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Spike Lee

Spike Lee Quotes

Film director

Spike Lee, born on March 20, 1957, is a renowned American film director. His works are known for their deep insight into American social issues and critical thinking, with notable films such as 'Do the Right Thing' and 'School Daze'. Lee's directorial style is unique, often using nonlinear narrative and black-and-white imagery, which has won him the admiration of audiences.

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All Film People Thinking Ifs Black Trying Want Stories Black People Filmmaker Way Knows Looks White Done New York Racism Right Thing World Young

Famous Spike Lee Quotes

“I mean, I think there's a lot of hope in my work. I don't think I'm a total pessimist, so I think you can find hope in all my films. Some more than others, but there's definitely... I think we want to convey the feeling of hope with the montage at the end.”

Thinking Want Ends Feelings Film Pessimist

Author:Spike Lee

“As a writer I want everybody to get a chance to voice their opinions. If each character thinks that they're telling the truth, then it's valid. Then at the end of the film, I leave it up to the audience to decide who did the right thing.”

Ifs Thinking Want Ends Character Film Voice Chance Opinion Audience Right Thing Telling The Truth

Author:Spike Lee

“I don't think my films are going to get rid of racism or prejudice. I think the best thing my films can do is provoke discussion.”

Thinking Film Can Do Racism Prejudice Best Things Discussion Provoking

Book:Spike Lee: Interviews

Source: Spike Lee: Interviews

“I'm an independent filmmaker with complete creative control of my films. I hire who I want. I have final cut. But at the same time, I go directly to Hollywood for financing and distribution. I find it's best for me to work within the Hollywood system.”

Want Film Creative Cutting Hollywood Independent Finals Filmmaker Distribution Financing

Book:Spike Lee: Interviews

Source: Spike Lee: Interviews

“I am trying to stay away from this position of me "returning to my roots." As if my roots are that I'm only comfortable working on low-budget, small films. That's not the case at all.”

Ifs Trying Film Cases Position Comfortable Lows Roots Budgets

Author:Spike Lee

“I don't like to use the word 'remake', I think reinterpretation is a better word. It's just a matter of respecting the source, and then trying to make your own film, and trying not to be inhibited by being so beholden to every single thing... We respect the source, but we make changes to it.”

Thinking Trying Matter Use Film Source Making Changes Remakes Reinterpretation

Author:Spike Lee

“If people go to IMDB, they will see that I'm very comfortable with independent cinema, and doing studio films too. For me this is not an either/or situation.”

People Ifs Film Situation Comfortable Independent Studios Cinema Either Or

Author:Spike Lee

“I'll be vilified if I shoot a film in Toronto for New York. And rightfully so!”

Ifs Film New York Toronto

Author:Spike Lee

“I don't really analyze my stuff when I write. I write about stuff that I'm interested in, that I'm feeling at that particular time. When I stand back and look at the complete work, I might see themes that run through the whole film, but I'm not really conscious of it when I'm doing it.”

Writing Looks Whole Feelings Might Running Film Stuff Particular Conscious Theme

Author:Spike Lee

“I'm always open. I try not to have a closed mind. In fact the only reason why I'm able to continue to make films since 1986 is I have been adaptable. If I weren't flexible I sure wouldn't be making films this many years as I've been doing it. I've been making a film a year almost since 1986 and that's hard. That ain't easy.”

Ifs Trying Years Mind Has Beens Hard Reason Facts Able Film Easy Reason Why Flexible Adaptable Closed Mind

Author:Spike Lee

“This film [Chi-Raq]is a declaration. It's a scream. It's a warning. And I can really break it down to one scene. That's the scene where we have the eulogy and sermon that is given by the great John Cusack.”

I Can Film Given Break Scene Warning Scream Declaration Sermons Eulogy

Author:Spike Lee

“I wouldn't be doing motherfu**ing films for almost three decades if every time I did something that someone didn't like I went in a fu**ing cocoon and just hid there and didn't make my art.”

Ifs Art Film Three Decades Cocoons

Author:Spike Lee

“You know that first of all your films have to make money no matter who you are.”

Film Who You Are Making Money

Author:Spike Lee

“'Do the Right Thing' was like the first film where I really felt comfortable working with actors.”

Firsts Film Actors Felt Comfortable Right Thing

Author:Spike Lee

“First of all, what in this world does not revolve around money? But money is a big part of film, unlike a lot of other art forms.”

World Firsts Doe Art Bigs Film Form This World

Author:Spike Lee

“I am a hybrid. I do independent films and also do Hollywood films - I love them both.”

Film Hollywood Independent Independent Film Hybrid Hollywood Films

Author:Spike Lee

“I don't think I'm a total pessimist, so I think you can find hope in all my films.”

Thinking Film Pessimist

Author:Spike Lee

“I live in New York City, the stories of my films take place in New York; I'm a New York filmmaker.”

