“I was born inside the movie of my life… I don’t know how I got into the movie, but it continues to entertain me.”
― Roger Ebert
The career of Roger Ebert (1942 – 2013), probably the most famous mainstream film critic of all time, started as a sport writer at a newspaper. “I can write. I just always could”, he said about his early career. He wasn’t exaggerating. His talent was noted and on 21 he already had a column in the local newspaper in Illinois.
He moved to Chicago, got hired directly by The Chicago Sun Times and when their film critic retired, they gave him the job. He would stay in this job until his death in 2013. When he started his job in 1967, he was the youngest film critic in America. One of his early reviews was for Bonnie and Clyde, which was released in that year. He called it “a milestone in the history of American movies, a work of truth and brilliance” and awarded it four out of four stars.
Colleagues describe Ebert as ‘fast and furious’. He could produce a thought-out review in 30 minutes. He is the only film critic to win a Pulitzer price. His formula: producing 6 film reviews a week. During his career, he viewed 10.000 movies and reviewed 6.000 of them. From my personal experience, I can say this is a lot.
In his later life, Ebert got cancer of the thyroid and salivary glands and in 2006 his lower jaw was removed. In the documentary Life Itself, the renowned film critic looks back on his life.
Ebert saw films as ‘empathy machines’. They have the power to transport us to different times and places, and place us in the shoes of all sorts of characters. Early in his career, he would drink a lot and develop a major alcohol problem. He checked in AA in August 1997 and stayed sober till his death.
Another notable fact about his early career was he co-wrote the screenplay for Russ Meyer’s Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. What attracted him to Russ Meyer movies? the documentary maker Steve James asks an interviewee. “Boobs”, is the simple answer.
Ebert had a lot to say about films. He would also do live performances in which he would analyse classics like Vertigo and In Cold Blood frame by frame. “He had something interesting to say about every frame”, a friend observes.
He could certainly be critical, but in a kind way, says Martin Scorsese. Ebert reviewed his first film Who’s That Knocking On My Door and promised he would become the American Fellini. He turned out to be right. Many unknown filmmakers loved Ebert; he could lift them – and their films – out of obscurity.
Ebert became really famous when he was coupled to other Chicago critic Gene Siskel for a TV show. The two were enemies at first, but they developed a great dynamic with furious discussions about the movies they loved/hated. For example, Ebert loved Scarface and Siskel hated it and they had a great discussion. The other way around: Ebert said Full Metal Jacket was “not original, and not a masterpiece” and Siskel thought it “was very original and close to a masterpiece.”
The cities New York and L.A. refused to air the program for a long time, because the reviewers were from Chicago. But eventually gave in and their programme At The Movies became a nationwide success; the two thumbs up or down they pioneered could make or break a movie…
A large segment of the documentary focuses on the Cannes Film Festival, which Ebert frequently attended and later wrote a book about. During the festival, he also pioneered early internet use by phoning in daily reviews for his newspaper. Before his passing, he built a cutting-edge website where his entire body of work is archived. It remains a vital resource for film information.
So why is the documentary, which was based on his autobiography, named ‘Life Itself’? A former colleague from the newspaper explains that Ebert was the lead star and director of the movie that was his life. And quite the movie it turned out to be.
12 Roger Ebert Reviews with Surprising Ratings
On IMDb, each classic film from Ebert’s era features a dedicated reviews page where critics contribute. Roger Ebert consistently ranks as the top reviewer for these movies, with each of his reviews including a rating from one to four stars. But which of his ratings stand out as the most unexpected?
1.) Blue Velvet –– 1 out of 4
2.) The Usual Suspects –– 1,5 out of 4
3.) A Clockwork Orange –– 2 out of 4
4.) Die Hard –– 2 out of 4
5.) Fight Club –– 2 out of 4
6.) Full Metal Jacket –– 2,5 out of 4
7.) Once Upon a Time in the West –– 2,5 out of 4
8.) Reservoir Dogs –– 2,5 out of 4
9.) Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace –– 3,5 out of 4
10.) Gates of Heaven –– 4 out of 4
11.) Knowing –– 4 out of 4
12.) Man Push Cart –– 4 out of 4
