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" I'm just trying to tell a good story and make thought-provoking, entertaining films. I just try and draw upon the great culture we have as a people, from music, novels, the streets. "
Spike Lee
Great
Good
Culture
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" It has been my observation that parents kill more dreams than anybody. "
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" 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. "
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" '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. "
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" I don't like acting; not in front of the camera. "
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" People sometimes forget all the films that we've done. They remember the likes of 'Malcolm X' and 'Do the Right Thing.' But I've been working since 1986. From the beginning, I was determined to not just be a flash in the pan. I've got to keep up with Woody Allen. He's lapping me. "
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" Don't think that because you haven't heard from me for a while that I went to sleep. I am still here, like a spirit roaming the night. Thirsty, hungry, seldom stopping to rest. "
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" A lot of times you get credit for stuff in your movies you didn't intend to be there. "
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" 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. "
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Power
Opportunity
Blessed
" If we became students of Malcolm X, we would not have young black men out there killing each other like they're killing each other now. Young black men would not be impregnating young black women at the rate going on now. We'd not have the drugs we have now, or the alcoholism. "
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" 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. "
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" There's a lot of Americans, black and white, who think that we've arrived where we need to be and nothing else needs to be done and affirmative action needs to be dismantled. "
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Black
" I tend to favour films that have multiple plot and story lines, multiple characters and ensemble pieces. "
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Plot
Lines
Ensemble
" I used the principles of Kickstarter to make 'She's Gotta Have It.' We filmed that in 1985 to 1986. The final cost was $175,000. I didn't have that money. It was friends, grants, donations. We saved our bottles for the nickel deposit. "
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Principles
Friends
She
" I think it is very important that films make people look at what they've forgotten. "
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Look
Important
I Think
" Everything I do is always scrutinised. But that's all I'll say about that. "
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Always
Say
Everything
" There's an unwritten law that you cannot have a Jewish character in a film who isn't 100 percent perfect, or you're labeled anti-Semitic. "
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" You have to do the research. If you don't know about something, then you ask the right people who do. "
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Ask
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" 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. "
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Today
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I Am
" Fight the power that be. Fight the power. "
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Power
Fight
" What's the difference between Hollywood characters and my characters? Mine are real. "
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Hollywood
Difference
Real
" Any film I do is not going to change the way black women have been portrayed, or black people have been portrayed, in cinema since the days of D.W. Griffith. "
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Women
Black
Change
" 'She's Gotta Have It' and 'School Daze,' I really didn't know what I was doing. And the biggest indicator of that was the acting. 'Do the Right Thing' was like the first film where I really felt comfortable working with actors. "
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" The truth is I've been doing Kickstarter before there was Kickstarter; there was no Internet. Social Media was writing letters, making phone calls, beating the bushes. "
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Truth Is
Writing
Truth
" People of color have a constant frustration of not being represented, or being misrepresented, and these images go around the world. "
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Color
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World
" I had a great education. From kindergarten to John Dewey High School in Coney Island, I am public-school educated. "
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School
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" A lot of times, we censor ourselves before the censor even gets there. "
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Even
Before
Censor
" 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. "
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Women
People
Media
" I think the best actors in the world are here in New York City. And this city is just so vibrant the energy is just phenomenal. Great crews here. All the technicians, all the artists that work in this industry. I've just been very happy with the body that we've been able to do, especially those films we shot here in New York City. "
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Work
Best
City
" I like to work with the same people when I can, and you want to get people with the same interests that you have, and the same aesthetic. "
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I Can
Get
Work