Roger Ebert passed away today at age 70. He was the most visible, prolific, and influential film critic of the last thirty years and his work shaped the way the public thought about movies and the way aspiring critics wrote about film. Ebert was the author of numerous books, contributed commentary tracks to DVDs of classic films like Citizen Kane and Casablanca, and maintained a very popular blog. A writer for the Chicago Sun-Times, Ebert rose to prominence with fellow Chicago film critic Gene Siskel through their syndicated television show in which the two men coined the now iconic phrase “two thumbs up.”
Here are a few memorable Ebert moments:
Ebert Defends Better Luck Tomorrow
At the 2002 Sundance film festival Ebert defended Asian filmmakers against criticism over racial representation in their film Better Luck Tomorrow. This aggressive but practical and fair-minded defense was indicative of the way Ebert approached the movies.
Review of Taxi Driver
Taxi Driver was considered shockingly violent at the time of its release. Siskel did not like the movie but Ebert did. Note how he questions Siskel’s judgement, arguing that his partner wasn’t really evaluating the movie Martin Scorsese made but the movie he wanted the director to make. That’s an important lesson for critics to remember.
“Women in Danger” Special
In the 1980s Siskel and Ebert took a stand against the slasher films that were so popular at that time and dedicated a special episode of their show to examining the trend. Whatever we might think of these films in retrospect (I happen to disagree with some of their arguments), this kind of criticism was and is important as it forces audiences to think about the value of the entertainment being thrust on them by Hollywood.
“Is Hollywood Selling War to Kids?” Special
An interesting companion to their “Women in Danger” special, Siskel and Ebert examined the way that Hollywood depicted combat in the 1980s and how films like the Rambo series glorified war while marketing tie-in products to children.
Ebert Named a Chicagoan of the Year 2011
In 2006 Ebert lost his ability to speak due to cancer treatment but he continued to write for the Sun-Times right up until his death and wrote a memoir, Life Itself, published in 2011. In the last few years of his life he used a computerized voice to communicate. Here is a video of Ebert reflecting on being named a Chicagoan of the Year in 2011.
Update:
Retrospectives on Roger Ebert’s life are popping up all over the web. Here are a few worth checking out:
- Six Moments from the Life of Roger Ebert by The Daily Beast
- Roger Ebert’s Top 20 Best-and Worst- Reviewed Films at The Hollywood Reporter
- Roger Ebert: Beloved Movies He Didn’t Like at The Huffington Post
- The Best of Roger Ebert’s Funny, Wise, Cranky Tweets at Buzzfeed
- The Best of Roger Ebert on Television at Buzzfeed
- Filmmakers Remember Roger Ebert at Slate
- Roger Ebert’s Most Memorable Reviews at Moviefone