John Frankenheimer quotes

John Frankenheimer was an American director renowned for his work in film and television, particularly in the thriller and political drama genres. His acclaimed movies include "The Manchurian Candidate" and "Seconds," which are celebrated for their innovative storytelling and visual style. He influenced generations of filmmakers with his bold approaches and cinematic vision. Here are 25 of his quotes:

The importance of the assistant director cannot be overemphasized. (John Frankenheimer)
I feel that my job is to create an atmosphere where creative people can do their best work. View quote
John Frankenheimer
There are two things I will never do in my life. I will never climb Mount Everest, and I will never work with Val Kilmer again. There isn't enough money in the world. View quote
John Frankenheimer
The accolades usually come when you're dead or too old to get a job. View quote
John Frankenheimer
I mean, this whole digital revolution is really eroding the director's importance on a movie because, number one, just from a practical standpoint, with floppy disks and the ability to put all of the film onto a disk, more people have access to the movie. View quote
John Frankenheimer
Casting is 65 percent of directing. View quote
John Frankenheimer
I've found that the more experts you have on a movie, the less control the director has. View quote
John Frankenheimer
I look at actors very closely. It's not an accident when the actors excel. View quote
John Frankenheimer
I think that you can't make a movie without a script. But you also can't make movies without actors. You also can't make movies without technicians. And there has to be just one person in charge of everybody, and to me that one person is the director. View quote
John Frankenheimer
One of the first lessons you learn as an actor is to listen. View quote
John Frankenheimer
First, speaking for myself, I don't want to ever be in a position where I'm telling other directors how to make movies, because I don't think it's any of my business. (John Frankenheimer)
The first assistant director is just so important that the choice of that person is critical to the movie. View quote
John Frankenheimer
The first thing I can really tell you is I really love the work. View quote
John Frankenheimer
So I've had really great assistant directors for my last seven movies. View quote
John Frankenheimer
I really, really love directing films. View quote
John Frankenheimer
It's very eclectic, the way one chooses subjects in the movie business, especially in the commercial movie business. You need to develop material yourself or material is presented to you as an assignment to direct. View quote
John Frankenheimer
A disk unbeknownst to the director can go to the producer in another city or in another office and that producer can edit behind the director's back much easier than in the old days. Since these dailies are now put on videotape, more kinds of people have access to dailies. View quote
John Frankenheimer
And I kind of feel that I have a responsibility to the people that invest their time and money with me to show up on the set every day and do the best of which I am capable. View quote
John Frankenheimer
But I really am very active in the choice of the line producer with the producer of record and the distributing company, because I've had some terrible, terrible experiences with some line producers, particularly in cable. View quote
John Frankenheimer
One of the other things I think that I've been able to do in my life, is to listen well. View quote
John Frankenheimer
And in Hollywood, you know, everyone is an expert. Most of them are expert editors. They can't direct, they can't write, they can't act, but, by God, they all think they can edit. (John Frankenheimer)
Historically the director has been the key creative element in a film and we must maintain that. We must protect that, in spite of the fact that there is new technology that's continually trying to erode that. View quote
John Frankenheimer
I have gotten to a point in my life where I don't want to have dinner with someone I don't like. View quote
John Frankenheimer
I think all great actors - and I don't classify myself as one of them, incidentally - but I think all great actors listen well and I've learned that from a lot of the very good actors with whom I've worked - to really listen to what people say. View quote
John Frankenheimer
If you don't cast well, you can be in real trouble. View quote
John Frankenheimer

John Frankenheimer

John Frankenheimer - Image
Photo: Andre E. King at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0
Occupation: American Director
Born: February 19, 1930
Died: July 6, 2002
Quotes count: 25