The cast in 1965 and 2013
2/05/2021 UPDATE
Christopher Plummer passed away February 5, 2021 at age 91
Healther Menzies passed away 2017 at age 68
Charmain Carr passed away 2016 at age 73
Eleanor Parker passed away 2013 at age 91
(left to right):
Kym Karath (Gretl), Debbie Turner (Marta), Angela Cartwright (Brigitta), Duane Chase (Kurt), Heather Menzies (Louisa), Nicholas Hammond (Friedrich), Charmain Carr (Leisl), Julie Andrews (Maria), Christopher Plummer (Captain Von Trapp)
4 Comments | 
Articles, TMI Dailies | Tagged: Christopher Plummer, Julie Andrews | 
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Posted by David Ferguson
Greetings again from the darkness. Writer/director Jeff Nichols’ follow-up to his very strong Take Shelter is a grounded, rustic look at what it means to become a man. While that may be enough, it also works as a chase movie, a buddy movie, a family drama, and a look at small town dynamics … all seen through the eyes of 14 year old Ellis (Tye Sheridan from The Tree of Life).
Matthew McConaughey stars as Mud, a drifter who quickly captures the fascination of Ellis and his earnest buddy Neckbone (newcomer Jacob Lofland) as their worlds collide under a boat in a tree just off the Mississippi River in rural Arkansas. Turns out Mud is a bit of a smooth-talking philosopher who wins Ellis over spinning life yarns that come just as Ellis’ parents (Ray McKinnon from O’ Brother, Where Art Thou?, and Sarah Paulson from Martha Marcy May Marlene) are hitting a rough patch and he is trying to figure out just how the female species fits into the whole big picture. Mud lays out a beautiful story 
of how he killed a man protecting his true love Juniper (Reese Witherspoon). Now Mud is being chased by the man’s family (brother Carver played by Paul Sparks, and father King played by the too-rarely seen Joe Don Baker – looking great at age 77).
Michael Shannon has a few scenes as Neckbone’s Uncle who makes a living by diving for mussels in the river. You might remember how terrific Shannon was in Nichols’ Take Shelter, and he has become quite an interesting and dependable character actor in various projects. Even more impressive is Sam Shepard as Tom Blankenship … the father figure for Mud, and a quiet 
river guy with quite a colorful past. Shepherd’s first scene with Ellis is brilliant and could generate a campaign for Best Supporting Actor if this film can reach a wide enough audience.
The story is filled with numerous little realistic touches and it’s so original that there is no perfect comparison … though it does have some of the feel of Stand By Me, which is quite a compliment. It is difficult to remember another film where Beanie Weenies were such a valued prop, or where a boat in a tree became a negotiating point, or where the unhurried pace led to such tension. Tye Sheridan delivers a strong and rare performance for such a youngster, and McConaughey deserves special mention because he has clearly broken free of his early career Him-Bo roles, and can now be considered a legitimate actor. He is simply outstanding in the role of Mud. We sense the danger that follows him, but are enchanted with his connection to the boys. David Wingo’s score is the perfect cap for this little gem.
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you enjoy quiet little indies that pack a whallop OR you want to see excellent work from a great cast
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: deliberate pacing and sparse dialogue taking place in a quiet rural community equates to nap time for you
watch the trailer:
2 Comments | Drama | Tagged: David Wingo, Jacob Lofland, Jeff Nichols, Joe Don Baker, Matthew McConaughey, Michael Shannon, Paul Sparks, Ray McKinnon, Reese Witherspoon, Sam Shepard, Sarah Paulson, Tye Sheridan | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson
Greetings again from the darkness. Here we have Exhibit Number One in proving the theory that no quantity or quality of movie special effects can overcome the lack a good story. Joseph Kosinski (Tron: Legacy) directs his own graphic novel, and the result is a beautiful and impressive looking film that lacks substance and fails to develop any characters for us to care about.
This almost plays as a sci-fi tribute with tips of the cap to at least the following: The Matrix, Moon, Total Recall, Inception, Planet of the Apes, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, 2001: A Space Odyssey … and even Top Gun! Unfortunately, it falls short of all of those except for the stunning visual effects of the patrol drones (George Lucas 
would be proud) and the beautiful photography of Claudio Miranda (Life of Pi).
