Spike Lee Quotes

Surprises are good. I'm not of the thinking where you tell the audience everything. Sometimes I don't even want to see the trailers. You see the trailer, you've seen the movie.

Music is, for me, a great tool of a filmmaker, the same way cinematography, the acting, editing, post-production, the costumes are. You know, to help you tell a story.

I want to tell stories, I don't really try to get boxed in by a specific genre.

I collect names for characters. Names are valuable; they can be your first source of insight into a character.

I never understood the concept of showing everything in the trailer. Why go to a movie if there's no surprise? I can't do it like that.

'25th Hour,' like a lot of my films, takes place in New York City. I've been very fortunate to make films in the city that I live. I mean, it's great going home at night instead of being on location.

We're the most violent nation on earth. There's no getting away from that. But you've got to look at it on a broader level.

Stick around long enough, you'll get some grace.

Everybody does what they want to do for their own specific reasons.

I've never seen black men with fine white women. They be ugly. Mugly dogs.

For me, I believe in God, God is real.

And one thing Hollywood does well is sequels.

I miss my brother. Prince was a funny cat. Great sence of humor.

My people, my people, what can I say; say what I can. I saw it but didn't believe it; I didn't believe what I saw. Are we gonna live together? Together are we gonna live?

I didn't dream about being a director. I didn't know I wanted to do something with film until the summer between my sophomore and junior years at Morris College in Atlanta, Georgia.

I'll be vilified if I shoot a film in Toronto for New York. And rightfully so!

I am a hybrid. I do independent films and also do Hollywood films - I love them both.

I had a great education. From kindergarten to John Dewey High School in Coney Island, I am public-school educated.

I am very fortunate I can send my kids to private school, but everybody does not have the money. If you cannot get your kid in a good school today, your kids are going to be behind the eight ball.

I respect the audience's intelligence a lot, and that's why I don't try to go for the lowest common denominator.

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.