, that they're experiences you are put through rather than ones you enjoy, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/people-have-said-that-my-films-are-very-difficult-to-watch-that-they/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [I would put my pictures up against anybody's in this world. Certainly in my own day I bow to no one. I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/i-would-put-my-pictures-up-against-anybody-s-in-this-world-certainly/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [People who are making films today are too concerned with mechanics - technical things instead of feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/people-who-are-making-films-today-are-too-concerned-with-mechanics/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [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-…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/i-m-very-worried-about-the-depiction-of-women-on-the-screen-it-s/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/i-m-not-good-at-comparing-and-contrasting-i-take-what-s-in-front-of/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [Commercial movies have no feeling, no sensitivity. Most people tell me people won't understand films with feeling. But everyone can feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/commercial-movies-have-no-feeling-no-sensitivity-most-people-tell-me/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) [Explore all 53 John Cassavetes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) ## More Artist quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Designers shouldn’t design for museums any more than mummies should die for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/designers-shouldn-t-design-for-museums-any-more-than-mummies-should/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [I am a horrible visual artist. I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) [Browse all 32,600 Artist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Films today show only a dream world and have lost touch with the way people really are... In this country, people die at 21. They die emotionally at 21, maybe younger... My responsibility as an artist is to help people get past 21... The films are a roadmap through emotional and intellectual terrain that provides a solution on how to save pain.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Cassavetes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/films-today-show-only-a-dream-world-and-have-lost-touch-with-the-way/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Artist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/films-today-show-only-a-dream-world-and-have-lost-touch-with-the-way/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86f/john-cassavetes-12820_artist_films-today-show-only-a-dream-world-and_1034931.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86f/john-cassavetes-12820_artist_films-today-show-only-a-dream-world-and_1034931.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86f/john-cassavetes-12820_artist_films-today-show-only-a-dream-world-and_1034931.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Films today show only a dream world and have lost touch with the way people really are... In this country…” — John Cassavetes", "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": "John Cassavetes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Films today show only a dream...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/films-today-show-only-a-dream-world-and-have-lost-touch-with-the-way/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/films-today-show-only-a-dream-world-and-have-lost-touch-with-the-way/#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 } } ] } ```