Paul Schrader quotes

Paul Schrader is an American director, screenwriter, and film critic renowned for his work in neo-noir and psychological drama. His collaborations with Martin Scorsese, including writing "Taxi Driver" and "Raging Bull," have greatly influenced contemporary cinema. He is acknowledged for exploring complex characters and themes of redemption in his films. Here are 18 of his quotes:

Ultimately, it's an illusion that you can understand yourself.

Paul Schrader

People who act against their own best interests are interesting characters.

Paul Schrader

I want to be happy; why do I do things that make me unhappy?

Paul Schrader

I teach a course in screenwriting at Columbia, but I've never taken a course and I've never read a book about it!

Paul Schrader

As screenwriters, we struggle with our own success. We have wallpapered our world and now we can't get anyone to notice the picture we just hung.

Paul Schrader

The secret of the creative life is to feel at ease with your own embarrassment.

Paul Schrader

The only economic paradigm that movies have ever known is capitalism. There were no church sponsors or state patronage. The idea was that if you'd pay to see it, we'll make it for you.

Paul Schrader

Those artists who say that somehow therapy or analysis will thwart their creativity are completely misinformed. It's absolutely the opposite: it opens closed doors.

Paul Schrader

All the animals come out at night.

Paul Schrader

I was raised as a Calvinist, which is doctrine-driven. And though there are many things wrong with Calvinism, you are at least encouraged to argue about things.

Paul Schrader

Screenplays are not works of art. They are invitations to others to collaborate on a work of art.

Paul Schrader

The clock is impotent; mechanical time does not affect those living in an eternal present.

Paul Schrader

Anything that doesn't bore me I think is doable because it's keeping me awake.

Paul Schrader

'Taxi Driver' wasn't autobiographical in terms of the actual events, but I did draw on my own mental state.

Paul Schrader

You can't take contradiction away. Part of the fun of it is that the contradiction never really quite goes away.

Paul Schrader

Now I see it clearly. My whole life has pointed in one direction. I see that now. There never has been any choice for me.

Paul Schrader