I want to take a moment to thank a man who’s personally been a huge influence on my life. Roger Ebert was more than just a film critic to me. He was an inspiration whose powerful words transcended a profession he made his name on. The last decade in particular saw him become something beyond the “thumbs up / thumbs down” phenomena he first built with Gene Siskel and later Richard Roeper. And now he’s left us much the same way his earlier counterpart did, lost to cancer at 70.
The impact of his death hits like a boot to the gut. I never met the man, but he helped me in more ways than one. He taught me that film criticism wasn’t about liking or disliking a movie, it was about appreciating the totality of film with like-minded folks. Agree or disagree with his reviews, he got you talking, thinking, inspired. And when I found myself at the ass end of one too many liquor bottles, it was his chapter on alcoholism in Life Itself that inspired me to turn my life around. His was a career that people trying to hone a similar craft wish to emulate, and in truth we never will. He was a master of a medium that few will ever conquer, not like he did. And when that was no longer enough, he turned his sights to writing and blogging about life in general, teaching almost by learning. His writing was always reactive to experience, never one to preach but always willing to communicate and begin the dialogue. His love for his wife first, and work second, is something we should all aspire to.
No one will ever be able to begin a dialogue quite like Roger Ebert. A man who lived life to the fullest and who never lost his voice even as its physical presence was ripped away from him, I thank him for sharing it with us all these many years. And though he never feared his own passing, many of his admirers very much did. We lost a leader today, folks.
My dream of being a film critic always came with the hope that I would some day shake this man’s hand. Sorry to say I didn’t make it in time.
See you at the movies, Rog. Always.
18 comments
Absolutely. His blog was a regular read for me. AND I had a brief exchange with him on Facebook once. I am now extremely happy about that. I just actually shed a tear a minute ago, man. Review In Paradise.
He was great. We lost a legend.
I grew up watching Siskel & Ebert bestow thumbs up or down to films, bought the Sun-Times in the 80’s & 90’s before internet so I can read his reviews, and became a regular reader of his blog. While he is a Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic the man transcended simple film discourse. I admired how he found an online voice after losing his literal one, and I marveled at how he schooled every online film criticism website, run by folks generations younger than he, with his own blogging and social networking
He will be missed, but I’m thankful for what he’s given me: helping me find my own voice regarding film, showing me film taste is beyond simply “liking” or “disliking,” and giving me a lifetime of great reading material.
“Thank you” says it all.
Godspeed, Mr Ebert, thumbs up to the sky.
I feel like a lost a close, personal friend today. I never met the man but I considered him a dear presence in my life. I’m going to miss him terribly.
No film review show has ever captured the chemistry of the original Siskel and Ebert – their love/hate relationship was genuine, and thus genuinely entertaining.
Nice tribute.
Amazing man and I’ve been watching and reading him since I was a kid. He more then any other filmmaker inspired my love for the medium. Like you I also ditched the bottle and he was a huge influence for me. His blog about A.A. changed my life.
His movie reviews along with Gene Siskel are the first movie reviews I ever remember reading when I was about 12. To go along with others, it was so impressive to see the man not let the losing of his actual voice stop him from “speaking”.
Speaking of the remake of Evil Dead. I’ll never forget that Siskel and Ebert had the “Dog of the Week” movie and one week it was the original Evil Dead. I remember myself being 14 swearing at the screen! LOL! They both passed way too soon….
This is a sad loss to the world. Great tribute for a man who meant so much for movies.
He lived and breathed movies. He wasn’t a poser like so many critics these days, he never used sensationalism to try and bolster his readership. He just genuinely loved the medium, his enthusiasm was infectious and he was a fantastic writer/ presenter to boot. We’ve lost one of the last TRUE greats today. Oh and fuck cancer.
A moving essay from Mr. Ebert from 2011. So concise and honest. It brought me to tears.
http://www.suntimes.com/19279965-761/roger-ebert-i-do-not-fear-death.html
I tend to view critics with a jaundiced eye, bascially there is something wrong with the concept of making a career of passing judgement on the creative work of others. But Ebert transceneded his medium. His voice was one of reason and appreciation, I will always admire him for that.
Siskel & Ebert were and are why I love movies. It was a serendipitous moment when I stumbled upon their At The Movies on TV for the first time. After that, I watched every show and began following their reviews in print. The first time I ever went to Chicago, I was thrilled because it’s where Siskel and Ebert were. I was torn when Siskel passed, but I actually shed tears upon learning of Ebert’s passing. Goddamn sad day. Much condolences to his wife and children.
And yeah: Fuck cancer.
This is a moving and well-written piece, Tim. It’s difficult to express one’s sense of a loss at the passing of a person one has never met. I’ve spent the better part of the day trying not to, lest people think I’m crazy. But for those of us who love the art of film, the art of writing, and the art of living life, Roger was a friend, and he will be deeply missed.
Thanks for your kindness.
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