"The process is very gradual, you see. At first there's the tainted stage; they know what will eventually happen to them if they go on but they say, 'Oh God, don't do it to me do it again, please, please.'"

In this quote, Terence Fisher is describing a process that is slow and progressive. He discusses that initially, there is a stage where the individual is aware of the unfavorable effects that will ultimately happen to them if they continue their current course. However, regardless of this understanding, they still select to repeat their actions and plead with a greater power to spare them from the effects. This might be interpreted as a commentary on human habits and how we typically purposefully engage in hazardous or damaging behaviors, hoping to prevent the unavoidable repercussions. It also highlights the power of temptation and the struggle to withstand it.