The most obvious comparison is with Wall-E. This time, Tom Cruise plays the “mop-up crew” along with his assigned spouse played by Andrea Riseborough (very good as Wallis Simpson in W.E., and recently seen in Disconnect). We learn from the initial voice-over (by Cruise, not Morgan Freeman) that Earth was left in ruins after a long battle with aliens. Now the last bit of Earth’s resources are being harvested before it is deserted forever.
The cast is pretty deep with an extremely upbeat Melissa Leo showing up in the “Hal” role on a low-res video screen, Morgan Freeman and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as leaders of the underground surviving humans, Olga Kurylenko (a Bond girl in Quantum of Solace, and currently in To The Wonder), and even stunt-woman extraordinare Zoe Bell making an appearance.
All the wonderful toys are present, the look and feel are really something to see, the Jetsons-style home is kinda cool, and we get the ever-present Cruise sprint … this time in a space suit! Despite all the goodies, this one just seems to fall flat in the ability to draw us in. If you are a sci-fi visual type, you’ll get a kick out of it. Otherwise, look elsewhere for an effective team and another day in paradise.
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you are a huge sci-fi fan and enjoy new effects (see the patrol drones)
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you need a good story, no matter how advanced the effects
watch the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGpjlfCfe2Y
Leave a Comment » | Action, Sci-Fi | Tagged: Andrea Riseborough, Claudio Miranda, Joseph Kosinski, Melissa Leo, Morgan Freeman, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Olga Kurylenko, Tom Cruise, Zoe Belll | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson
Greetings again from the darkness. Director Danny Boyle won an Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire, and he also brought us the wicked Trainspotting and the extraordinary Millions. He is also the guy behind the presentation of the Olympic ceremony in London and the stage version of Frankenstein. Mr. Boyle is very talented and unafraid of risk. You will have to decide for yourself if this one pays off, as viewers seem to be falling on one side or the other.
James McAvoy stars as Simon, an employee at a fine art auction house, similar to Sotheby’s. Simon begins the film by narrating and demonstrating the security measures, and soon enough a real robbery is occurring … a rare and valuable Goya. In the process Simon gets whacked on the head by master thief Franck (Vincent Cassel). We soon enough 
learn Simon was part of the inside job but, thanks to head trauma, can’t recall where he hid the painting. Franck is not happy about this and Franck is not really a nice man.
Next thing we know, Simon is visiting hypno-therapist Elizabeth Lamb (Rosario Dawson) and trying to find his keys, which is really the painting. All the while this is happening, Franck and the crew are listening in and we viewers are being thumped with the techno-music (also known as Trance). There are numerous “clues” and much mis-direction, so it helps to pay close attention. I would recommend paying special attention to the “Young Woman in the 
Red Car”. She is played by Tuppence Middleton, who is a real up-and-comer as an actress … she has quite a few upcoming films over the next 12-15 months.
This one is part heist film, part thriller, part atmospheric softcore sex, double-crossing, relationship flick. Normally a psychological thriller with Vincent Cassel directed by Danny Boyle would be a perfect time in a movie theatre for me. Unfortunately, in the twisty fun versus jumbled mess debate, I lean towards the messy side.
watch the trailer:
3 Comments | Drama, Thriller | Tagged: Danny Boyle, James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson, Tuppence Middleton, Vincent Cassel | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson
Greetings again from the darkness. This is no typical movie, so these will not be typical comments. In 2004, Dallas-based filmmaker Shane Carruth became something of a cult hero with the Sundance Festival crowd when his debut film PRIMER won a Grand Jury Award. Nine years later, we get his follow-up … the ultimate artsy, indie film for those who thrive on analysis and prefer to avoid a story-ending wrapped up with a neat bow.
These comments will not give you much, but I can tell you the screening and subsequent Q&A with Mr. Carruth had many viewers who were frustrated and confused. The fragmented narrative can be a bit disorienting and it avoids the usual staple of a resolution at the end. The audience knows more than the characters, yet the audience is baffled while the characters just continue on.
The first segment of the film is when it’s at its most traditional. We see Thief (Thiago Martins) perform some type of worm/parasite procedure that slowly brainwashes Kris (Amy Seimetz) or leads to mind control or loss of personality … just depends how you prefer to describe it. We then see The Sampler (Andrew Sensenig) help her overcome thanks to a blood transfusion on his pig farm. Yes, really. Finally, Kris bonds with Jeff (Shane Carruth) as they seek to reassemble their lives and re-discover themselves. Watching them bicker over who belongs to what memory is frightening and fascinating. It makes you question the definition of personal identity, and what if we lost that (or it was stolen).
