--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you make motion pictures, each…" description: "\"When you make motion pictures, each picture is a life unto itself. When you finish and the picture is over, there's an understanding, a realization tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/john-huston-20152_cinema_when-you-make-motion-pictures-each-pictu_2255409.png" --- # When you make motion pictures, each picture is a life unto… ![“When you make motion pictures, each picture is a life unto itself. When you finish and the picture is over, there's an understanding, a realization that we'll never be assembled this way again. That these relationships are severed forever and ever. And each of these films is a little life.” quote by John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/john-huston-20152_cinema_when-you-make-motion-pictures-each-pictu_2255409.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/john-huston-20152_cinema_when-you-make-motion-pictures-each-pictu_2255409.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/john-huston-20152_cinema_when-you-make-motion-pictures-each-pictu_2255409.png) > “When you make motion pictures, each picture is a life unto itself. When you finish and the picture is over, there's an understanding, a realization that we'll never be assembled this way again. That these relationships are severed forever and ever. And each of these films is a little life.” [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Each film is a unique, unrepeatable existence, creating fleeting relationships that dissolve after viewing. **In simple terms:** Films are distinct lives that end once shown. Key Takeaway Value each film as a singular experience. Themes film artistic expression ephemerality Mood reflective melancholic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - movie watching - film criticism - directing - archiving Key Concepts cinematic storytelling temporal art Questions to Reflect On - What makes a film feel like a life? - How does impermanence affect our connection to movies? A Different Perspective Rewatching cannot fully recreate the original moment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Motion picture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motion-picture/) [Motion pictures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motion-pictures/) [Realization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realization/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) ## Related quotes > [I think I'm innocently representing a certain belief in motion pictures, and, well OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-luc-godard/i-think-i-m-innocently-representing-a-certain-belief-in-motion/) [Jean-Luc Godard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-luc-godard/) > [In the depths of the mirror the evening landscape moved by, the mirror and the reflected figures like motion pictures superimposed one on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasunari-kawabata/in-the-depths-of-the-mirror-the-evening-landscape-moved-by-the-mirror/) [Yasunari Kawabata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasunari-kawabata/) > [It's very difficult to break into motion pictures, but it's oddly easier for directors today because of independent films and cable, who have inherited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rydell/it-s-very-difficult-to-break-into-motion-pictures-but-it-s-oddly/) [Mark Rydell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rydell/) > [The conscience of America seems to be paralyzed... 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The Jews greatest danger to this country lies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/the-jews-are-one-of-the-principle-forces-attempting-to-lead-the-u-s/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [The thing about a motion picture is that look of film on a big screen takes you into a magical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/the-thing-about-a-motion-picture-is-that-look-of-film-on-a-big-screen/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [The art of motion pictures is pictorial and language comes a distant second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-annaud/the-art-of-motion-pictures-is-pictorial-and-language-comes-a-distant/) [Jean-Jacques Annaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-annaud/) > [Life is like a motion picture, everything is like a movie. 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On the stage, dancing is three-dimensional, but a motion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-kelly/things-danced-on-the-screen-do-not-look-the-way-they-do-on-the-stage/) [Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-kelly/) > [Instead of agitating for war, the Jewish groups in this country should be opposing it in every possible way, for they will be among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/instead-of-agitating-for-war-the-jewish-groups-in-this-country-should/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [Lenin in 1921 observed very presciently that motion pictures were the most powerful tool ever invented to shape the way we thought. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlton-heston/lenin-in-1921-observed-very-presciently-that-motion-pictures-were-the/) [Charlton Heston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlton-heston/) ## More by John Huston > [Once you have found the right shot to introduce the scene-written your first declarative sentence-then the rest flows. You've found the key to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/once-you-have-found-the-right-shot-to-introduce-the-scene-written/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [The directing of a picture involves coming out of your individual loneliness and taking a controlling part in putting together a small world. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/the-directing-of-a-picture-involves-coming-out-of-your-individual/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [I don't approve of censorship. I like the French theatre idea. Put on the play, and if the audience doesn't care for it, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/i-don-t-approve-of-censorship-i-like-the-french-theatre-idea-put-on/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [Talk to them about things they don't know. Try to give them an inferiority complex. If the actress is beautiful, screw her. If she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/talk-to-them-about-things-they-don-t-know-try-to-give-them-an/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [You walk through a series of arches, so to speak, and then, presently, at the end of a corridor, a door opens and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/you-walk-through-a-series-of-arches-so-to-speak-and-then-presently-at/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [Marilyn was one step from oblivion when I directed her in The Asphalt Jungle. I remember she impressed me more off the screen than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/marilyn-was-one-step-from-oblivion-when-i-directed-her-in-the-asphalt/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [The directing of a picture involves coming out of your individual loneliness and taking a controlling part in putting together a small world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/the-directing-of-a-picture-involves-coming-out-of-your-individual-2/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [Whenever something is convenient or was modified after 1970, you probably shouldn't use it as root.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/whenever-something-is-convenient-or-was-modified-after-1970-you/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [I Don't Try to Guess What a Million People Will Like. It's Hard Enough to Know What I Like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/i-don-t-try-to-guess-what-a-million-people-will-like-it-s-hard-enough/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [What to do when inspiration doesn't come; be careful not to spook, get the wind up, force things into position. You must wait around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/what-to-do-when-inspiration-doesn-t-come-be-careful-not-to-spook-get/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [“I don't got to show you no stinkin' bahdges!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/i-don-t-got-to-show-you-no-stinkin-bahdges/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [There is a wilful lemming-like persistance in remaking past successes time after time. They can't make them as good as they are in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/there-is-a-wilful-lemming-like-persistance-in-remaking-past-successes/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [I am more lost in wonder than ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/i-am-more-lost-in-wonder-than-ever/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [A picture is made. You put a frame around it and move on. And one day you die. That is all there is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/a-picture-is-made-you-put-a-frame-around-it-and-move-on-and-one-day/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) > [She went right down into her own personal experience for everything, reached down and pulled something out of herself that was unique and extraordinary.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-huston/she-went-right-down-into-her-own-personal-experience-for-everything/) [John Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) [Explore all 31 John Huston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-huston/) ## More Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [There was a time in the 1980s when I worked in 22 films a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-ravi/there-was-a-time-in-the-1980s-when-i-worked-in-22-films-a-year/) [Radha Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-ravi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) Jessica Yu > [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) [Browse all 23,940 Cinema quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you make motion pictures, each picture is a life unto itself. 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