Author of quotes: John Cassavetes

How I feel about death, to which all of us are sentenced? Well, I think life and death is the essence of good drama. If we are not talking about life and death, it turns out Comedy. All full of passion, love and hatred, all that is important to us, you can do with the words: "Hey, this is the last time. There is only now and today, a time when we live."

In the demonstration of the naked body in a movie there is nothing immoral. But I feel insulted when I see on screen kiss, performed without true love and passion.

It seems to me that man cannot live without philosophy. Greek φιλία means "friendship" or "love" ("friendship" and "love" are synonyms). Σοφία and means "wisdom", "knowledge". To have a philosophy is to know how to love, and where your love guide.

People mostly don't understand what they want or what they feel. Any person, including myself, find it very hard to Express what he has in mind, especially when it involves something painful. Hardest thing ever is to Express yourself, to Express what you need to say. <...> As an artist I think you need to try a variety of things, but most importantly - do not be afraid to make a mistake. We must have the courage to be bad: to risk, to truly Express all that you think is right.

When you love a woman, I don't think marriage will change your relationship. And are shocked when things change. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for worse - depends on the woman. And still problems arise. When a woman marries, she becomes accustomed to his new responsible position, but retains the ability to entertain. And the man usually knows how to balance these extremes, and so either of the last forces trying to have fun, either with a deadly seriousness tries to behave like an adult. A man usually cannot do both at the same time.

Everything that happens in our lives is determined by the influence that one sex exerts on the other. Of course, we live in the midst of a political crisis, decline and instability, but it is not so interesting - our perception of such circumstances is based on reasoning, and ultimately depends on the amount of information available. The basis of relations between men and women in our instincts, not thinking.

Playing a particular character, the actor, even if he really wants to, can not suddenly to give a part of himself. You cannot ask someone to forget yourself and become a different person. If you, for example, was asked to play Napoleon, you wouldn't be able to feel his feelings and think his thoughts - only your own. The actor may not be a Napoleon, he could be just himself playing Napoleon. I've never wanted someone to play with. However, never!

The problem is that in the movies everything is too perfect. The perfect villain. The perfect good guy. It's so boring. I urge actors not to appear better than they really are.

In my opinion, there is nothing more devastating than planning. It destroys the human spirit. The same applies to excessive discipline, because then it is impossible to experience the charm of some moments of life, and if you can't experience the beauty of a single moment, life loses its magic. Without this magic, you can just give up and admit that we are all going to die soon.

Directing a movie is extremely expensive. To make a film, you need to have genuine disdain for money.

If something does not make money, it is not interesting. Everything is for sale. Feelings for sale. Sex sells. My feelings are not for sale. My mind can't be bought. They belong only to me. I don't want to watch movies whose creators I have something to sell.

The problem faced by America is the problem of the common man. His house, a TV, a balance on a credit card, sexual confusion, endless business obligations - all this takes so much time that he fails to understand the importance of simple human needs.

It seems to me that money is the last refuge for people who are afraid of life that can survive only concentrated in the hands of more and more money and power - they need them for protection... But from what?

I don't think people want that their life was just. This kind of distortion is typical for Americans. Life is always more complex than we think. I like challenges, it's easier to live with.