Quotes

[Discussing his ambitious volcano set for the James Bond film You Only Live Twice (1967): "The challenge appealed to me also, the shape of the volcano. I knew if it didn't work I'd never work in movies again. [Producer] Cubby Broccoli asked me how much it would cost. I quoted him a million dollars, which at that time was a huge amount of money. He said if I could do it for a million, then do it. That's when I really began to worry."

I guess one has to be a little crazy. (About designing the famous Vulcano-set for You Only Live Twice (1967))

[on Stanley Kubrick] Most days during production [of Dr. Strangelove] I drove him to the studio... I recommend this as a way to get to know your director.

[on designing the first James Bond film]: I felt I needed to work in England pretty soon, lest I be forgotten.I said yes to Dr. No (1962), and thought I was prostituting myself.

As a production designer, you offer a form of escapism that is often more exciting than reality.

Films, being a visual entertainment, should offer a form of escapism for an audience. I can achieve more reality in terms of dramatic value for the screenplay by not copying nature, architecture or whatever really exists.

[on Stanley Kubrick]: I sometimes feel that if Stanley could make a film without actors, he would be happier.