Nature plays a huge role her, along with the connection to Thoreau’s “Walden”. Many will use the term pretentious. Some will call it boring without a point. Still others will be drawn in by the imagery and sound (or sometimes effective lack thereof). Shane Carruth does not fit Hollywood and neither do his films. He is a writer, producer, director, co-editor, cinematographer, and actor. He clearly has a love of the material and his choice of Amy Seimetz really makes the film work. She is outstanding (and also a filmmaker). The tired phrase “it’s not for everyone” certainly applies here, but if you are a Terrence Malick fan or just enjoy being challenged by somewhat abstract themes, this one is worth a look.
watch the trailer:
Leave a Comment » | Drama, Sci-Fi | Tagged: Amy Seimetz, Shane Carruth | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson
Anyone with an affection for Alfred Hitchcock movies is well aware of his proclivity for personal cameos … often just a quick glimpse of the great director. He actually makes some type of appearance in 39 of his 52 movies, and the video below edits them together for a 5 minute look … starting with the 1927 silent films. My personal favorites of these Hitch cameos have always been Lifeboat (1944), Strangers on a Train (1951), and The Birds (1963).
2 Comments | Articles, TMI Dailies | Tagged: Alfred Hitchcock | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson
Greetings again from the darkness. It’s an impressive cast. The director, Henry Alex Rubin, gave us the excellent documentary Murderball. Unfortunately the material here is mostly obvious and cliché-filled with no real message, other than our dependency on technology is leading us to be less “connected” to those real life people we live with. Is there anyone who doesn’t know this … other than the characters in this movie?
I’m calling this movie “Crash on the World Wide Web”. Crash was the 2006 Oscar winner for Best Picture. It had multiple story lines andworked extremely hard to appear very important, just like this one does. Disconnect shows us the Boyd’s – a family comprised of a workaholic lawyer dad (Jason Bateman always on the blackberry), a teenage daughter (Haley Ramm), a teenage loner son, and a mom (Hope Davis) who has no close bond with any of them. The boy (played by Jonah Bobo from Crazy Stupid Love) is cyber-bullied by two cruel boys (Colin Ford from a We Bought a 
Zoo, and Aviad Bernstein).
We also meet a married couple played by Paula Patton and Alexander Skarsgard. They learn they are the victims of identity theft and the source could be her online support chat room (grieving the loss of their young son) or his online gambling problem. They hire a cyber-crime expert (Frank Grillo) to help them track down the alleged perpetrator (Michael Nyqvist). This expert also happens to be the father of Colin Ford’s character – the cyber-bully from story 1.
Finally we see an ambitious local TV reporter (Andrea Riceborough) who stumbles onto an online sex chat room featuring young stud Max Thieriot. As the trust builds between these two, we know disaster is fast approaching.
The two father-son relationships take a turn after both fathers “invade” the privacy of the boys’ online accounts. What they learn is painful and enlightening. The real point or message of the stories seem to be that technology is killing real communication and human interaction. This is the disconnect that is occurring while online connections are thriving. Did we really need a movie to tell us this?
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you are somehow oblivious to the inherent dangers of online communication OR if you are unaware that teenagers can be cruel and loneliness is open to all ages OR you want to see why I prefer Jason Bateman in dramatic roles rather than comedies
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you have been the victim of identity theft or cyber-bullying … no need to re-live that pain
watch the trailer:
Leave a Comment » | Drama | Tagged: Alexander Skarsgard, Andrea Riceborough, Aviad Bernstein, Colin Ford, Frank Grillo, Haley Ramm, Henry Alex Rubin, Hope Davis, Jason Bateman, Jonah Bobo, Max Theriot, Michael Nyqvist, Paula Patton | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson
Greetings again from the darkness. After some soul searching, I have decided to turn off the critical side of my brain and concentrate on what is good about this movie. As a baseball and movie fanatic, a bit of trepidation creeps in when the two worlds collide. However, this isn’t really a baseball movie, though the story focuses on what may be the most critical turning point in baseball history. In fact, this turning point was much bigger than the American Pasttime … it was also a key step in the early stages of the Civil Rights Movement. The movie is a reminder of how different things could have been with the wrong man rather than the right one … Jackie Robinson.
