Paul Schrader Quotes

United States, Director
July 22, 1946

Paul Joseph Schrader is an American screenwriter, film director, and film critic. Schrader wrote or co-wrote screenplays for four Martin Scorsese films: Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), and Bringing Out the Dead (1999).

Also known as Screenwriter, Film Critic

I don't think it's very useful to open wide the door for young artists; the ones who break down the door are more interesting.

Paul Schrader
- Interesting
- Door
- Break
Screenplays are not works of art. They are invitations to others to collaborate on a work of art.

Paul Schrader

Don't ever let the viewer settle in and get ahead of you.

Paul Schrader
- Ahead
- Settle
- Viewer
That's just my disposition - to create a situation where you have to come up with something.

Paul Schrader
The secret of the creative life is to feel at ease with your own embarrassment.

Paul Schrader
Once you have a situation that is fresh, then you sort of believe in it and it becomes normal. So you do end up with protagonists that haven't been in other movies before.

Paul Schrader
The clock is impotent; mechanical time does not affect those living in an eternal present.

Paul Schrader
- Time
- Present
- Eternal
One of the things that I do like about filmmaking is that you find out how to solve new problems.

Paul Schrader

Ultimately, it's an illusion that you can understand yourself.

Paul Schrader
Anything that doesn't bore me I think is doable because it's keeping me awake.

Paul Schrader
- Awake
- Keeping
- Bore