Roger Ebert

[zaltys13]

I was very sad to hear the news that Roger Ebert has died. A wonderful film critic and human being, here is a very informative obituary:

http://www.rogerebert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130404/MEMORY/130409989.

I would also like to add this quote which I think is something we should all try to live by:

“'Kindness' covers all of my political beliefs,” he wrote, at the end of his memoirs. “No need to spell them out. I believe that if, at the end, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn't always know this and am happy I lived long enough to find it out.”

Goodbye Roger and thank you for many, many years of wonderful opinion, laughter, and divisiveness

you will be sorely missed.

 

[Nerds_feather]

RIP, Roger. You will be sorely missed.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

RIP, Mr. Ebert. You have, indeed, suffered enough.

 

[J-Sun]

Excellent obit. It does make clear that he was indeed a renaissance man/man of varied interests so I don't feel bad about mentioning this column where he discusses his SF fandom days in more detail than the obit goes into for any special interest it might have for folks on this board.

 

[Parson]

Thanks J-Sun I had no idea about any of that. I always did like Ebert's reviews, and there were a few people in the 1980's who called me Ebert because they thought I looked so much like him.

 

[Starbeast]

I used to enjoy watching the Siskel & Ebert movie reviews on tv (Chicago). I also remember how funny he was in a hilarious radio play version of, A Christmas Carol.

I will miss his critiques, his wit and his funny side. Rest in Peace Roger.

Here are some of his movie reviews from At The Movies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QCPahxsycI - Magic of Star Wars (1983)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0DG1l8_4h4 - Close Encounter of the 3rd Kind (1977)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oeccu1_nI1s - James Bond Special - part one (1983)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6nyn4tAKFk - James Bond Special - part two (1983)

 

[Curt Chiarelli]

Roger Ebert loomed large in my childhood in Chicago. Although it seems unthinkable today, there was some flap about his youth when he was appointed the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times. Many times when distance or an R rating prevented me from seeing a particularly interesting movie, Sneak Previews was there to fill me in on what I was missing out on (if anything). Roger will be missed.

 

[J-Sun]

Thanks J-Sun I had no idea about any of that. I always did like Ebert's reviews, and there were a few people in the 1980's who called me Ebert because they thought I looked so much like him.

I can't remember exactly how it came about but a girlfriend of one of my friends used to call us "Siskel and Ebert" even though neither of us looked like either of them but, apparently, we used to discuss/critique stuff a lot between us. I think she was more intuitive and we were more analytical or something, so it bugged her.

Here are some of his movie reviews from At The Movies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QCPahxsycI - Magic of Star Wars (1983)

You'd owe me a big chunk of my time if I hadn't enjoyed it so much - after watching that I kept clicking on all the stuff of to the side of that - so many great reviews. A time or two, Ebert seemed to miss it whether I agreed or not and many times Siskel did but, generally, they both said interesting things about a great many films just from all that clicking, not to mention the entirety of their careers. And, given that he was a newspaper guy, he didn't have to have the camera either - some good stuff at his site, particularly on the great movies. But it is always fun to see the back-and-forth and animation of both of them. That was an interesting aspect - how quiet and deliberate their reviews initially were before becoming much looser and more energetic as the show progressed. Anyway - I appreciated the links - thanks.

 

[Starbeast]

You'd owe me a big chunk of my time if I hadn't enjoyed it so much - after watching that I kept clicking on all the stuff of to the side of that - so many great reviews. A time or two, Ebert seemed to miss it whether I agreed or not and many times Siskel did but, generally, they both said interesting things about a great many films just from all that clicking, not to mention the entirety of their careers. And, given that he was a newspaper guy, he didn't have to have the camera either - some good stuff at his site, particularly on the great movies. But it is always fun to see the back-and-forth and animation of both of them. That was an interesting aspect - how quiet and deliberate their reviews initially were before becoming much looser and more energetic as the show progressed. Anyway - I appreciated the links - thanks.

You're welcome J-Sun. I too enjoyed watching Siskel and Ebert discussing the films on their show, and much like you, I may not agree with everything they said, but I still had fun listening to them. Plus I also kept watching many segments from their old show and lost the time going down memory lane with Mr Ebert and his good friend Gene Siskel.

May they both Rest in Peace.

 

[MontyCircus]

I used to watch his show religiously, in all its incarnations. Ebert was the only movie reviewer I cared to read.

The best thing I ever got from him though was his commentary track for Citizen Kane. The greatest American film of all-time, or so they say. Anyway, listening to Ebert rattle on and flip through his notes about all of the myriad of reasons why it's a classic film, from the direction to the camerawork to the lighting, etc. (It was the first movie with ceilings!) really gave me an appreciation for a film I don't think I would have otherwise. And for that I salute him!