Ang Lee Professions : Film director Born : October 23, 1954 Browse All Authors Top 143 quotes by Ang Lee When I sent those scripts, that was the lowest point of my life. We'd just had our second son, and when I went to collect them from hospital, I went to the bank to try and get some money to buy some diapers, the screen showed I've got $26 left. Ang Lee diapers trying son I like to go back to Chinese film-making from time to time. I don't think I can make Chinese films back to back; it's such a big effort. I'd have to take a very long break. Ang Lee effort long thinking If it was a choice between making movies and doing nothing, he'd probably still wish me to make movies, So he made me keep going. Ang Lee doing-nothing choices wish Making this movie as a period piece about a period that was very recent in people's minds. I was in Taiwan [during the 1970s], so I hope I did all right. Otherwise, it could be the biggest embarrassment of my life. Also, the story is not linear, it's patchy, like a cubist painting, and there is always the possibility it will not hold together, it will fall apart. The tone is part satire, part serious drama, part tragedy, all mixed together, and it has to hit an emotional core. That's also very scary. Ang Lee emotional drama fall I basically made the movie from the crew's suggestions. For one scene, I wanted some kids' toys against the wall in Mikey's room, to give the scene texture, and we tried a field hockey stick. It looked really good to me, until someone had to say that in America, field hockey is more of a girl's game. Gradually I got tuned into the world - that happens on every movie. Ang Lee wall girl kids You become the movie you are making. Ang Lee movie actors My father was the center of the family, and everyone tried to please him. Ang Lee please father I have a lot of repression. So repression is what I make movies about. Ang Lee repression movie actors If the movie is quiet I generally feel the audience is busy. That's when they're working. Ang Lee busy feels quiet A movie is really provocation. It's not a message, it's not a statement. Ang Lee movie actors messages I think a movie is a media that is evoking feelings. Ang Lee movie media thinking Every movie is unknown. Ang Lee movie actors Many times when you make a movie, it feels like your biggest mistake. But even if a film isn't a hit, you shouldn't view it as a mistake. Ang Lee movie views mistake I'm just a pretty regular dad. Ang Lee dad Making a martial arts film in English to me is the same as John Wayne speaking Chinese in a western. Ang Lee chinese film art American films are less American every day, because you have to please a world audience. There's less authenticity, so it's more accessible. Ang Lee authenticity film world The thing we call critics are not really reviewers, they are not really critics. They don't have the discipline to write what we would term as critique - it's really just reviewers. They have a common man kind of taste. If you watch them overall, they are not different from the box-office. That's my view. Ang Lee views writing men My first instinct was to cast as close to the short story as possible, but then I realized that I needed actors who could go for it and that they had to function well as a couple in a love story. Ang Lee couple stories firsts There's only one movie in my career I've had regrets with cutting it shorter, and I think some scenes maybe I shouldn't have cut. Ang Lee cutting regret thinking I'm a drifter and an outsider. There's not one single environment I can totally belong to. Ang Lee outsiders drifters environment Similar Authors Alex Graves film-director Brad Furman film-director Bryan Singer film-director Bruno Dumont film-director Bruce McDonald film-director Bruce Brown film-director All Authors
