Spike Lee Quotes

People think I'm this angry black man walking around in a constant state of rage.

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

I don't think my films are going to get rid of racism or prejudice. I think the best thing my films can do is provoke discussion.

I live in New York City, the stories of my films take place in New York; I'm a New York filmmaker.

It is really important that young people find something that they want to do and pursue it with passion. I'm very passionate about filmmaking. It's what I love to do.

As a writer I want everybody to get a chance to voice their opinions. If each character thinks that they're telling the truth, then it's valid. Then at the end of the film, I leave it up to the audience to decide who did the right thing.

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

I'd like to state that Spike Lee is not saying that African American culture is just for black people alone to enjoy and cherish. Culture is for everybody.

I don't really analyze my stuff when I write. I write about stuff that I'm interested in, that I'm feeling at that particular time. When I stand back and look at the complete work, I might see themes that run through the whole film, but I'm not really conscious of it when I'm doing it.

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.

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

Those that'll tell don't know, and those that know won't tell.

There's always been this hocus-pocus or magical, mystical thing associated with the making of film that sort of psyches people out and makes them think that this cannot be done; that this is a craft that cannot be learned.

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

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 people who have faults are a lot more interesting than people who are perfect.

'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.

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

People of color have a constant frustration of not being represented, or being misrepresented, and these images go around the world.

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.

A lot of times, we censor ourselves before the censor even gets there.

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

And one thing Hollywood does well is sequels.

I think it is very important that films make people look at what they've forgotten.

I like people to look like they're floating.

I believe in destiny. But I also believe that you can't just sit back and let destiny happen. A lot of times, an opportunity might fall into your lap, but you have to be ready for that opportunity. You can't sit there waiting on it. A lot of times you are going to have to get out there and make it happen.

We've gone through the names - Negro, African American, African, Black. For me that's an indication of a people still trying to find their identity. Who determines what is black?

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

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.

What's the difference between Hollywood characters and my characters? Mine are real.

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.

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.

It has been my observation that parents kill more dreams than anybody.

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.

You gotta make your own way. You gotta find a way. You gotta get it done. It's hard. It's tough. That's what I tell my students every day in class. I've been very fortunate. Some people might call me a hardhead, but I'm not going to let other people dictate to me who I should be or the stories I should tell. That doesn't register with me.

I don't like to use the word 'remake', I think reinterpretation is a better word. It's just a matter of respecting the source, and then trying to make your own film, and trying not to be inhibited by being so beholden to every single thing ... We respect the source, but we make changes to it.

Critics like to build you up, tear you down, and then, if you're lucky, build you up again.

My grandmother lived to be 100 years old. Her grandmother was a slave, yet she was a college graduate in the Spellman class of 1917. She taught art for 50 years and she saved her Social Security checks for her children's education.

Mike Tyson is the most complex person I've ever met in my life. I've known Mike since 1986. We're both from Brooklyn. I didn't know him growing up, but once he became heavyweight champion, I knew him then.

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.

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.

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

I'm always open to new, innovative stuff and people trying to do stuff in a different way. I knew that the theatrical release would be like getting on the launch pad for Amazon Prime but I was okay with that because I think what Jeff Bezos and Ted Hope are doing is innovative.

All directors are storytellers, so the motivation was to tell the story I wanted to tell. That's what I love.

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.

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

'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.

You have to do the research. If you don't know about something, then you ask the right people who do.

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.

If you can't take a hit, you're not going to last long, that's for sure.

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.

Cause mo better makes it mo better.

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.

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

Since the days of slavery, if you were a good singer or dancer, it was your job to perform for the master after dinner.

'Red Hook Summer' is another chapter in my chronicles of Brooklyn.

I may have been born yesterday, but I stayed up all night.

Our greatness, our talent has never been the question. It's been a matter of grappling for control over what we do.

Sex and racism have always been tied together. Look at the thousands of black men who got lynched and castrated. The reason the Klan came into being was to protect white southern women.

American slavery was not a Sergio Leone Spaghetti Western. It was a holocaust. My ancestors are slaves. Stolen from Africa. I will honor them.

Violence is a part of America. I don't want to single out rap music. Let's be honest. America's the most violent country in the history of the world, that's just the way it is. We're all affected by it.

Always be mine, puppy please, puppy please.

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

It gets dangerous when you start allowing people to validate your work ...

I don't get tripped up in technology. I use technology as a tool. 'Oldboy' we shot Two Pro 35mm. For 'Da Blood of Jesus,' we shot digitally. We shot the new Sony F55. It's a 4K camera.

When you love something it's not a job anymore.

Making films has got to be one of the hardest endeavors known to humankind.

As a people we do not need anyone else's stamp of approval.

I'm a storyteller, and there's some genres I like. I don't think I'm ever going to do science fiction, but I want to do a musical one day. I want to tell stories, I don't really try to get boxed in by a specific genre.

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

A lot of times you get credit for stuff in your movies you didn't intend to be there.

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.

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

I'm riding my man Obama. I think he's a visionary. Actually, Barack told me the first date he took Michelle to was 'Do the Right Thing.' I said, Thank God I made it. Otherwise you would have taken her to 'Soul Man.' Michelle would have been like 'What's wrong with this brother?'

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

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.

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

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

My cousin Malcolm Lee is also a filmmaker.

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

I'm an independent filmmaker with complete creative control of my films. I hire who I want. I have final cut. But at the same time, I go directly to Hollywood for financing and distribution. I find it's best for me to work within the Hollywood system.

I really don't deal with hypotheticals.