Writer/Director Brian Helgeland (s/p for L.A. Confidential and Mystic River) takes a look at what occurred in 1945-47, when Brooklyn Dodgers President and GM Branch Rickey (played by Harrison Ford) made the business decision to integrate 
baseball. We see his selection process … Roy Campanella “too nice”, Satchel Paige “too old”. He settles on Jackie Robinson after their infamous 3 hour meeting where Rickey confronts Robinson with his need for a black player “with the guts NOT to fight back”.
Chadwick Boseman portrays Jackie Robinson as a man thoroughly in love with his wife Rachel (played by Nicole Beharie), and one who says he just wants to “be a ballplayer”, while at the same time taking pride in his world-changing role. We see his evolution from his stint as shortstop for the Kansas City Monarchs of Negro Leagues to his time with the Dodgers’ AAA minor league team in Montreal and finally to his introduction to the Major Leagues in 1947. Boseman 
flashes the charisma and athletic ability to pull off the role … there are times he looks identical to the young Jackie.
This is an earnest and sincere movie that removes the complexities of the times and the main characters. Much of it is portrayed as good guys versus bad guys. The good guys are really good and the bad guys are really bad. Alan Tudyk has the unenviable task of portraying Philadelphia Phillies manager Ben Chapman, who famously unleashed an in-game verbal assault of vile racism on Robinson. Mr. Rickey credited Chapman’s public small-mindedness as the single biggest factor in unifying the Dodger team around Robinson. The other famous moment given time in the movie is when 
beloved shortstop Pee Wee Reese (Lucas Black) put his arm around Robinson, shushing the hostile Cincinnati fans. Of course as a baseball fan, I enjoyed the all too brief antics of Brooklyn manager Leo Durocher (Christopher Meloni) whose place in the Robinson story would have been much more profound had he not succumbed to the weakness of the flesh (so to speak).
Other supporting roles include John C McGinley, who is spot on as the Hall of Fame announcer Red Barber, Derek Phillips as an unusually quiet Bobby Bragan, Jesse Luken as Hall of Famer Eddie Stanky, Andre Holland as Wendell Smith (the Pittsburgh Courier reporter assigned to follow Robinson), Peter Mackenzie as Commissioner Happy Chandler and young Dusan Brown as a 10 year old boy who would grow up to be major leaguer Ed Charles. Some comic relief is provided by 
Hamish Linklater as pitcher Ralph Branca (one of the first who welcomed Robinson to the clubhouse, and who would go down in baseball history as the pitcher who surrendered the 1951 “shot heard round the world” by Bobby Thomson).
Filmmaker Helgeland provides a tale of morality and social change, and provides a glimpse at the character and strength required by those involved. The story has much more to do with demonstrating how the times began to change than it does with how Jackie Robinson, an unpolished ballplayer but superior athlete, transformed himself into a perennial all-star and league MVP. And that’s as it should be. As Rickey stated, acceptance will only occur if the world is convinced Robinson is a fine gentleman and a great baseball player. That burden must have weighed heavily at times, but it’s very clear that Robinson was the right man at the right time.
**NOTE: the time frame for this story is limited to Robinson’s historic, barrier-crashing major league debut, but it should be noted that Robinson won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1947, the MVP in 1949, played in 6 all-star games and World Series in his 10 year career,and was a first ballot Hall of Famer in 1962. Prior to his baseball career, he was a four sport letterman at UCLA and also served in the US Army. Robinson died in 1972 from a heart condition and complications from diabetes. His wife is still active and still running the foundation that provides scholarships for youngsters. Quite an amazing lady.
Here is a photo of the real Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey:
Leave a Comment » | Drama | Tagged: Alan Tudyk, Andre Holland, Brian Helgeland, Chadwick Boseman, Christopher Meloni, Dusan Brown, Hamish Linklater, Harrison Ford, Jesse Luken, John C McGinley, Lucas Black, Nicole Beharie | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson
There are a few truly awe-inspiring moments in movie history. One of the most memorable occurs when Dorothy steps out of her Black & White farm house and into the full color wonderland of Oz (the original Wizard of Oz). Not far behind is our first glimpse of the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. Director Steven Spielberg brilliantly focused on the stunned reactions of Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Dr. Ellie Attler (Laura Dern). We smiled because we knew their reactions mirrored ours! Now, twenty years later, the film has been re-released with a very effective 3D re-mastering.
