Penelope Spheeris Quotes

Powerful Penelope Spheeris for Daily Growth

About Penelope Spheeris

Penelope Spheeris (born July 31, 1945) is an American film director, screenwriter, and documentary producer who has made significant contributions to the world of cinema with her unique blend of grit, humor, and a raw portrayal of youth culture. Born in New York City, Spheeris moved to Los Angeles at the age of 10, where she developed an early interest in music and art. After studying theater arts at UCLA, she began her career as a photographer, capturing the vibrant underground music scene in Southern California. This led to her directing music videos for bands like The Ramones, Cheap Trick, and Alice Cooper. In 1981, Spheeris made her feature film debut with "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," a comedy that explored the Beatles phenomenon. However, it was her next project, "The Decline of Western Civilization" (1981), for which she is most known. This groundbreaking documentary provided an unflinching look at the Los Angeles punk rock scene and remains a seminal work on youth culture. Spheeris continued to explore the world of music in her films, directing "Suburbia" (1983), a drama about disenfranchised teenagers living in suburban Southern California, and "The Beatles' Last U.S. Interview" (1987). She also ventured into mainstream comedy with the successful "Wayne's World" (1992) and its sequel, demonstrating her versatility as a director. Throughout her career, Spheeris has been praised for her ability to capture the essence of youth culture and the struggles of marginalized groups. Her work continues to influence filmmakers and inspire new generations of artists.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I think everybody's a little bit crazy."

This quote by Penelope Spheeris suggests that everyone, to some degree, possesses unique qualities or tendencies that can be perceived as unconventional or non-standard. It acknowledges the inherent diversity and complexity of human nature, implying that our individuality often transcends societal norms and expectations. Embracing this idea encourages empathy, understanding, and acceptance in interpersonal relationships.


"The thing is, you can either be in the moment or you can be a spectator of your life."

This quote underscores the importance of active participation in one's own life. It suggests that living fully means engaging with our experiences rather than merely observing them from afar. By "being in the moment," we can make the most of our time, embrace opportunities, and create meaningful connections and memories. On the other hand, being a "spectator" implies passivity and detachment, potentially leading to missed chances and feelings of dissatisfaction or regret. The quote encourages us to seize life's moments actively and intentionally to live it fully and richly.


"I try to do movies that will make people think."

This quote by Penelope Spheeris indicates her intent to create films that provoke thought, stimulate reflection, and encourage viewers to question or consider various aspects of life, society, or human nature. By crafting movies with depth and complexity, she seeks to engage audiences on an intellectual level rather than simply providing entertainment. This approach to filmmaking not only elevates the medium but also fosters a more meaningful dialogue between artists and their audience.


"I'm not a fan of big budgets, because there's too much pressure."

Penelope Spheeris suggests that large budgets can lead to increased pressure, which may negatively impact her creative process. This implies that she values artistic freedom and prefers working environments where she can focus on the storytelling without excessive external influence or constraints imposed by significant financial resources.


"People always ask me if I've ever worked with animals and my answer is: all people are animals."

Penelope Spheeris' statement suggests that humans, like animals, have inherent characteristics that can be both beneficial and challenging to navigate in social contexts. This quote implies that understanding human behavior requires observing and understanding the emotional, instinctual, and social aspects of people, much like how we study animal behavior. In essence, she is saying that people's actions and motivations often stem from similar primal drives as those observed in animals.


Decline III, I funded myself, from the studio money. That, and I sold a lot of drugs. Kidding. Don't print that.

- Penelope Spheeris

Myself, Studio, Sold, III

Nobody wanted to touch Decline III when they found out what it was about.

- Penelope Spheeris

Found, Decline, Wanted, III

I actually picked up copies of Decline I and II at a flea market once. I walked out without paying.

- Penelope Spheeris

Out, Without, Actually, Flea

Me and Johnny Rotten have been talking about doing a movie of his book, No Irish, No Dogs, No Blacks. We have a script, so hopefully that's going to happen at some point in our careers.

- Penelope Spheeris

Happen, Some, Been, Johnny

If you are looking for a producer, try to contact established producers. Don't let the fear of theft paralyze you, or you will never get anywhere with it.

- Penelope Spheeris

Will, Theft, Established, Paralyze

Big studio comedies are such a headache.

- Penelope Spheeris

Big, Studio, Comedies, Headache

Arnold and Jamie Lee must have worked over the years with directors that did 50 takes, because I'd get like three takes or so and say, Ok, that's it, we're done.

- Penelope Spheeris

Over, Like, Directors, OK

I really feel kind of guilty spending 80 million dollars. People are starving in the world.

- Penelope Spheeris

Kind, Feel, Starving, Million Dollars

When we did Wayne's World, it was 14 million dollars and they didn't bug us too much because they just thought it was some little movie that nobody was ever going to see. We showed them.

- Penelope Spheeris

Thought, Some, Movie, Million Dollars

I got IRS records to finance what I wanted to do.

- Penelope Spheeris

Records, Got, Wanted, IRS

Rabid fans were literally jumping into the camera.

- Penelope Spheeris

Jumping, Were, Literally, Rabid

I was always into music. I think everyone is when they're a teenager, as a way to drown out the world.

- Penelope Spheeris

Think, Always, I Think, Teenager

Before you approach a production entity or even a potential producer, you should write up a treatment and register your show with the Writers Guild of America.

- Penelope Spheeris

Show, Before, Treatment, Entity

When men have money and power they get turned on, sexually. They get horny as hell. Can't imagine why, though.

- Penelope Spheeris

Imagine, Turned, Though, Horny

I live on this nice three acres in Hollywood.

- Penelope Spheeris

Live, Three, Hollywood, Acres

For the most part, studio movies have huge budgets. They don't do anything under 30 to 40 million. When you have that much money at stake, you have so many people breathing down your neck.

- Penelope Spheeris

Studio, Part, Studio Movies, So Many People

In other countries, it's a common thing to have outcast children running around the streets in packs, and I don't think we're so far away from it here.

- Penelope Spheeris

Think, Here, Other, Far Away

The first Decline I did was out of sheer love and appreciation for the music. In 1977, it was more about bands, because punk was a new form of music. It was groundbreaking and political.

- Penelope Spheeris

Love, New, More, Sheer

It's really hard to imagine there ever being the kind of impact there was when punk rock happened in the late 70's. I wish there would be one big change like that again, but I don't know if that'll ever happen.

- Penelope Spheeris

Rock, Big, Punk Rock, Big Change

This generation has given up on growth. They're just hoping for survival.

- Penelope Spheeris

Teen, Generation, Given, Hoping

Your best protection is to have an established agent make the contact.

- Penelope Spheeris

Best, Established, Agent, Contact

I love punk rock, but I also love metal.

- Penelope Spheeris

Love, Rock, I Love, Metal

There are thousands of directors in Hollywood.

- Penelope Spheeris

Hollywood, Directors, Thousands

Those movies, Decline I and II and Suburbia, are dearly loved, but they never made any money. I didn't even have the rights for some of them.

- Penelope Spheeris

Some, Made, Them, Decline

Different parents have different standards for their children.

- Penelope Spheeris

Children, Parents, Different, Standards

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