He may not have made a movie since 2003’s The Life of David Gale starring Kevin Spacey and Kate Winslet but anyone holding out for a thunderous return to the big screen from Alan Parker will be sadly disappointed. The man behind such gems as The Commitments, Midnight Express and Angel Heart has stated that he won’t be directing any more feature films ever again.

Speaking during a masterclass at the Bari International Film Festival in Italy recently, the English filmmaker said, “Directors do not improve with age: they repeat themselves, and while there are exceptions, their work generally does not get any better. This is the reason why I have decided not to make any more films.”

Parker was once approached about the possibility of taking the hot seat on a Harry Potter movie – we don’t know which one – but he admits, “While that would have made me extremely rich today, my problem with it was that I didn’t like it, I didn’t understand it and I wasn’t interested in it.”

In 2013 Alan Parker was the recipient of the BAFTA Fellowship in recognition for his outstanding career in film. After receiving the award he admitted that “I used to pinch myself just to be so lucky to say ‘action’ and ‘cut’ and say ‘one more time darling’…and suddenly you’re a film director.”

Parker stated that it wasn’t his work ethic or decline in passion but that his age and lack of patience helped him make the decision,“The last screenplay I wrote was the best thing I’d ever created…I’ve never found the money to make it, and at my age, I no longer have the patience to make it.”

Gavin Logan – Follow me on Twitter