I saw Roger Ebert’s final tweet yesterday, and I didn’t follow the link. It somehow didn’t quite register that he was at death’s door. He passed away today. I’m sad to see him go not because I was ever much of a fan of his film reviews, but because I thought his Twitter feed was one of the best. He had the same sense of complete outrage at Republican antics that I have. But he also had a wide array of interests and was always sharing interesting articles.
He probably should be best known for his Russ Meyer screenplays, but most people will remember him for his thumbs up/thumbs down movie reviews on television. To me, that was the least interesting thing about him.
He was also a Pulitzer Prize winner for his criticism
I also followed his twitter feed and it was good.
But I did also still read his review of movies, cause of all the critics, he seemed to be honest with he wrote his reviews and never seemed to be just dialing it in.
Yes. He was a truly wonderful writer and he shaped my (and many other’s) idea of what good cultural criticism should and can be.
He also seemed like a mensch, and that’s what people seem truly bereft about today. Going in public after his jaw construction and revealing the details of his illness was also very brave on his part. It was a big contribution to society; it’s important that we see firsthand what illness is really like.
Speaking of being a mensch, check Ebert out tward the end of this brief clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSzP9YV3jbc
He will be missed. Roger was valuable to our society, not just to the film world.
I read his biography a while back and it’s clear that he was a brilliant man on many levels. He was always very self-confident and he stood up for his beliefs.
I’m sorry that he’s gone. He contributed much to the world of film, but was also generous in other respects. He was especially courageous in his battle against cancer. He had some miserable times in that long fight; may he rest now in peace.
Roger loved movies, knew a lot about the history of film, and his terrific natural and practiced skills as a writer allowed him to share his knowledge and his love very entertainingly.
I was heartened to see him take up the fight against disastrous policies Republicans support. Made me feel sane in my outrage, particularly since I leaned his way in most of the Siskel/Ebert disagreements. (My wife was a Siskel guy. I want to spend my life with her, despite the fact that she was dead wrong there. She has better taste in men than she does in film critics, but she does share my love for Mick LaSalle, another great writer.)
RIP, Rog. Love and condolences to your family, especially your beloved Chaz. They helped you be great.
Did anyone see Michael Moore’s post about how he got Ebert to see one of the first ever screenings of “Roger and Me”?
That’s the type of story that gets to me. Roger Ebert and ‘Roger and Me’
It’s a sad day in Chicago. I don’t think the audio is posted yet but the local NPR station had a good program on him this afternoon. A lot of his friends and work colleagues phoned in:
http://www.wbez.org/programs/afternoon-shift/2013-04-04/afternoon-shift-remembering-roger-ebert-1064
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