"This knocked me sideways when it came out. I just didn't know how he'd done it. I had to go downstairs to the studio with a notebook, shut the door, and take notes, to try to work out what he was doing. What he does with the 808 drum sounds, the autotune, the abrupt echoes and delays, slowed-down guitars, distant pianos, the birdsong…then using bone-dry vocals one minute and church hall reverb the next…it's astonishing. It's also beautiful again, and sad. Beautiful and sad: that's a key theme for me.

"

"Legends of the Fall I’ve watched a million times. That’s such a beautiful story, and such a real one and a sad one, about the unexpected things life brings, like certain relationships. And sometimes, a lot of the time, life doesn’t end in happy endings. The first time I saw it, I was so young that it was just a beautiful film to me. Obviously, the role of Tristan, the role he plays, is so appealing, and that want and need to tame the wild beast, if you will."

"It’s such a beautiful cinematic poem, I suppose. When I did Push in Hong Kong, it was a great pleasure to be able to shoot the film almost in the style of Wong Kar-Wai — just with him in mind, you know. Beautiful light, reds and greens. I actually stayed in one of the apartments in Hong Kong that he designed, which was nice. Lots of wallpaper. As a movie, you’re just so compelled by these two characters, and he only shows glimpses of them, yet they’re so compelling — which is a feat in itself."

"To my everlasting shame — the film is so good I hate to admit to it — I never watched it until last Saturday because I was in Italy promoting Slumdog and they loved Slumdog and I felt abject because I hadn’t seen The Bicycle Thief. Nobody asked about it but I ran out and got it the Saturday following. It’s the most beautiful film. Do not be put off by the fact it’s black and white or in Italian. It is the most beautiful film about a father and a son than I’ve ever seen."