I started playing piano when I was 6. And I knew that wanted to be involved in that form of expression whether it was through music or acting or dancing or painting or writing.

I'm a big collector of vinyl - I have a record room in my house - and I've always had a huge soundtrack album collection. So what I do as I'm writing a movie is go through all those songs trying to find good songs for fights or good pieces of music to layer into the film.

Through literacy you can begin to see the universe. Through music you can reach anybody. Between the two there is you unstoppable.

Every day that is born into the world comes like a burst of music and rings the whole day through and you make of it a dance a dirge or a life march as you will.

Music is either sacred or secular. The sacred agrees with its dignity and here has its greatest effect on life an effect that remains the same through all ages and epochs. Secular music should be cheerful throughout.

When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music. Which of you would be a reed dumb and silent when all else sings together in unison?

Music doesn't lie. If there is something to be changed in this world then it can only happen through music.

All of the sports have a safety net but boxing is the only sport that has none. So when the fighter is through he is through. While he was fighting his management was very excited for him but now that he is done that management team is moving on.

I don't think the competition's so rough within the majority of movies made in Hollywood.

But I don't think there has ever been anything written on the nature of violent man as deep and as thorough as Shakespeare's Titus. I think it puts all modern movies and modern exploitations of violence to shame.

The movies that influenced me were movies that told their stories through pictures more than words.

I'll be honest with you. My kids don't watch my movies and never have. I can maybe name a film one hand that they've seen actually all the way through.

I have worked on very good movies that have been buried and I've worked on some resounding mediocrities that have been paraded through the marketplace like they were masterpieces.

I was at the end of the studio system so when I walked into movies I had a magnificent suite in which I had a living room and a kitchen and a complete makeup room. I had everything just for me. With the independents you're kind of roughing it literally.

I think people like to see the lives of artists that are legends. They always go through the dark periods and I think just as humans we like to see that and them coming out of it. I love those kinds of movies.

All through my life what I've loved doing is watching movies. I love the escapism of film I love stories. So it is incredible to be able to be in them as much as I am to see them from the first stitch in a costume to the end product.

I went through this very serious Woody Allen phase in college and a little bit after college. I still see his movies.

Well it was actually - I brought the idea of doing a documentary to HBO back in 2000 when there were some press reports sort of were bandied about that there were going to TV movies based on some of the books that were out.

I remember looking through magazines or watching movies even just a couple of years ago and being like 'I really want to be part of that ' but not realizing what that was.

But then I go through long periods where I don't listen to things usually when I'm working. In between the records and in between the writing I suck up books and music and movies and anything I can find.

I'm trying to figure myself out through my movies. Whether it's big stuff like what we're doing here or little stuff like 'Why aren't I happier?' With every film I feel like I'm apologising for something. I feel I'm most successful when I'm looking for something that embarrasses me about my character that I'd like to expose.

You can map your life through your favorite movies and no two people's maps will be the same.

If you're going through hell keep going.

I think public service is a calling and you do it as long as the things that brought you into the office can continue getting you up in the morning and as long as there's still work to get done.