Howard Hughes was this visionary who was obsessed with speed and flying like a god... I loved his idea of what filmmaking was.

I loved the idea of seeing the world through a boy's eyes.

I don't agree with everything he did in his life, but we're dealing with this Howard Hughes, at this point. And also ultimately the flaw in Howard Hughes, the curse so to speak.

Cinema is a matter of what's in the frame and what's out

I was born in 1942, so I was mainly aware of Howard Hughes' name on RKO Radio Pictures.

It did remind me of something out of Greek mythology - the richest king who gets everything he wants, but ultimately his family has a curse on it from the Gods.