Alexander Payne

“He's like have you re seen Salò since Trump has been president? I don't know. He goes you have to totally see Ricci Salò since Trump became president. So I will look at Salò again.”

“I was at a presentation of Ace in the Hole on the Paramount lot about two years ago and they trotted out old Kirk Douglas for it and I got to shake Kirk Douglas's hand after seeing Ace in the Hole again but it's I don't have this take Ace in the Hole an obvious choice.”

“I've never seen 3 Women.”

“Somebody actually had the guts to tell me the other day that L'avventura was dated I was like you're out of your mind it'll always be fresh plus the music doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo.”

“Oh, look, Le Plaisir. You know, I've only seen I saw it once projected but it's been a nice one to study again.”

“Very underappreciated, under seen film. Robert Young, Erwan Young's brother. Erwan Young, who had DuArt. His brother was a documentarian and made some wonderful feature films. Ballad of Gregorio Cortez, which I think is being restored now. But Alambrista! Is one of the early outstanding movies about immigration.”

“The Breaking Point is one that I have to take credit for bringing to the Criterion Collection's attention. I programmed it at Telluride in 2009 and in 1950 Michael Curtiz made three count him three films for Warner Brothers and producer Jerry Wald... And this is arguably well I won't argue I just think it's true the finest adaptation of Hemingway's To Have and Have Not.”

“Speedy wonderful to see New York as interpreted by Nebraska's Harold Lloyd.”

“Red Beard incredible. I went for years my favorite Kurosawa was of course Seven Samurai but the one that sticks with me more as I age is Red Beard.”

“No this is an extraordinary film Una giornata particolare. Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni at the height of their powers an extraordinary film I love the scene when they have they fight on the roof of the building with the sheets billowing and then he follows her downstairs.”

“El Verdugo okay another film I am happy to take credit for bringing to the attention of the Criterion Collection. Berlanga so in Spain in the 50s and 60s they were doing really brutal comedies... It had that black humor that acid humor that Spain has anyway hilarious movie.”