Stories Film Cities New York Filmmaker New York City

Author:Spike Lee

“I tend to favour films that have multiple plot and story lines, multiple characters and ensemble pieces.”

Character Stories Film Lines Pieces Plot Multiple Favour Ensemble

Author:Spike Lee

“Making films has got to be one of the hardest endeavors known to humankind.”

Film Known Hardest Endeavor Humankind

Book:Do the Right Thing: A Spike Lee Joint

Source: Do the Right Thing: A Spike Lee Joint

“There's an unwritten law that you cannot have a Jewish character in a film who isn't 100 percent perfect, or you're labeled anti-Semitic.”

Character Film Law Perfect Percent Unwritten Anti Semitic

Author:Spike Lee

“I think it would be very boring dramatically to have a film where everybody was a lawyer or doctor and had no faults. To me, the most important thing is to be truthful.”

Thinking Important Would Be Film Doctors Important Things Faults Boring Lawyer Truthful Being Truthful

Author:Spike Lee

“'25th Hour,' like a lot of my films, takes place in New York City. I've been very fortunate to make films in the city that I live. I mean, it's great going home at night instead of being on location.”

Mean Home Film Night Hours Cities New York Fortunate New York City Location Going Home

Author:Spike Lee

“A spine to my films that's become more evident to me is that many are about the choices people make, and the reverberations of those choices. You go this way, or that way, and either way, there's going to be consequences.”

People Way Film Choices Consequence Evident Spine Reverberation

Author:Spike Lee

“Any film I do is not going to change the way black women have been portrayed, or black people have been portrayed, in cinema since the days of D.W. Griffith.”

People Way Has Beens Film Black Cinema Black People Black Women

Author:Spike Lee

“Any time you talk about the look of the film, it's not just the director and the director of photography. You have to include the costume designer and the production designer.”

Looks Film Directors Photography Productions Designer Costumes

Author:Spike Lee

“I didn't dream about being a director. I didn't know I wanted to do something with film until the summer between my sophomore and junior years at Morris College in Atlanta, Georgia.”

Knows Years Dream Wanted Film College Directors Summer Juniors Georgia Atlanta Sophomore Morris Junior Year Atlanta Georgia

Author:Spike Lee

“I think the best actors in the world are here in New York City. And this city is just so vibrant the energy is just phenomenal. Great crews here. All the technicians, all the artists that work in this industry. I've just been very happy with the body that we've been able to do, especially those films we shot here in New York City.”

Thinking World Body Able Film Artist Actors Energy Cities New York Industry Shots New York City Crew Very Happy Phenomenal Technicians

Author:Spike Lee

“I'm very careful about how I portray violence in my films. I do believe that violence, especially violent video games, are not a good thing for young kids.”

Believe Kids Film Young Games Violence Good Things Careful Violent Video Violent Video Games

Author:Spike Lee

“People sometimes forget all the films that we've done. They remember the likes of 'Malcolm X' and 'Do the Right Thing.' But I've been working since 1986. From the beginning, I was determined to not just be a flash in the pan. I've got to keep up with Woody Allen. He's lapping me.”

People Sometimes Done Remember Film Forget Determined Likes Right Thing Flash Woody

Author:Spike Lee

“There’s always been this hocus-pocus or magical, mystical thing associated with the making of film that sort of psyches people out and makes them think that this cannot be done; that this is a craft that cannot be learned.”

People Thinking Done Film Crafts Mystical Psych Hocus Pocus

Book:Spike Lee: Interviews

Source: Spike Lee: Interviews

“I think it is very important that films make people look at what they've forgotten.”

People Thinking Looks Important Film Forgotten

Author:Spike Lee

“I think black people have to be in control of their own image because film is a powerful medium. We can't just sit back and let other people define our existence.”

People Thinking Film Black Powerful Existence Mediums Black People

Author:Spike Lee

“I'm just trying to tell a good story and make thought-provoking, entertaining films. I just try and draw upon the great culture we have as a people, from music, novels, the streets.”

People Trying Stories Film Culture Novel Streets Draws Thought Provoking Entertaining Provoking Good Story

Author:Spike Lee

“Do the Right Thing' was my first union film. I looked at the rosters, and for the most part, it was white males. Especially the Teamsters. So we had some conversations.”

Firsts Film White Conversation Unions Males Right Thing Rosters

Author:Spike Lee

About the Author

Born: March 20, 1957
Known for: Film director
Quotes: 131

Related Topics

Film People Thinking Ifs Black Trying Want Stories Black People Filmmaker Way Knows Looks White Done New York Racism Right Thing World Young

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Books & Sources

Spike Lee: InterviewsRelated source material

Do the Right Thing: A Spike Lee JointRelated source material

Five for five: the films of Spike LeeRelated source material

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