Welcome to our collection of insightful quotes by Pauline Kael, a celebrated American film critic whose distinctive voice and sharp wit left an indelible mark on the world of cinema. Born on June 19, 1919, Kael’s passionate and often controversial critiques captivated audiences and filmmakers alike, earning her a reputation as one of the most influential voices in film criticism.
Throughout her career, Pauline Kael challenged conventional wisdom and pushed the boundaries of film criticism with her bold opinions and colorful prose. Her reviews, which appeared in publications such as The New Yorker, were known for their fearless honesty and keen insight into the art of cinema. Kael’s unique approach to criticism, characterized by her unabashed love for the medium and her willingness to champion lesser-known filmmakers and unconventional works, continues to inspire generations of cinephiles and critics alike. Now, delve into the wisdom of Pauline Kael as we present a selection of her most memorable quotes below.
In the arts, the critic is the only independent source of information. The rest is advertising. Pauline Kael
Citizen Kane is perhaps the one American talking picture that seems as fresh now as the day it opened. It may seem even fresher. Pauline Kael
Trash has given us an appetite for art. Pauline Kael
Where there is a will, there is a way. If there is a chance in a million that you can do something, anything, to keep what you want from ending, do it. Pry the door open or, if need be, wedge your foot in that door and keep it open. Pauline Kael
A book might be written on the injustice of the just. Pauline Kael
The first prerogative of an artist in any medium is to make a fool of himself. Pauline Kael
This movie is a toupee made up to look like honest baldness. Pauline Kael
I see little of more importance to the future of our country and of civilization than full recognition of the place of the artist. If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him. Pauline Kael
One of the surest signs of the Philistine is his reverence for the superior tastes of those who put him down. Pauline Kael
Kevin Costner has feathers in his hair and feathers in his head. The Indians should have called him ‘Plays with Camera.’ Pauline Kael
Movies are so rarely great art that if we cannot appreciate great trash we have very little reason to be interested in them. Pauline Kael
The critic is the only independent source of information. The rest is advertising. Pauline Kael
A mistake in judgment isn’t fatal, but too much anxiety about judgment is. Pauline Kael
It seems likely that many of the young who don’t wait for others to call them artists, but simply announce that they are, don’t have the patience to make art. Pauline Kael