The movie has its place in Hollywood history for its revolutionary use of George Lucas’ ILM CGI and the animatronics and visual effects under the supervision of Ray Winston. This was no ordinary science fiction special-effects movie. It was a very interesting, entertaining, thrilling story that brought to life the plastic dinosaur toys of kids and dinosaur dreams of 
curious adults. This was light years from the Ray Harryhausen stop-action dinosaurs we had seen before. The dinosaurs in Jurassic Park had back-stories, childhoods, ferocious roars and a realistic look that tied right into our childhood fantasies.
Never-before-seen special effects would be enough to set this one apart, but it’s the story and characters that draw us in and elevate the movie to classic status. John Hammond is a very likable, little old rich man played by Sir Richard Attenborough. In fact, Attenborough is genuinely such a nice guy, he was cast as Kris Kringle in the 1994 re-make of Miracle on 34th Street. He is also an Oscar winning director for Gandhi (1982) and ironically beat out Spielberg (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial) that year. Attenborough also directed A Bridge Too Far (1973), A Chorus Line (1985) and Chaplin (1992); plus, one of my favorite hidden gems: Magic (1978). Unfortunately, Attenborough, now almost 90 years old, has recently been moved into hospice for health reasons.
John Hammond and his team of scientists have taken “dino DNA” and brought life to dinosaurs, previously 65 million years extinct. Hammonds’ instincts as a showman lead him to develop a kind of amusement park where people can come and see his dinosaur creations in a natural habitat. Facing a lawsuit … what could go wrong?? … his investors bring in a team of specialists to inspect the park. Dr. Grant, Dr. Attler and Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) take the tour with Hammond’s grandchildren (Joseph Mazzello and Ariana Richards) and a bean counter played by Martin Ferrero. Of course, things go terribly wrong thanks to a sub-plot involving the park’s computer guru played by Wayne Knight (Newman from “Seinfeld”). Don’t miss the photo of J Robert Oppenheimer (the atomic bomb creator) on Nedry’s computer monitor. Samuel L Jackson has a classic line of dialogue, but also seems to be prepping for his role in Deep Blue Sea (1999). The other key player is the park’s game warden played terrifically by the late Bob Peck … he mutters the “clever girl” line.
Real life Paleontoligist Jack Horner worked as an adviser on the film and was the inspiration for the Dr. Grant character. It’s also interesting to note that there was quite a bidding war for the rights …even before writer Michael Crichton had finished the manuscript. When Spielberg won the rights, he hired Crichton to write the screenplay, and David Koepp was brought in for the final version. Crichton is also known for Westworld (1973), Twister (1996) and The Andromeda Strain (1971). Mr. Koepp is known for his screenplays that include Mission Impossible (1996), Panic Room (2002) and Spider-Man (2002). And of course, the majestic score was composed by the great John Williams, a frequent Spielberg collaborator.
Jurassic Park was nominated for and won three Oscars: Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Visual Effects and Best Sound. Many believe Jurassic Park should have nominated for the Best Picture, but I doubt Mr. Spielberg much cares. See, he released another movie that same year… Schindler’s List … which did win the Best Picture Oscar. Many ask about the child actors from Jurassic Park. Tim was played by Joseph Mazzello, who was most recently seen in TV’s “Justified”, as the snake-charming traveling preacher. Mr. Mazzello has also appeared in The Social Network, and the mini-series “The Pacific”. Lex was played by Ariana Richards and she won the role based on her amazing ability to show and express fear … and her believability as a teenage hacker. Ms. Richards has focused more on her work as an artist, but does act periodically.
Jurassic Park is definitely one to experience on the biggest screen possible with the clearest sound possible. This 3D re-mastering is worth the price of admission and I enjoyed seeing the look of awe in the eyes of a few youngsters in the theatre. No need to wait for Jurassic Park 4, which is scheduled for release in 2014 … go experience the original in its full big screen glory!
**NOTE: It’s always fun to see kids experience the Jurassic Park dinosaurs for the first time, but I like to warn parents that there are two very intense, terrifying sequences: the first T-Rex attack in the rain, and the kitchen scene with the Raptors chasing the kids. Young kids need to be pretty tough to make it through those scenes.
