Roger Ebert

[Sir Stewart]

the first time i remeber watching "sneak previews" was when siskel and ebert reviewed "my dinner with andre."

the formative years, to be sure.

 

I've been trying to think of that show's title! PBS! Saturday nights?

The first review I recall: Halloween. They showed the clip of Michael Myers walking across the front of the neighbors' house, carrying a body. I didn't sleep that night.

[Beltmann]

A rather touching video:

 

Roger Ebert Shows Off His New "Voice"

[uncool2pillow]

Very cool!

[Dude]

Roger's a pretty cool guy, no doubt. I wonder if crits can score a Lifetime Achivement Award from the Academy. He certainly has done more than any other critic to draw attention to the importance of film as an art form... (okay, with the possible exception of Pauline Kael and the Cahiers du cinema guys.)

[PopTodd]

Roger's a pretty cool guy, no doubt. I wonder if crits can score a Lifetime Achivement Award from the Academy. He certainly has done more than any other critic to draw attention to the importance of film as an art form... (okay, with the possible exception of Pauline Kael and the Cahiers du cinema guys.)

 

Yeah, but Roge is more of a populist.

[LouieB]

Yeah, but Roge is more of a populist.

Agreed....Ebert is not the least bit stuffy at all. It is good to see him soldiering on, but how sad.

 

LouieB

[Atticus]

the wife DVRs Orpah everday, and last night we watched her segment with Ebert. I was needing the kleenex. what an amazing inspiration. class.

[ih8music]

Missed the Oprah interview, but I appreciate the articles you guys have been posting here. Very sad, but yet still very inspirational story.

 

But forgive me if this sounds crass and insensitive (I don't mean to) - but I wonder if Ebert has considered getting a prosthetic jaw? I realize it wouldn't help him speak or eat, but he might be able to get more expressive facial communication beyond what his eyes and eyebrows provide. And it might also allow him to look a bit more "normal" for when he's out in the public eye.

[Guest Runaway Jim]

I think he doesn't want any more surgeries due to the problems he's had.

[Atticus]

Missed the Oprah interview, but I appreciate the articles you guys have been posting here. Very sad, but yet still very inspirational story.

 

But forgive me if this sounds crass and insensitive (I don't mean to) - but I wonder if Ebert has considered getting a prosthetic jaw? I realize it wouldn't help him speak or eat, but he might be able to get more expressive facial communication beyond what his eyes and eyebrows provide. And it might also allow him to look a bit more "normal" for when he's out in the public eye.

 

he stated in the Orpah interview that he will have no more surgeries, that he's satisfied with how he looks and feels, and doesn't want to put himself or his wife through more, and also that Avatar was a bloated self-serving James Cameron masturbatory fantasy that wasted visionary technology.

 

some of that last sentence may be made up.

[Dude]

some of that last sentence may be made up.

 

He gave it four stars. He's also given a few widely considered classic films some mediocre reviews. Fight Club and Brazil immediately come to mind, but there could be others.

 

I can't remember if it was Siskel or Ebert who said Babe: Pig in the City was the top film of the year the year it came out.

[bleedorange]

He gave it four stars. He's also given a few widely considered classic films some mediocre reviews. Fight Club and Brazil immediately come to mind, but there could be others.

 

I can't remember if it was Siskel or Ebert who said Babe: Pig in the City was the top film of the year the year it came out.

 

Siskel. He loved both Babe films.

[Guest Jules]

the wife DVRs Orpah everday, and last night we watched her segment with Ebert. I was needing the kleenex. what an amazing inspiration. class.

you know he dated Oprah at one point? Probably bagged her too. How many people can say they banged Oprah?

[Guest Runaway Jim]

you know he dated Oprah at one point? Probably bagged her too. How many people can say they banged Oprah?

 

We've already covered that in the first page of this thread. I believe we used the term "bumped uglies" though.

[PopTodd]

Siskel. He loved both Babe films.

 

I also loved both Babe films. Although the second was by no means a kids' film... very, very dark. You could tell that it was by the same director as The Road Warrior (George Miller).

[bleedorange]

I also loved both Babe films. Although the second was by no means a kids' film... very, very dark. You could tell that it was by the same director as The Road Warrior (George Miller).

 

I loved both of them, too.

[Moss]

This, for the benefit of future rock historians, is the transscript of a screenplay I wrote in the summer of 1977. It was tailored for the historic punk rock band the Sex Pistols, and was to be directed by Russ Meyer and produced by the impresario Malcolm McLaren. It still carried its original title, "Anarchy in the U.K.," although shortly after I phoned up with a suggested title change, which was accepted: "Who Killed Bambi?" I wrote about this adventure in my blog entry McLaren & Meyer & Rotten & Vicious & me. Discussions with Meyer, McLaren and Rene Daalder led to this draft. All I intend to do here is reprint it. Comments are open, but I can't discuss what I wrote, why I wrote it, or what I should or shouldn't have written. Frankly, I have no idea.

