Lina Wertmuller Quotes

Comedy and horror are cousins; they're related. They both come from storytellers who want to specifically affect the audience and elicit specific reactions during the movie.

At the premieres, I always watch the audience. If a child asks to go to the bathroom, I know I've failed.

I made mistakes in drama. I thought drama was when actors cried. But drama is when the audience cries.

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 have no regrets, because I've done everything I could to the best of my ability.

Writing, producing and directing, I must say, is incredibly satisfying and gratifying.

I'm not sure about 'absolute' happiness, but I am happiest when I go to bed at night knowing that I tried to do my best that day.

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.

I don't have a seller's remorse about how I've lived.

For me, I find that even though I've accomplished a few things in my life, looking back on accomplishments doesn't give me a sense of satisfaction.

I did it my way, and I have no regrets when I look back on my career that it was just a big focus for me.

I tried so hard with movies like Vertigo and Middle of the Night and others. I felt those would show me that it's only a matter of time before I'd find the right one to reach out and touch people.

As you follow the escapades or the journey of the hero through a story, it evokes some kind of emotion in the viewers. The director's job is to make sure that the audience goes through the journey and has an emotional reaction.

For me, if God blessed me with that one great hit, I'm satisfied. But I've still got a lot in me, and I'd still like to get out there and tell a lot more stories cinematically. And God willing, I'll get the chance to do that.

People do stop me and talk to me about something they saw that they loved. It is very satisfying, but I have my own opinions.

Comedy is harder, because if there's no laughs, it's pretty bad. But drama, if there's no reaction, you can say, 'Well, it's not their cup of tea. Maybe it's too heavy for the audience.'

There's a joy in acting that's not present in writing, but there's a gratification in writing and creating that you can't necessarily find in acting.

For me, the driving emotion of selecting a film is that I just love that story. It may give a message, it may not give a message - that's fine. I just loved it.

I love characters who can rile an audience so much - it means you've done your job well.

In the end, you don't want music to be noticed as much as digested and integrated into the storytelling. And make audiences sit forward in their seats and enjoy the movie.

Whatever I do, no matter it's for television, web or the big screen - it should satisfy me as an actor.

I'm just focused on getting to the end of each show and feeling like we've done a good job when we walk off stage. And a perfect show isn't necessarily about making the audience feel good. I know I've done my job well if I've made people feel... interesting. I like to leave them a little stunned.

Condense some daily experience into a glowing symbol and an audience is electrified.

How do you like what you have. This is a question that anybody can ask anybody. Ask it.

If you want to really deeply touch the viewer or the reader, the theater might be the most powerful way to do it.