Neil Jordan Quotes

Powerful Neil Jordan for Daily Growth

About Neil Jordan

Neil Jordan (born May 25, 1950) is an acclaimed Irish writer, film director, and producer who has made significant contributions to both literature and cinema. Raised in a Catholic family in Dublin, Jordan's early influences came from the city's rich literary tradition, as well as the Gothic folklore and supernatural elements that would later permeate his works. Jordan began his writing career with the publication of his debut novel 'The Boatman' in 1974, followed by 'Sunlight on a Broken Column' in 1980, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. These early novels demonstrated Jordan's ability to create intricate narratives that explored themes of love, loss, and the supernatural. In 1986, Jordan made his directorial debut with 'Angela's Ashes,' an adaptation of Frank McCourt's memoir about growing up in poverty-stricken Limerick. The film was a critical success and marked the beginning of Jordan's successful career as a filmmaker. Jordan's subsequent films, such as 'The Company of Wolves' (1984), 'Mona Lisa' (1986), 'The Crying Game' (1992), and 'Interview with the Vampire' (1994), have become classics in their respective genres. His unique ability to blend elements of fantasy, horror, romance, and social commentary has made him a distinctive voice in contemporary cinema. In 2015, Jordan published his latest novel, 'The Refugees,' which delves into the complexities of Irish immigration and identity. This work continues Jordan's exploration of themes that have resonated with readers and audiences for decades. Neil Jordan's multifaceted career spanning literature and film has solidified his status as a prominent figure in both worlds, leaving an indelible mark on the creative landscape of Ireland and beyond.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Art is a way of dancing with life."

Neil Jordan's quote, "Art is a way of dancing with life," suggests that art is an expressive and engaging means to interact intimately with the world and its experiences. It implies that creating or appreciating art serves as a unique avenue for individuals to engage in life with passion, creativity, and emotional depth, much like how dance allows a person to move gracefully with rhythm and freedom. Essentially, Jordan encourages us to view art not just as an isolated form of entertainment or decoration, but as a means of enriching our connection with life itself.

"The artist's job is always to deepen the mystery."

Neil Jordan's quote, "The artist's job is always to deepen the mystery," emphasizes that artists should aim to engage their audience not only through entertainment or beauty but also by stimulating thought, questioning norms, and creating a sense of wonder. By delving into complex themes, exploring unknown territories, or presenting familiar ideas in fresh ways, artists challenge us to look beyond the surface, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of life and its enigmas. Essentially, Jordan suggests that art's ultimate purpose lies in fueling our curiosity and nurturing our capacity for contemplation and reflection, ultimately enriching our human experience.

"Style is an old leather coat, a secret handshake."

This quote suggests that style, much like an old leather coat, is a personal possession that embodies an individual's unique character, experience, and history. It's something that can't be easily replicated, being the result of time, evolution, and personal preferences. The "secret handshake" analogy implies that those who understand your style - or share it with you - have a deeper connection, as they have a better understanding of who you are and what makes you unique.

"I think we all have our own private Utopias and Dystopias inside us, and it's those that create and destroy us."

This quote suggests that within each person lies a personal paradigm of ideal worlds (Utopia) and nightmarish worlds (Dystopia). These internal visions shape and influence our lives, driving us towards creating or avoiding certain realities. In other words, our inner Utopias inspire dreams, aspirations, and the pursuit of happiness, while our inner Dystopias may breed fear, discontentment, and aversion to specific situations. The struggle between these two internal forces can shape one's personality, actions, and life choices.

"Fear has to be overcome before you can write anything worth reading."

Neil Jordan's quote highlights the role that fear plays in creativity, particularly in writing. He suggests that overcoming fear is a necessary step towards producing work that is worth reading - work that is meaningful, engaging, and impactful. In essence, the fear he refers to could be fear of failure, fear of criticism, or fear of vulnerability. Writers often grapple with these fears as they expose their thoughts, ideas, and emotions to the world. However, by conquering these fears, writers can break through the barriers that hinder them from expressing themselves genuinely and authentically, resulting in compelling stories that resonate with readers. The quote encourages aspiring writers to face their apprehensions head-on, knowing that the fear will only hinder their growth as storytellers. By embracing their fears, they can cultivate the courage to create work that transcends the ordinary and touches the heart of the reader.

The Company of Wolves is about how society teaches young women to look at themselves, and what to be afraid of. It's about a girl learning that the world of sensuality and the unknown is not to be feared, that it's worth getting your teeth into.

- Neil Jordan

Young, Young Women, Feared, Unknown

The most difficult thing is the organization of people and the expression of your intentions. It's very easy to have a picture in your head and to imagine that you've told everybody about what you need.