 

 

This is pretty cool although I have not yet had time to read all of it. Roger posted his screenplay for "Who Killed Bambi":

 

Who killed Bambi

[Magnetized]

I'm glad this thread got bumped, although I dreaded opening it when I first saw Roger's name--I was afraid it was bad news.

 

I'll share a personal reminiscence for anyone who's interested. For many years, beginning in the late '80s, Roger came to the Virginia Film Festival in Charlottesville for a 3-day, 6-hour shot-by-shot "workshop" featuring a single movie each year. (At first he came every year, then it tapered off to every other year, then it ended.) I lived in Charlottesville at the time and attended every one of these workshops. I'm not sure I remember all the films, but I do recall Sunset Boulevard, Citizen Kane, Blow Up, The Third Man, Raging Bull, Vertigo and Pulp Fiction. He would provide a short introduction each year, explaining some of the basic language and conventions of filmmaking, and then he would launch into the film itself, using (believe it or not) a laserdisc. These sessions were held in the balcony of a theatre downtown that seated about 250-300 people, and I have such strong memories of watching him in his seat, usually with his wife Chaz, with the remote resting on his leg, and thinking yeah, that looks like it's a very familiar position for him! (This was back in his portlier days.)

 

The man is a walking encyclopedia of film and a wonderful, generous communicator. The ground rules were "democracy in the dark," meaning that anyone could just shout "stop" at any time and ask a question or make a comment. Even though Roger was clearly the smartest guy in the room and handled himself with great self assurance, he was never pompous or disrespectful of others. Don't get me wrong--he wasn't afraid to set people straight or to politely cut off the few people who would get carried away with themselves, but usually the most negative comment he would make, even about a boneheaded observation, was "Hmm, interesting" before resuming the film. These sessions ran for 2 hours a day, 3 mornings in a row, and amazingly we usually had to rush through the last hour of the film. It was like taking a master seminar in film history with the professor of your dreams. I can't believe I was lucky enough to see those films in that way, and it really nurtured a love of movies for me.

 

These workshops weren't the only thing he contributed to the festivals, although they were the highlight for me. He would also usually conduct an interview onstage with each year's biggest celebrity guest. The funniest was with Robert Mitchum, who was the embodiment of laconic coolness and a bit of a raconteur when you got him going.

 

Anyway, I just thought I would share this with you all. I read Ebert's blog all the time and am awed by his indomitable spirit and drive to connect in the face of truly daunting obstacles. The man's a real hero to me. (And an atheist to boot--yay!)

[calvino]

Listening to WLS (Roe Conn and Richard Roeper) now - Roe just announced that Roger Ebert passed away - today.

 

Listening to Roeper (TV partner/co-worker with Ebert) is pretty brutal - he is keeping together, though. Sucks.

 

Sun-Times link

 

http://www.suntimes.com/17320958-761/roger-ebert-dies-at-70-after-battle-with-cancer.html

[Lammycat]

 

[PopTodd]

Heard the news in the car on the way home today. Fucking sucks.
I was at a critic's screening of a movie a while back and when Roger walked in, it was smiles and laughter all around; like now the party could begin.
Seemed like everybody there knew him and loved him, and he knew everyone there, too.
Rest in peace, Rog.

[Magnetized]

I just heard the news and am so sad. I had completely forgotten writing what I did a few entries up--back in July 2010. There's not much I can say beyond that. He was an incredible man, gallant and hardworking and inspiring to the very end. He had just posted an entry on his blog the day before his passing that gave no indication that he knew the end was near--just that he was having to back off a little due to his health.

 

For anyone interested, his website www.rogerebert.com has some incredibly moving words from his wife as well as Roger's last entry and a huge and growing outpouring of love from his fans. Hs was a life fully and well lived. We'll never see another critic with his impact. 

[dagwave]

agreed, diane.

 

roger lit the wick for the passion i have for film that burns bright to this day.

his passion, expertise, and humor led me to love movies, all kinds, and my hours of celebration and appreciation for the art form is an immense gift that he has given me, and i believe, many others.

 

RIP, and prayers for the family.

 

I'll see YOU at the movies, my friend.

[Lammycat]

Dude could be cantankerous and cranky and often mean in his reviews, but still he's apparently getting a lot of love from the film industry in condolences.

[LouieB]

Late to this one.  Roger had been so sick for so long, but what spirit.  Still very sad

 

LouieB