--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Films are always pretentious. There's…" description: "\"Films are always pretentious. There's nothing more pretentious than a filmmaker.\" — John Milius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/john-milius-18681_cinema_films-are-always-pretentious-there-s-not_2600965.jpg" --- # Films are always pretentious. There's nothing more… ![“Films are always pretentious. There's nothing more pretentious than a filmmaker.” quote by John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/john-milius-18681_cinema_films-are-always-pretentious-there-s-not_2600965.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/john-milius-18681_cinema_films-are-always-pretentious-there-s-not_2600965.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/170/john-milius-18681_cinema_films-are-always-pretentious-there-s-not_2600965.jpg) > “Films are always pretentious. There's nothing more pretentious than a filmmaker.” [John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Filmmakers are inherently pretentious; the industry amplifies this trait. **In simple terms:** Films and filmmakers are pretentious. Key Takeaway Critically assess artistic pretension. Themes art ego industry Mood critical analytical Type artistic industry When to use this quote - film criticism - creative collaboration - audience expectations Key Concepts media studies culture critique Questions to Reflect On - How does pretension affect viewer trust? - Can pretension be constructive? A Different Perspective Not all films are pretentious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Filmmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/filmmaker/) [Films Pretentious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/films-pretentious-1945044/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Pretentious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretentious/) [Pretentious Filmmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretentious-filmmaker-1945045/) [Pretentious Pretentious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretentious-pretentious-1945046/) ## Related quotes > [She has pretentious conversations about art house films. I have pretentious conversations about porno clips. We were doomed from the start …](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-espinoza/she-has-pretentious-conversations-about-art-house-films-i-have/) [Rudy Espinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-espinoza/) > [I don't like pretentious films or pretentious people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-kazan/i-don-t-like-pretentious-films-or-pretentious-people/) [Zoe Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-kazan/) > [In the numbing hands of pretentious filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen, history does not repeat itself in any way whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-reed/in-the-numbing-hands-of-pretentious-filmmakers-joel-and-ethan-coen/) [Rex Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-reed/) > [I felt that the Star Wars series became very pretentious as time went on. Just heavy and leaden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milius/i-felt-that-the-star-wars-series-became-very-pretentious-as-time-went/) [John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) > [Everybody's a filmmaker today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milius/everybody-s-a-filmmaker-today/) [John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) > [I couldn't sleep one night and I was sitting in my office and I realized that I was an independent filmmaker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-aronofsky/i-couldn-t-sleep-one-night-and-i-was-sitting-in-my-office-and-i/) [Darren Aronofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-aronofsky/) > [One of the great things about being a director as a life choice is that it can never be mastered. Every story is its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-howard/one-of-the-great-things-about-being-a-director-as-a-life-choice-is/) [Ron Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-howard/) > [Most of my characters are romantic rather than sexual. I think that's an essential difference in my pictures. I think they are more accurate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/most-of-my-characters-are-romantic-rather-than-sexual-i-think-that-s/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) > [“Lord Malquist and Mr Moon was the literary equivalent of the Wonderbra for intellectually pretentious students of the seventies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-grant/lord-malquist-and-mr-moon-was-the-literary-equivalent-of-the/) [Linda Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-grant/) > [I made a choice that I was not going to be a pretentious writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/i-made-a-choice-that-i-was-not-going-to-be-a-pretentious-writer/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Slade was never pretentious. It was just music to them. Pop, rock, soul…it was all the same to Slade. They wrote great songs. And,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/slade-was-never-pretentious-it-was-just-music-to-them-pop-rock-soul/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [“What if this is a horrible mistake?" I croaked. "Oh, it'll be horrible fine, just a bunch of pretentious rich people with shelves of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/what-if-this-is-a-horrible-mistake-i-croaked-oh-it-ll-be-horrible/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [Don't be pretentious is my first advice to young writers. This is the big problem - just because you're getting an MFA doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/don-t-be-pretentious-is-my-first-advice-to-young-writers-this-is-the/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [Sometimes I might go too far with the pretentious references, which I might not do again. But when you're writing, you're sitting alone in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-michael-mcdonagh/sometimes-i-might-go-too-far-with-the-pretentious-references-which-i/) [John Michael McDonagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-michael-mcdonagh/) > [“A novel is no different than graffiti in a bathroom stall, it's just more pretentious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-leigh-stewart/a-novel-is-no-different-than-graffiti-in-a-bathroom-stall-it-s-just/) [Christy Leigh Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-leigh-stewart/) ## More by John Milius > [Everybody's a filmmaker today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milius/everybody-s-a-filmmaker-today/) [John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) > [There is a certain kind of respect for authenticity today that there wasn't back in the days when they did 'Cleopatra,' where everything looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milius/there-is-a-certain-kind-of-respect-for-authenticity-today-that-there/) [John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) > [I've always had trouble with authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milius/i-ve-always-had-trouble-with-authority/) [John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) > [Egotism is not a good quality. It's not something to be admired or even tolerated. It wouldn't be tolerated in a field commander and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milius/egotism-is-not-a-good-quality-it-s-not-something-to-be-admired-or/) [John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) > [I hardly said a word to my wife until I said 'yes' to divorce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milius/i-hardly-said-a-word-to-my-wife-until-i-said-yes-to-divorce/) [John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) > [You know, I find it very strange when movies that I made that were just excoriated - I mean that I was just vilified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milius/you-know-i-find-it-very-strange-when-movies-that-i-made-that-were/) [John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) > [You never know when you're going to be considered un-hip... The people that really pass judgment on you really have nothing to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milius/you-never-know-when-you-re-going-to-be-considered-un-hip-the-people/) [John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) > [Charging a man with murder in this place was like handing out speeding tickets at the Indy 500.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milius/charging-a-man-with-murder-in-this-place-was-like-handing-out/) [John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) > [A lot of directors don't know what they want to do. Every director I've seen that was a good director that I've admired knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milius/a-lot-of-directors-don-t-know-what-they-want-to-do-every-director-i/) [John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) > [Yeah, there's absolutely. I mean, remember when The Searchers came out, it was a relatively big hit for a Western, and I think it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milius/yeah-there-s-absolutely-i-mean-remember-when-the-searchers-came-out/) [John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) > [Writing requires a great deal of skill, just like painting does. People don't want to learn those skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milius/writing-requires-a-great-deal-of-skill-just-like-painting-does-people/) [John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) > [I've always been able to survive by writing, though.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milius/i-ve-always-been-able-to-survive-by-writing-though/) [John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) > [A lot of people thought of me as a threat to Western civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milius/a-lot-of-people-thought-of-me-as-a-threat-to-western-civilization/) [John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) > [I may not be the strongest guy or the most well armed, but you can put me in a room with a pencil and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milius/i-may-not-be-the-strongest-guy-or-the-most-well-armed-but-you-can-put/) [John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) > [Yeah, I think that's it... It's like Jesse James. He became really popular because he lasted so long. You know, there is some degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milius/yeah-i-think-that-s-it-it-s-like-jesse-james-he-became-really-popular/) [John Milius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) [Explore all 34 John Milius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milius/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "Films are always pretentious. 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