Kathryn Bigelow's Quotes

My dad used to draw these great cartoon figures. His dream was being a cartoonist, but he never achieved it, and it kind of broke my heart. I think part of my interest in art had to do with his yearning for something he could never have.

One of the elements in the film that really fascinated me was not to look at the world in bi-polar terms of us vs them or east vs west, which was a by-product of the Cold War.

Right now, there's the illusion of order and civilization, but there's a tremendous amount of economic tension in this country and the educational system is constantly eroding.

There's a conventional reaction when you see a star: You anticipate he'll be a part of a particular denouement down the road, so you don't worry for that character.

There's really no difference between what I do and what a male filmmaker might do. I mean we all try to make our days, we all try to give the best performances we can, we try to make our budget, we try to make the best movie we possibly can.

When he brought it to me four years ago, Rodney King had just arrived, I was involved in the clean-up of L.A. and I guess it was part of my experience.

When James Cameron brought me the script, which I developed with both Cameron and Jay Cocks, I wanted to make it a thriller, an action film, but with a conscience, and I found that it had elements of social realism.

For some individuals - some soldiers, some contractors - combat provides a kind of purpose and meaning beyond which all else potentially pales in comparison.

If there's specific resistance to women making movies, I just choose to ignore that as an obstacle for two reasons: I can't change my gender, and I refuse to stop making movies.

On the other hand, I believe there's hope, because the breakdown and the repair are happening simultaneously.

I like to be strong.

I'm drawn to filmmaking that can transport me. Film can immerse you, put you there.

Cinema has the capacity to be so physiological.

I don't want to be made pacified or made comfortable. I like stuff that gets your adrenaline going.

I need to have my hands on the DNA of a film.

One should make morals judgements for oneself.

The Communist regime didn't consider this to be a shining moment in history and assigned no heroism to it. They classified it as merely an accident.

Whereas painting is a more rarefied art form, with a limited audience, I recognized film as this extraordinary social tool that could reach tremendous numbers of people.

Am I a 'woman of action'? I don't think of myself that way.

Character and emotionality don't always have to be relegated to quieter, more simple constructs.

I can't stand outside myself and be anybody else.

I did a pilot for Anything But Love in 1988 that didn't sell.

I do have to say I have been very fortunate.

I don't believe in censorship in any form.

I don't do what I do to try and break a glass ceiling.

I don't know if I thrive in normal life.

I like high impact movies.

I realised that there's a more muscular approach to film-making that I found very inspiring.

I really look for peak experiences and dramatic material that can allow peak experiences.

I suppose I like to think of myself as a film-maker.

I think violence in a cinematic context can be, if handled in a certain way, very seductive.

I thrive on production. It feels very much like a natural environment for me.