And despite turning 70 this year, he doesnt look like hes slowing down at all.
His latest movieDog Eat Dogis as crazy as anything else in his filmography.
Was there the thought then that this was you two trying to get it right this time?
Not only a sense of redemption, but also a sense of freedom.
Its quite a simple crime movie on paper why go so wild stylistically for this film?
Because Im not a crime film director.
I thought what is a crime film today?
After Tarantino, Scorsese and Guy Ritchie, what does a crime film need to do to succeed?
Theres so many crime movies out there.
So that became the fun.
What was the thinking behind that?
I put together this young team.
I said to them the bad news is we dont have the money to do this right.
The good news is though is that we can make any fucking film we want!
So lets just not be boring.
How on earth can we do a strip club scene thats interesting?
Then I thought I hadnt seen a strip club scene in black and white since Bob FossesLenny.
So lets just do it in black and white.
Dont tell anybody why.
And theyll be so busy trying to figure out why, that they wont be bored!
That was not in the script, not in the book.
And then we where talking about the end of the film, and said he didnt understand it.
Why am I still alive, why is my character taking hostages, what is this all about?
So I said, Maybe hes not alive.
Then we come to shoot the scene and were reading it before we go out.
And he does the Bogart thing.
And I go wow, are you sure you want to do that?
I thought that was a good point.
We were under very tight budgetary constraints, so if we took a chance, that was that.
There was no back up option.
And he said, youve been telling me for two weeks, be bold!
Well this is bold, isnt it?.
So I said, itisbold, lets do it.
SPOILERS END
Theres lots of stories about him coming up with weird quirks for his characters.
Is he like that?
He has that component.
He is highly responsible, and super prepared.
But he likes you to believe he is irresponsible.
Thats part of his aura.
Well, the nice thing about working with Nic Cage is that you get your movie made.
The bad thing is he eats up your budget.
Then you manage to get some money together for Willem.
I wanted someone a bit younger so it was not entirely a grandpa movie.
Christopher was an ex con from Texas, and he had the right physicality, so it worked out.
What do you think is the best film youve made?
ButLight Sleeperprobably means more to me than any of the others.
It touches me personally.
Do you ever worry thatTaxi Driverovershadows your directorial work?
All of a sudden you are associated with film history, and a cultural touchstone.
And thats kind of cool.
Whats the thing you enjoy most about making films?
And we both felt the same.
Which is you go on the set, and something isnt right.
Maybe its the weather, maybe its the actors, maybe its lighting.
And when youre a young director you panic.
But when youve done it enough times you realise that it will just come to you.
You tell the crew to give you 15 minutes.
And you just sit there, and all of a sudden it comes to you.
And you see it again.
Thats the most exhilarating feeling.
Did Scorsese agree with you on all that?
And then whats the worst thing about directing, the thing that still annoys you?
I mean, just having to slog your way through certain situations.
Obstacles that are being put in your path.
You dont respect these obstacles, and you wonder why are they making it so difficult for me!
These obstacles are people, right?
Well, people, money, all kinds of obstacles.
I think one of the worst things that can happen when youre directing is if youre sick.
You know you missed something today.
Were you ill on any films in particular?
Its interesting you say this the first straight crime movie youve made.
But this is just about criminals.
Was theBlue Collarset as mad as people say?
I mean, it was because of race.
But with Richard Pryor race came into it.
At which point you just say, lets keep working Richard!
Pryor is just one of the supposedly difficult people youve worked with and got great performances out of.
Are you attracted to working with actors like that?
But it all comes down to casting.
Antony Perkins once told me that acting is 75% casting.
And if you miscast a movie, theres nothing you could do.
Paul Schrader, thank you very much!
Dog Eat Dogis in UK cinemas from November 18th.