Roger Ebert – RIP

10 things to remember about Roger Ebert

 

Admittedly I did not know most of what was on that list.  Well, I knew he long sought after The New Yorker’s weekly caption comic.  When I was in high school, I became variously addicted to reading the comments in the TV guide sent in by readers.  I wanted to get my comment published.  Badly.  However, after vehemently commenting against the change they made on the wording in the introduction to the, at the time, brand new spin-off ‘Star Trek – the Next Generation’ from ‘where no man‘, to ‘where no one‘ – I did get a postcard thanking me for my comment.  They didn’t use it, but that was validation enough at the time.

 

I have since rescinded my stance on the change.

 

I remember Siskel and Ebert.  I was always on Siskel’s side because I thought Ebert was pudgy and mean.  I didn’t know half the movies they reviewed (I had to have been maybe 10?) but movies still fascinated me, and so did their opinions.  I loved their ‘thumbs up/thumbs down’ votes and recap at the end.  Broke my heart when Siskel died suddenly and finally I felt for Ebert.  What would he do now?  They eventually replaced Siskel, but it was never the same.

 

I had no idea Mr. Ebert was a screenwriter, much less a rice-cooker master.  Didn’t know he had cancer and lost part of his jaw to the disease until after he survived it.  I’m a little curious as to the date he had with Oprah Winfrey, but that had to have been before Steadman.  I did read the excerpt of his book about not fearing death.  It takes a strong man, not just with faith or convictions, to accept the end before even getting there.  Would a movie critic sit down and be prepared for an ending, whatever ending, watching it with blind faith?  Probably watching, but not accepting.  What would be the point of being a critic then?

 

Mr. Ebert died today, April 4th, 2013.  It was worth writing my thoughts about it instead of just retweeting an article about him.  A Pulitzer Prize winner for movie criticism – that man had moxy, damn it.  Rest in peace, Mr. Ebert.