Michael Haneke Quotes

It's disappointing to see films become pure entertainment, so that it's not an art form.

I think the form, the Hollywood movie, I think the quality is obviously always going to be there and I think that the question of taste, there's always a question of taste.

But, you see, the theatre is not always art in America.

If you want to know what's going on in America, you have to watch soap operas.

I don't think it's an unnatural thing at all for my collaborations or projects to be seen as art but entertainment at the same time.

I appreciate artistically made movies, but as an audience member, I want to be entertained, too.

Cinema has a large scope as it is a mirror of society and with the mindset changing, people are taking it more seriously.

I don't think it's right to define films as commercial or art house. What's important is that a film evokes a certain emotion when it's being watched.

Even though there's an entertainment value to the film, I think it's very important because you can't really separate the impact of that political message from it. It's rare that you get films like that I think; that really have an important message and are also entertaining.

Is the Mona Lisa an 'accurate' representation of the actual human model for the painting? Who knows? Who cares? It's a great piece of art. It moves us. It makes us wonder, makes us gape - finally makes us look inward at ourselves.

The novel is the first art form that is an honest-to-god commodity. That's what makes it different from both high art and folk art.

A lot of more modern films seem to just be out for violence or sex or what have you, without relating it to what's going within human beings. But every now and then one comes along that does that, and it's a joy.

The main objective of our cinema is to entertain. If you can pass on a message at the same time, that is fantastic, but if the audience does not feel they are going to be entertained by the film, they are not going to watch it. There are many examples of very responsible and great films that are being made, but nobody goes to watch them.

I am not interested in entertaining people. I think being an actor provides an opportunity to give people an experience they can connect to, reflect on, learn from, laugh at.

I mean, art for art's sake is ridiculous. Art is for the sake of one's needs.

I prefer working in good cinema, wherever it is. I like subjects that have a universal appeal.

TV is the best. I wish that's how life was.

I think good art should always be entertaining, or at least give pleasure of some sort. And my chief goal as a writer has always been to tell a good story and give my readers a good time.

Reality television paints a simple black-and-white world of good characters and bad characters; people we want to root for and people we want to see ruined. There is none of the gray ambiguity that colors real life. I no longer watch a lot of reality television, but sometimes I can't look away from 'Honey Boo Boo.' I just can't.

Great art should be shown with great excitement.

Cinema will always have an important role to play in society.

Film, therefore, is part of society, not distant from it, easy to experience for people regardless of class.

Pop music for me was definitely escapist, but never studious.

Whether you think a film will affect society or it's plain entertainment, it's all excellent, it's all noble.

If a show is good, it helps people learn about themselves in some way and in some function. Whatever the genre is, if it's executed well, audiences grow and learn from it, and that's where their passion and enthusiasm comes from.