All of my films deal with the same thing: striving, socially and culturally, to stay alive. Robert Altman More Quotes by Robert Altman More Quotes From Robert Altman Retirement? You're talking about death, right? Robert Altman talking retirement I like audiences to crane their necks. Robert Altman cranes necks audience [M*A*S*H] didn't get released by FOX, it escaped. Robert Altman foxes Titanic I thought was the most dreadful piece of work I've ever seen in my entire life. Another film that I think is equally bad was American Beauty. So badly acted and directed. But people like that. Robert Altman pieces people thinking Maybe there's a chance to get back to grown-up films. Anything that uses humor and dramatic values to deal with human emotions and gets down to what people are to people. Robert Altman emotion use people If something works for you, you continue to do it. I did a bunch of pictures for 20th Century Fox when Alan Ladd was over there, but I set the budgets so low that they'd approve and I'd deliver the film. They would have no say in it, which is the kind of arrangement I liked. Robert Altman film kind foxes I was scared that no one would hire me. At that time, there was still a stigma attached to it. A big stigma. Actually, I think I was healthier after the operation than some people who have bypass surgery because I was completely cured. But when you mentioned "heart transplant," you got a very negative reaction. It triggered people's imaginations, and not in a good way. Robert Altman imagination heart thinking To play it safe is not to play. Robert Altman Real art is without irony. Irony distances the author from his material. Irony is a product of something. It's not the reason for doing something. Irony is a cheap shot. Robert Altman What's a cult? It just means not enough people to make a minority. Robert Altman minority just enough people If you don't have a leg to stand on, you can't put your foot down. Robert Altman stand your down you