I really like Gwyneth Paltrow a lot as far as her career because I think she's done a lot of small movies but she's also done great big movies and she's a really great actress.

Shooting this one was kind of like a two month party we would literally play music between takes and other movies that were shooting on our lot would play hookey come over and hang out and stuff. We had a great time.

You know when Hollywood does a great big blockbuster that really wraps you up in a world and lets you believe in extraordinary things that move you in some way in an almost operatic sensibility? That to me is the most fun I have at the movies.

Awards were made in Hollywood in whatever the time it was created. They're to promote each other's movies. You give me an award I give you an award and people will believe that we are great movies and they'll go to see them. It's still the same.

I don't think we're living in great times for movies to tell you the truth.

The thing about the UK is we don't really make that many great movies.

And if people come up and say they like the movies you're in it's a great compliment.

I grew up when I was 15 when I had my first opportunity in movies. I watched every great movie for a year and a half and since then I've asked myself how I can emulate such artistry. That's really my motivation. I want to do something as good as my heroes have done.

I'm an enormous admirer of Christopher Lee. He's somebody along with Vincent Price who I celebrate and I wanted my movies to show that celebration and that honoring of these great film stars that were unafraid to go into horror and Grand Guignol and the macabre.

I've had such a great track record in making a huge profit when the movies are smaller.