A Tribute to Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert circa 1970 - courtesy of Wikipedia

This week marks the passing of a very important person in Hollywood: Roger Ebert, my favorite film critic from The Chicago Sun Times. When I first became an avid movie-goer and lover of film, I couldn't wait for the weekly movie reviews espoused by him and his fellow film critic, Gene Siskel of The Chicago Tribune. Their partnership began in the early 80s and continued on in the 90s with a thirty minute show called Siskel & Ebert. It was great fun to see these two feisty movie critics duke it out over whether a picture should receive a thumbs up or down, thereby affecting its fate at the box office. I was a bit envious, wishing I could chuck the corporate grind and watch movies for a living, pondering the stories and characters, dissecting the motivations behind the structure and tone, identifying important imagery that told the story more than dialogue or plot.

Today, I am privileged to write a monthly column in christianfictiononlinemagazine.com where I am able to share my love for the movies--not unlike Siskel and Ebert. While my approach may be different, in that I only recommend and critique movies I like, the passion for story drives me in a similar way. Being in the film industry, I know how difficult it is to get a movie made, so I refuse to bash another's years of sacrifice, sweat, and toil. Statistics say the average time to get a film from script to screen is five years, but in my experience, that seems way too short!

Sadly, Gene Siskel died years ago, leaving Roger Ebert to go it alone. I didn't always agree with Ebert's  critiques, but I embraced his gusto for story, character, conflict--buzz words in the screenwriting world. Hollywood (and especially independent filmmakers) can't help but appreciate the person who lives for the movies, waiting with great anticipation for the next film to be released, whether it be a drama, comedy, romance, horror, indie pic, noir, avant-garde, documentary, or silent film. Like a connoisseur of gourmet food or fine wine, Ebert was that person; he seemed to view films as a wonderful smorgasbord of fantasy and make-believe where one could tuck in for several hours and come away disgusted, complacent, bored, or satiated with excitement, but wanting more, regardless of the experience. He was a customer with refined tastes who didn't mind reveling in lowbrow every now and again, showing his true appreciation for the craft and art of film making. The industry will miss him (whether they care to admit it or not) as will the public.

With the growth of technology and the Internet, I don't know if Ebert's influence on the box office will be replaced, which may be a good thing. For me, his legacy isn't as a film cop who protected my hard earned money from bad movies, but rather the importance he gave to film in general. He legitimized my love for story and movies, making it a sophisticated topic of conversation for like-minded individuals labeled by some as "day-dreamers." Essentially, he brought movie making to the masses, presenting it as a craft to study and learn from, an art form that has the potential to move the soul, sway the heart, and conform the mind. He took movies seriously and made a living enjoying them, talking about them, and getting others to do likewise. What a wonderful and unusual gift he was given.