Quotes About Interpretation

Accuracy is paramount in every detail of a work of history. Here's my rule: Ask yourself, 'Did this thing happen?' If the answer is yes, then it's historical. Then ask, 'Did this thing happen precisely this way?' If the answer is yes, then it's history; if the answer is no, not precisely this way, then it's historical drama.

The charge of being ambiguous and indefinite may be brought against every human composition, and necessarily arises from the imperfection of language. Perhaps no two men will express the same sentiment in the same manner and by the same words; neither do they connect precisely the same ideas with the same words.

For a long time, since story collections look almost precisely like novels, I presumed that they were meant to be enjoyed in the same way as novels.

I don't think you can help but personalize a role. You almost play to none of the preconceived notions of it. It's more or less a personal experience and journey.

You know, why does a painter paint? You need to communicate, you need to challenge preconceived ideas.

I've never been a fan of directors who clutter a piece with all sorts of crazy preconceptions or weird ideas.

The interesting thing is, when you play a real-life character or someone based in a book, you always come up against people's preconceptions of what they have in their heads.

Cutting up fowl to predict the future is, if done honestly and with as little interpretation as possible, a kind of randomization. But chicken guts are hard to read and invite flights of fancy or corruption.

The most real characters in a great play are those who are so meticulously drawn that the audience could predict how many pairs of shoes they might have in their closet or how many close friends they had in grade school. Have any of our public figures been as fully developed in the media?

Kubrick never explained the ending to us, or what his intentions were. He didn't intend for it to be a predictable film.

A book's flaws make it less predictable.

As for the depiction of the Catholic church, it's not meant to be a prediction.

We did a black 'Julius Caesar' in which the predominant accent was Caribbean. This offends many people, you know. I also had a Chinese Marc Anthony. I also managed - this caused a great shock - I also got some white guys in it as well!

I prefer the emotion that corrects the rule.

When I'm writing a book, I prefer not to speak about it, because only when the book is finished can I try to understand what I've really done and to compare my intentions with the result.

I prefer doing interviews where people don't have to interpret what you say. I'm going to be real honest.

I like it when you have something happening by coincidence. Just something in a book is enough. But I prefer a fragment of an image so you are far more free to bring in elements of your own.

I find great beauty in songs with a creative interpretation, but most people generally don't get that, and go for the simple songs, but I prefer something a bit more complicated, which is more meaningful to the creator.

I believe every photographer is influenced by their sexual preference in a greater or lesser way, and it certainly has affected me.

You want to know what judicial activism is? Judicial activism is judges imposing their policy preferences on the words of the Constitution.

In doubtful cases the more liberal interpretation must always be preferred.

Almost every sect of Christianity is a perversion of its essence, to accommodate it to the prejudices of the world.

My own eyes are no more than scouts on a preliminary search, for the camera's eye may entirely change my idea.

I have writer friends who go to the premiere of a film with their name listed as the writer, but they are shocked: 'That's not what I wrote!'