A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies

Himself (Narrator:
"Film is a disease," Frank Capra said. "When it infects your bloodstream... when it takes over as the #1 hormone, it plays Iago to your psyche, and with heroin the antidote to film is more film."

Himself (Narrator:
There is action only if there is danger. This was ssaid by Howard Hawks, who was an authority on both the Western and the gangster film. To stay alive or die - this is our greatest danger.

Himself (Narrator:
[Quoting Raoul Walsh] The low and high-angled shots turned a good picture into a great one.

Brian De Palma:
In any kind of art form you're creating an illusion for the audience to look at reality through your speciall eye. The camera lies all the time. It lies twenty-four times a second.

Himself (Narrator:
Less money, more freedom. I mean the world of b-film is often freer and more conducive to experimenting and innovating.

Himself (Narrator:
Actually when I was a little younger,there was another journey I wanted to make, It was a relgious one. I wanted to be a priest. However, I soon realized that my real vocation, my real calling, was the movies. I don't really see a conflit between the church and movies - the sacred and the profane. Obviously there are many differences, but I also could see great similarities bwtween a church and a movie house. Both are places for people to come together and share a common experience. and I believe there's spirituality in films even if it's not one which can supplant faith.