John Landis Quotes

United States, Film Director
August 3, 1950

John David Landis (/ˈlændɪs/; born August 3, 1950) is an American film director, screenwriter, actor, and producer. He is best known for the comedy films that he has directed, such as National Lampoon's Animal House (1978), The Blues Brothers (1980), An American Werewolf in London (1981), Trading Places (1983), Three Amigos (1986), Coming to America (1988) and Beverly Hills Cop III (1994), and for directing Michael Jackson's music videos for "Thriller" (1983) and "Black or White" (1991).

Also known as Screenwriter, Actor, Producer

In my career, my movies tend to polarize critics.

John Landis
- Career
For some reason, people think of me as someone who can do anything I want. And I'm not. You know, I need someone to put up the money.

John Landis
- People
- Up
- Money

I grew up thinking of snow as a luxury you visit.

John Landis
- Up
- Thinking
- Snow
It's strange how extras have become such a big part of the business. I don't know what I think of it. I mean, some of them are great, most of them are filler.

John Landis
- Great
- Business
Well, the bottom line is that I'm extremely pleased with 'The Stupids.' I'm pleased that it's coming out, and it should look good. It's nice looking, with the colors and stuff. I made it for kids, and I really would like them to see it.

John Landis
- Good
- Kids
- Nice
I grew up in Los Angeles, and I've made movies all over the world... I've been in New York, Norway, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, London - I've been in all these cities, shooting away in the winter, thinking, 'People who choose to live here are insane.'

John Landis
- People
- Up
- World
The guy that I worked on 'Thriller ' was a genius and he was 20 years old, but it was like working with a gifted 10-year-old. The guy who I worked on with 'Black Or White' was crazy. Michael had gone mad.

John Landis
- Guy
- Black
- Crazy
The idea of doing a children's film is different, but quite honestly I like doing anything - any genre. I've only made one Western, which was 'Three Amigos,' but I would love to make a serious Western. I'm just wide open.

John Landis

After 'The Blues Brothers,' I wanted to do a good musical number with real dancers and shoot it correctly.

John Landis
- Good
- Real
Material comes all kinds of ways, and it's never a question of a lack of material or a lack of projects - I have tons of projects. The issue is to convince someone to give you the money. And it's a very different business than it was just 8 years ago.

John Landis
- Different
- Money
- Business
I'm following a real event and real people.

John Landis
- People
- Real
Directors, like actors, get typecast. And because I've had great success with comedy and horror and TV shows, that's basically what I'm kind of offered.

John Landis
- Great
- Success
- Comedy
But what's interesting is now - and not only in horror, but across the board - the studios basically only make B pictures with A budgets. That's the biggest difference.

John Landis
- Interesting
There have been 14 versions that I can find of Burke & Hare movies. They have all been horror films and all the movies have taken place in Victorian times, which doesn't make any sense.

John Landis
- Taken

I would very much like to make Westerns. I love Westerns. I've worked on many Westerns in my youth, in Spain and here, and I love working on them.

John Landis