Alan parker

Personally I am very much against the death penalty for several reasons.

Film-making is a physically hard job.

Rain is also very difficult to film, particularly in Ireland because it's quite fine, so fine that the Irish don't even acknowledge that it exists.

I've always been completely autocratic. I've never learned to be diplomatic or democratic.

A lot of directors prefer the solitude of the editing process, but I revel in the craziness of what a film set is.

I turn on the TV sometimes, start watching something and think: 'This seems quite good, a bit familiar.' Then I realise... It's one of my movies. It's a pretty odd feeling.

Most directors have little lists in their heads of people they really want to work with.

Making a film is so hard that if you don't have your main actors going along with the ride with the rest of the crew it can make your life very difficult.

A great movie evolves when everybody has the same vision in their heads.

Period recreation is very difficult unless you make a black-and-white movie.