Quentin Tarantino

Filmmaker

Contemporary influential 214 sayings

Sayings by Quentin Tarantino

I'd kill a million rats, but I don't necessarily want to kill one in a movie or see one killed in a movie, because I'm not paying to see real death.

2023 — Further clarification on his stance against real animal death in films in a Variety interview.
Shocking Unverifiable

I was kind of excited to go to jail for the first time and I learnt some great dialogue.

Not specified — Reflecting on a past arrest.
Shocking Unverifiable

Just because I was at an anti-police brutality protest, doesn't mean I'm anti-police. We want justice, but stop shooting unarmed people.

Approx. mid-2010s — Clarifying his stance on police and protests.
Shocking Unverifiable

If my answers frighten you then you should cease asking scary questions.

Not specified — A retort often used during interviews.
Shocking Unverifiable

My movies are painfully personal but I'm never trying to let you know how personal they are it's my job to make it be personal and also to disguise that so only I or the people who know me know how personal it is

Not specified — Discussing his filmmaking process.
Shocking Unverifiable

I don't believe in elitism. I don't think the audience is this dumb person lower than me i am the audience.

Not specified — Discussing his view of the audience.
Shocking Confirmed

Not every movie needs to be made. Not every movie should be made.

Not specified — Discussing the proliferation of filmmaking with digital technology.
Shocking Unverifiable

Filmmaking can be a democratic process. In which other people, other than rich white men, can make movies.

Not specified — Speaking at Adobe Max about digital technology's impact on filmmaking.
Shocking Unverifiable

I'm shutting your butt down!

2014 — Heated argument with reporter about police brutality questions
Controversial Unverifiable

I like the way blood looks in black and white. It's like a Rorschach test.

2007 — Interview about his visual style
Controversial Unverifiable

I'm not a politician. I'm not a thought leader. I'm a filmmaker.

2012 — Responding to criticism of his films' violence
Controversial Unverifiable

I don't answer questions like that. I reject your hypothesis.

2015 — Pushing back against a journalist's question
Controversial Unverifiable

I'm not a student of world cinema. I'm not a student of anything. I'm a fan.

2009 — Downplaying academic film knowledge
Controversial Unverifiable

I don't care if people think my movies are too violent or too this or too that.

2015 — Defending his artistic choices
Controversial Unverifiable

I think your questions are reductive and I'm not answering them.

2012 — Clashing with a journalist during an interview
Controversial Unverifiable

Most of it should be subconscious, if the work is coming from a special place. If I'm thinking and maneuvering that pen around, then that's me doing it. I really should let the characters take it. But the characters are different facets of me, or maybe they're not me, but they are coming from me. So when they take it, that's just me letting my subconscious rip.

Approximate, quoted in 2022 article — Interview with Village Voice, discussing his creative process.
Philosophical Unverifiable

I like it when somebody tells me a story, and I actually really feel that that's becoming like a lost art in American cinema.

1994 — Charlie Rose interview.
Philosophical Unverifiable

You know, anything can be- you can make a joke out of anything. You name me any horrific thing, and I can make a joke out of it, all right, because you know, and a joke is a joke.

1994 — Charlie Rose interview.
Philosophical Unverifiable

Violence was like another character in the room. It hung over the proceedings. You kept waiting for every conversation to break out into it. So even if it was funny, the audience might have laughed, but when they get out of the theater, they don't remember laughing.

1994 — Charlie Rose interview.
Philosophical Unverifiable

A writer, a writer- you know, you should have this little voice inside of you saying, 'Tell the truth.'

1994 — Charlie Rose interview.
Philosophical Unverifiable