Below is the newly issued trailer for the 3D version. I would not recommend watching it if you have not seen the movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hke5SxKzkbc
Leave a Comment » | Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Thriller | Tagged: Ariana Richards, David Koepp, DB Wong, Jeff Goldblum, John Williams, Joseph Mazzello, Laura Dern, Martin Ferrero, Michael Crichton, Richard Attenborough, Sam Neill, Samuel L Jackson, Steven Spielberg, Wayne Knight | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson
Greetings again from the darkness. We never really know how one person can influence our life. In the late 1970’s I stumbled upon a PBS show called “Sneak Previews”. In those days, we only had 3 network channels and PBS (Fox did not exist, and neither did cable), so the cheesy yet catchy opening to the show really caught my eye. And then the magic started. Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert began discussing, analyzing, and even arguing about movies. I was mesmerized. These men were making sense of all the garbled thoughts going on in my own mind in regards to movies. Their televised verbal jousting provided the outlet I had unknowingly craved.
Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert were film critics for cross-town rival newspapers, The Chicago Tribune and The Chicago Sun-Times. In 1975, they started a show for the local PBS affiliate. It was called “Opening Soon at a Theater Near You” and was an immediate hit in Chicago. Soon enough the awful title was changed to “Sneak Previews” and other PBS stations across the country began to pick up the show. Tribune 
Entertainment recognized the potential, and in 1982 syndicated the show nationally as “At the Movies”, and after a contract dispute, they signed with Disney for “Siskel & Ebert and the Movies”. This show ran until Gene Siskel’s death (brain tumor) in 1999. That is the background, but certainly not the story.
Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert taught me (and others) how to watch movies … how to think about movies … how to discuss and debate movies. Their passion for movies was undeniable and contagious. It was a common link we shared … maybe even a curse. Some people can watch a movie and be entertained – satisfied that it’s an escape from everyday life. Those of us afflicted with the movie curse tend to be absorbed by the cinematic experience. We need to analyze why a specific camera angle was used, why the volume of the musical score was bumped for a scene, what was the motivating factor for the disloyalty shown by lead character’s best friend, and how does this fit in with the history of films that have come before. We the afflicted make no apologies for our obsessions. It’s just who we are. Siske and Ebert not only shared this condition, they guided us through the process of dealing with it. They showed us that what mattered was emotion and passion. There was no right and wrong in how a movie impacted us.
Roger Ebert’s lasting impact on me may be best understood by the fact that I more often sided with Gene Siskel in my movie preferences and opinions. Ebert did not “like” some of my favorites such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Usual Suspects, Full Metal Jacket. Yet, Ebert’s arguments were so well articulated that he mentored me not just in movie opinions, but in general debate. The other guy can disagree with you and not necessarily be wrong! It was a life lesson, not just a lesson in movie criticism. This also explains how Ebert (a Pulitzer Prize winner in 1975) was able to take the influence of Pauline Kael, the famous film critic of The New Yorker, and make movie reviews accessible for the mainstream public. Ms. Kael had long been worshipped by the New York pseudo-intellectuals, and certainly she was a brilliant writer, but her approach was never really about the love of movies in the way that Roger Ebert’s was.
Ebert’s life lessons did not end there. After Gene Siskel died, Ebert never missed an opportunity to speak highly of his former TV partner … always praising him for his integrity and love of film. When cancer first struck Ebert in 2002, he took it head on and was outfront in his battle. In 2006, his battle took a turn for the worse, and a portion of his jaw was removed. It was a dramatic physical change to someone we had shared time with for 30 years. Still, he didn’t hide away. He continued to make public appearances, determined not to be a recluse. Ebert fully embraced the power of the internet and became an influencer through Facebook, Twitter and most effectively, his blogging. The man was a prolific writer with more than 7200 published reviews, 38 published books and an unspecified number of blogs and tweets. Again, our opinions often clashed, but we never doubted where he stood on an issue.
Martin Scorcese is producing a documentary called Life Itself. It is based on Ebert’s memoirs of the same title, and Roger had remained very involved in the process. The filmmakers have already stated that the project will be finished and will premiere later this year. It will be a fitting tribute … a movie about the man who was about movies. I hope it gets “two thumbs up”.
I would encourage you to read this interview/profile from Esquire magazine published in 2010. It’s the best I’ve read on Mr. Ebert.
http://www.esquire.com/features/roger-ebert-0310
Leave a Comment » | Articles | Tagged: Gene Siskel, Roger Ebert | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson
Movie Reviews from the Dark 