Ivan Reitman quotes

Ivan Reitman was a Canadian filmmaker, producer, and occasional actor, best known for his work in comedy films. His career included directing classics such as “Ghostbusters” and “Stripes.” He became highly influential in shaping modern Hollywood comedy. Here are 29 of his quotes:

I don't think my sense of humor has changed at all; I was born with this, for better or for worse. (Ivan Reitman)
Movies either work or they don't work and they're either funny or they're not and we work very hard. To achieve that kind of work is really kind of delicate stitching. View quote
Ivan Reitman
Then my first film was something called Cannibal Girls, which sounds like a horror movie but was actually kind of a goofy comedy with horror elements. Like a horror spoof. View quote
Ivan Reitman
Also watching a movie on DVD is different than watching it in the theater. View quote
Ivan Reitman
A good actor is someone who knows how to take the part and make it real and make it honest and be effective in it. If it's in a funny movie and, as long as they are cast in an appropriate way, humor will come from it. View quote
Ivan Reitman
It's sort of the most important thing for acting, is to listen to the person you're dealing with. View quote
Ivan Reitman
In a comedy it helps enhance things that were already there. View quote
Ivan Reitman
We got some devastating reviews on Animal House at the start. View quote
Ivan Reitman
The home viewing experience is slightly different and there's room for these kinds of extra excursions. View quote
Ivan Reitman
Well, actually, I did start out in comedies. Very, very early. View quote
Ivan Reitman
I'd always been a science fiction enthusiast. (Ivan Reitman)
I always see things that I can improve. But frankly with Stripes, I'm surprised at how effective it is, even today, and how vibrant that movie is and how juicy the performances all are. View quote
Ivan Reitman
I remember when first, Stripes, and then Animal House came out - which I was really proud of, even though it was kind of loose and quite raucous - there were imitative movies that were not quite as good. View quote
Ivan Reitman
I call it like the domino theory of reality. If you can go one step at a time and it seems to make sense, you can then take your audience into an area that is relatively outlandish. View quote
Ivan Reitman
I'm not sure I agree with the thesis, because I think that even though something grotesque or gross has been part of film since way back, what we accept or what we can get away with on the screen is broader now. View quote
Ivan Reitman
I think Junior is certainly a science fiction premise as is Twins, as is Dave, beyond Ghostbusters. View quote
Ivan Reitman
In many ways, I think that, while we've been remarkably violent in our media, there's been a real schizophrenia. In private, on the Internet, and on public-affairs shows or talk radio, we're way more explicit than we've ever been. View quote
Ivan Reitman
I love horror and sci-fi. View quote
Ivan Reitman
My first student film was Orientation, which was basically the set-up for Animal House. There are a couple of scenes that we later borrowed in some form. View quote
Ivan Reitman
I don't think there will be another Ghostbusters. I think we're all too old to do it. I think we've done it a couple times and there is not that much to get out of it, to do that would be fresh in it. View quote
Ivan Reitman
I never like to do parodies. I never do. It's just not my style of comedy. (Ivan Reitman)
I've always been a fan of science fiction films, and I've never been able to put my particular spin on it. View quote
Ivan Reitman
I've always believed in populating my films with characters who we like, who we have some warmth for, who have warmth for each other, who we would like to hang out with, who we emulate in one way or another. View quote
Ivan Reitman
My sense is, I think it's okay for directors to do movies that speak to other work in their career. View quote
Ivan Reitman
Everybody says how hard comedy is, but, when it comes time to honor things, whether it's on a weekly critical basis or whether it's award time, at that time of the year, comedy is the poor, dumb child of dramatic work. View quote
Ivan Reitman

Ivan Reitman

Ivan Reitman - Image
Photo: Wikimedia commons, CC BY 2.0
Occupation: Canadian Actor
Born: October 27, 1946
Died: February 12, 2022
Quotes count: 29