- Neil Jordan

Expression, Everybody, Very, Most Difficult Thing

Films have gotten leaner and leaner, cutting out all variations from the story line.

- Neil Jordan

Line, Films, Gotten, Variations

My conception of it was that in a normal film you have a story with different movements that program, develop, go a little bit off the trunk, come back, and end.

- Neil Jordan

Go, Normal, Back, Conception

I've had three novels published, and I was working a little bit in theater in Ireland. I wrote one film script just to see what it would turn out like.

- Neil Jordan

Like, Had, Wrote, Novels

The Company of Wolves doesn't belong in any category, so it's difficult to prepare an audience for it. It's not a horror film, it's not a fantasy film, it's not a children's film - so what is it?

- Neil Jordan

Audience, Prepare, Belong, Category

But everyone gets burnt, don't they? Certain things are outside of your control. I suppose the only thing you can learn as a director is to not put yourself into situations where it can get outside of your control. And that's what happened.

- Neil Jordan

The Only Thing, Your, Put, Burnt

The End of the Affair is almost like a play.

- Neil Jordan

Play, Like, Almost, Affair

Well, Company of Wolves was about that literally, about fairy tales.

- Neil Jordan

Well, About, Literally, Wolves

Why should a horror film be just a horror film? To me, The Company of Wolves is a fairy tale; it's got all those elements plus a lot more. And we know that fairy tales aren't innocent any more.

- Neil Jordan

Innocent, Why, Got, Wolves

In Dreams... well, I was slightly overcompensating with that. I was a bit like a director for hire, so maybe I was putting too much imagery that was familiar to me into it.

- Neil Jordan

Hire, Slightly, Putting, Imagery

I've also worked hard portraying an Ireland which is fast disappearing. Ireland was a very depressed and difficult place in the 1980s, and I've tried to include that in the script. I worked really hard to find the heart of the book.

- Neil Jordan

Very, Include, Which, Depressed

It's nice to work with Hollywood because there is never any question of resources put at your disposal to make a film as long as it is the right thing to do.

- Neil Jordan

Work, Question, Hollywood, Disposal

No, I just thought of a story and wrote down what I saw. It was about two kids in Ireland who went around killing people. It was called Travelers, and it was made as an independent film.

- Neil Jordan

Thought, Independent, Made, Travelers

There's no point in making a film out of a great book. The book's already great. What's the point?

- Neil Jordan

Book, Film, Making, No Point

I'm less comfortable making American movies because I don't know them so well.

- Neil Jordan

American, Making, Them, American Movies

Initially with The Butcher Boy, there was this kid growing up in this strange, weird environment that I remember from when I was a kid. And Patrick's vision was so complete there.

- Neil Jordan

Kid, Boy, I Remember, Butcher

I mean I grew up in Ireland, so one would have to be consciously blinkered not to have reflected on the issue of political violence because that was the story since I was 19 years old or 20.

- Neil Jordan

Old, Issue, Reflected, Ireland

When you've written a movie, you then get together with a whole lot of people and make it. In many ways, I think it is far nicer to be with people rather than being completely solitary.

- Neil Jordan

Think, Movie, I Think, Nicer

Well, if you're talking about the current climate, there's a lack of content in American film because I think people are deeply confused about their emotions, and they don't regret certain aspects of their own foreign policy.

- Neil Jordan

Regret, Own, I Think, Climate

Well, I suppose I'm interested in ways of storytelling and in stories that are about storytelling.

- Neil Jordan

Storytelling, Stories, Ways, Suppose

It's the opposite journey from what I've usually done with films. I find it very easy to go from, say, a lit, pleasurable environment, like what you see outside there, to a very dark place. But the opposite journey, which is what this movie takes, is much more complicated.

- Neil Jordan

See, Movie, Very, Complicated

For me, the filmmaking has to be about the dramaturgy.

- Neil Jordan

Me, About, Filmmaking

It is extremely difficult to get movies that cost more than $40 million to be made these days.

- Neil Jordan

Movies, Million, Extremely, Cost

It's the same thing in a way, although writing a book is a very solitary thing.

- Neil Jordan

Same, Very, Although, Solitary

Never make a promise - you may have to keep it.

- Neil Jordan

Never, Keep, May, Promise

It's hard to know whether certain characters come to life or not, they either come to have their own life or they don't. I've written many things in which the characters just remain inert.

- Neil Jordan

Own, Come, Which, Remain

For me now, it's about what you would write and what you wouldn't write, and that's how I select what I am going to do. It can be quite nice being brought a concept by a studio for me to work on.

- Neil Jordan

Studio, Select, Brought, Concept

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