The first time I met Brando was on a street corner. I was 14. He was walking down the street, and I saw him coming, and I thought, 'It's Marlon Brando.' And he was wearing what turned out to be his outfit from 'On the Waterfront,' because he was shooting.

The end of the studio system signalled the end of the great screen stars. They were the sort of actors who brought their own charismatic personas to each role they played. Audiences felt as if they knew them immediately every time they watched one of their movies.

During the Hollywood studio system, they looked for people who were unusual. The stars had peculiarities.

I was offered 'Popeye,' which Robert Altman made. They offered me $2 million to direct that, which was good money. I wasn't interested in it. I don't like that kind of movie.

When I was younger, all my friends were older - John Ford, Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles, Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant. I loved talking to those people.