128 Quotes by Harry Dean Stanton

The most terrifying thing for most everybody in the whole Western World is to take responsibility for your own life and to experience real freedom.

People know you as an actor, and labels are so comfortable for people. That syndrome is always hard to get past.

I can understand why it takes some people a long time to really be a singer. You have to find out, 'Why am I singing? What am I doing this for?' I do it because I enjoy it, and philosophically, music is a catalyst. It's a refining agent.

'Paris, Texas' is the first film that I've totally cared about, the first movie I totally wanted to do - and that after 27 years that I considered my prison term.

If I never did another film after 'Paris, Texas,' I'd be happy.

I was the classic killer. I always played an angry man. I think it was because I used to really be like that - I was hostile. And because I had a good sense of theatrical truth, I used my anger and rebelliousness and just went with it. Anger was just a part of me.

I've got a pretty iconoclastic attitude about all institutions myself. And I just think the church was corrupted right after Christ was killed.

I was in World War Two at the battle of Okinawa.

I think every actor wants to play those big parts. In the very first play I ever did, I remember understanding all the characters in it. I always felt I could play anyone.