J.H. Lee Quotes

Can mortal prayers ensure immortal happiness?

How we are born to invent our own miseries!

Benevolence, like religion, awes even those it cannot win.

Let us respect even error when it has its source in virtue.

How easy it is to be unknown!

Society, that first of blessings, brings with it evils death only can cure.

I've got "Sometimers." Sometimes I remember and sometimes I forget.

I've been blessed with the opportunity to express the views of black people who otherwise don't have access to power and the media. I have to take advantage of that while I'm still bankable.

Racism in America absolutely exists - it is an issue. We need to fix it. We're a great country - probably the greatest country but we could be a hell of a lot greater.

I've always tried to - when I've been able to - support young artists, no matter what medium.

I knew I was never going to play professional sport, but I loved playing and I went to all the games I could afford to.

I tend to favour films that have multiple plot and story lines, multiple characters and ensemble pieces.

Most human beings will not stand in front of a stage and tell you about the bad things they did.

I don't see any negativity with what Brad Pitt is doing with his Make It Right Foundation, or what Sean Penn is trying to do in Haiti.

He revolutionized music videos. Before Michael Jackson, MTV refused to play African-American artists.

I like people to look like they're floating.

I'm surprised that Hollywood and networks have not been diverse as other industries.

If you have a talented family, you should be shot if you don't use them.

Do the Right Thing' was my first union film. I looked at the rosters, and for the most part, it was white males. Especially the Teamsters. So we had some conversations.

One of the great things about African-Americans is that we've always had this attitude: We make do with what we got. It comes from our ancestors being slaves.

You know that first of all your films have to make money no matter who you are.

I'm worried just as much about Donald Trump as that crazy guy in North Korea - and he has a nuclear code. I'm worrying about that.

I'm trying to keep up with what's happening in this turbulent world.

Because many advances have happened, we've lost the urgency (and that's just human nature) that we had before, when we couldn't vote, couldn't use mass transportation, or drink from the fountains.

If people go to IMDB, they will see that I'm very comfortable with independent cinema, and doing studio films too. For me this is not an either/or situation.

I think my work shows that I love women. I understand where these types of criticisms are coming from because black people have been so dogged out in the media, they're just extra sensitive.

I always give the example, if you turn on the radio today, black radio, Lenny Kravitz is not black. Bob Marley wasn't black: in the beginning, only white college stations played Bob Marley.

Amongst black people, you have always heard it said that once a black man reaches a certain level, especially if you are an entertainer, you get a white trophy woman. I didn't make that up.

Everything I do is always scrutinised. But that's all I'll say about that.

Right now a lot of people are still choosing to go to Toronto instead of shooting in New York City, something I haven't done and something I hope I'll never have to do.

A woman who is very secure in herself, what she's about, what she wants to do, who probably figures that she's a prize catch-sooner or later he's going to come around.

I don't dictate, you don't dictate to Stevie Wonder, not successfully.

'She's Gotta Have It' was shot in twelve days and two six-day weeks.

First of all, what in this world does not revolve around money? But money is a big part of film, unlike a lot of other art forms.

I don't like acting; not in front of the camera.

I don't think I'm a total pessimist, so I think you can find hope in all my films.

'Do the Right Thing' was like the first film where I really felt comfortable working with actors.

I get offered to do stuff where the money's nice but it's not something I want to do - I get offered a lot of commercials too.

I think if people looked at my body of work, they'd see a great breadth of work.

I am trying to stay away from this position of me "returning to my roots." As if my roots are that I'm only comfortable working on low-budget, small films. That's not the case at all.

Face front, true believers!

Every kid loves fairy tales, stories of witches and giants and magicians. Then, when you get a little older you can't read fairy tales anymore.

My biggest regret is that I don't really have time to read.

To me everything is fun. I've started Twittering or tweeting recently and that's been fun.

I enjoyed reading Batman, and Superman, and all the super ones, but I never wished I created them. I've got to let there be some work for other people!

There's just something that feels nice about holding a comic book!

I don't wake up in the morning and say, wow I've got a great idea for a story. But I sit down, and I figure well, let's see.

Ideally, anything one writes should have a social conscience: if you can write a story that thrills, and with a good message, that's the perfect type of a story.

The public always loves anything that's different, as long as it's well-made, if it's well-done. You never know what to expect when you go to one of these so-called superhero movies.

I don't know where the hell I'll be in 5 years. Maybe I'll be producing movies maybe I'll be on a corner selling apples. I don't know, but I'm having a hell of a lot of fun.