"And the final film, since you limited me to a mere five… that’s always the biggest battle, not what will be number one, but what will be the last film on a short list, because, you know, I would want to throw Pan’s Labyrinth on there, or City of God, or Annie Hall, or Crimes and Misdemeanors. What I’m gonna put on is The Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three. You want to throw on your list something that is perhaps would be contrarian, or would be unusual. But to me, it’s the most entertaining crime film that I have ever seen. In a movie like that, involvement is the most significant aspect in determining whether or not it’s successful. And you’re simply involved in this movie. It doesn’t have one movie star. There’s nobody particularly handsome or heroic in the film. You’re dealing with Walter Matthau and Marty Balsam and Robert Shaw. To me, it’s a delight. It’s interesting because a remake of it is gonna be coming out, I believe next year. I don’t begrudge them. I think it’s an absolutely appropriate film to remake. As good as it was, it can be given a modern sensibility that can appeal to modern audiences."

"In 1985, I was taking meetings in Hollywood, looking for film work. An agent at Universal said to me, “Come back tonight, I want to show you a film we need help with, and we’d like your take on it.” I dutifully showed up at the Hitchcock Theater on the Universal lot and was granted an exclusive screening of this film, Brazil. Within minutes, my mouth was dry. I knew I was viewing a masterpiece, and yet they wanted my input on it. Of course, I had so many ideas, I would have said anything to get a chance to be a part of it, whatever it was (I had not been told anything about it). I called my friend Russell Mulcahy and told him, “I’ve just seen the most extraordinary film, and Universal want some music ideas from me.” “Don’t touch it!” said Russell. “That’s Terry Gillam’s film. He’s in a battle with Universal over it.” With some disappointment, I knew whose side I had to take. But I did get two pneumatic tapes of the film in the mail for my trouble. For months, I played it on my first flat-screen TV, just freezing on shot after shot for days on end. Weirdly perfect."