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| Roger Ebert dies at 70: 'Roger was the movies,' says Obama | Roger Ebert dies at 70: 'Roger was the movies,' says Obama |
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| Actors, directors, fellow critics and the US president have paid tribute to the eminent American film reviewer Roger Ebert, who has died aged 70. | Actors, directors, fellow critics and the US president have paid tribute to the eminent American film reviewer Roger Ebert, who has died aged 70. |
| Ebert, who began writing for the Chicago Sun-Times in 1967 and became the first film critic to win the Pulitzer Prize eight years later, died early on Thursday afternoon at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago after revealing a day earlier that he was undergoing radiation treatment for a recurrence of cancer. Many tributes mentioned the critic's famous "thumbs up, thumbs down" verdicts or the familiar "the balcony is closed" sign-off from the long-running US television film review show At the Movies, which Ebert presented for many years. | Ebert, who began writing for the Chicago Sun-Times in 1967 and became the first film critic to win the Pulitzer Prize eight years later, died early on Thursday afternoon at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago after revealing a day earlier that he was undergoing radiation treatment for a recurrence of cancer. Many tributes mentioned the critic's famous "thumbs up, thumbs down" verdicts or the familiar "the balcony is closed" sign-off from the long-running US television film review show At the Movies, which Ebert presented for many years. |
| US president Barack Obama said in a statement: "Roger was the movies. When he didn't like a film, he was honest; when he did, he was effusive – capturing the unique power of the movies to take us somewhere magical. Even amid his own battles with cancer, Roger was as productive as he was resilient – continuing to share his passion and perspective with the world. The movies won't be the same without Roger, and our thoughts and prayers are with Chaz [Ebert's wife] and the rest of the Ebert family." | US president Barack Obama said in a statement: "Roger was the movies. When he didn't like a film, he was honest; when he did, he was effusive – capturing the unique power of the movies to take us somewhere magical. Even amid his own battles with cancer, Roger was as productive as he was resilient – continuing to share his passion and perspective with the world. The movies won't be the same without Roger, and our thoughts and prayers are with Chaz [Ebert's wife] and the rest of the Ebert family." |
| "Roger loved movies," said the film-maker Steven Spielberg. "They were his life. His reviews went far deeper than simply thumbs up or thumbs down. He wrote with passion through a real knowledge of film and film history, and in doing so, helped many movies find their audiences. Along with Gene Shalit, Joel Siegel, and of course Gene Siskel, Roger put television criticism on the map. Roger's passing is virtually the end of an era and now the balcony is closed for ever." | "Roger loved movies," said the film-maker Steven Spielberg. "They were his life. His reviews went far deeper than simply thumbs up or thumbs down. He wrote with passion through a real knowledge of film and film history, and in doing so, helped many movies find their audiences. Along with Gene Shalit, Joel Siegel, and of course Gene Siskel, Roger put television criticism on the map. Roger's passing is virtually the end of an era and now the balcony is closed for ever." |
| The actor and Sundance film festival founder Robert Redford said: "Roger Ebert was one of the great champions of freedom of artistic expression. When the power of independent film was still unknown and few would support it, Roger was there for our artists. His personal passion for cinema was boundless, and that is sure to be his legacy for generations to come." | The actor and Sundance film festival founder Robert Redford said: "Roger Ebert was one of the great champions of freedom of artistic expression. When the power of independent film was still unknown and few would support it, Roger was there for our artists. His personal passion for cinema was boundless, and that is sure to be his legacy for generations to come." |
| Pete Hammond of film industry blog Deadline recalled an incident at the Cannes film festival where Ebert sparked hilarity during a screening of Vincent Gallo's famously terrible film The Brown Bunny, which he later dubbed the worst movie in the history of the event. "At one excruciating point in the film he even started singing 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head' out loud, eliciting laughter from what was left of the audience at that point," Hammond wrote as part of an appreciation. "I wondered at the time, 'Now, who has the chutzpah to do that?' only to find it was Roger." | Pete Hammond of film industry blog Deadline recalled an incident at the Cannes film festival where Ebert sparked hilarity during a screening of Vincent Gallo's famously terrible film The Brown Bunny, which he later dubbed the worst movie in the history of the event. "At one excruciating point in the film he even started singing 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head' out loud, eliciting laughter from what was left of the audience at that point," Hammond wrote as part of an appreciation. "I wondered at the time, 'Now, who has the chutzpah to do that?' only to find it was Roger." |
| Twitter was also abuzz with tributes. "Roger Ebert. Millions of thumbs ups for you. RIP," wrote the documentary film-maker Michael Moore. Director Darren Aronofsky tweeted: "We lost a thoughtful writer. I remember my first review from him, Pi (I got his and Siskel's thumbs). It was a career highlight." | Twitter was also abuzz with tributes. "Roger Ebert. Millions of thumbs ups for you. RIP," wrote the documentary film-maker Michael Moore. Director Darren Aronofsky tweeted: "We lost a thoughtful writer. I remember my first review from him, Pi (I got his and Siskel's thumbs). It was a career highlight." |
| "R.I.P. Roger Ebert," tweeted the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Juno, Diablo Cody. "It was a privilege to interact with you. Thank you for the support, the criticism, and the true love for the movies." Actor Steve Martin wrote simply: "Goodbye Roger Ebert, we had fun. The balcony is closed." | "R.I.P. Roger Ebert," tweeted the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Juno, Diablo Cody. "It was a privilege to interact with you. Thank you for the support, the criticism, and the true love for the movies." Actor Steve Martin wrote simply: "Goodbye Roger Ebert, we had fun. The balcony is closed." |
| "Roger Ebert will be missed," tweeted Oscars host Seth MacFarlane. "One of the few critics who had actually written films. His opinion always mattered to me. He was the greatest." Toy Story 3 director Lee Unkrich wrote: "It's a measure of my great respect for Roger Ebert that I was so disappointed he didn't like Toy Story 3 more." | "Roger Ebert will be missed," tweeted Oscars host Seth MacFarlane. "One of the few critics who had actually written films. His opinion always mattered to me. He was the greatest." Toy Story 3 director Lee Unkrich wrote: "It's a measure of my great respect for Roger Ebert that I was so disappointed he didn't like Toy Story 3 more." |
| Meanwhile, a film festival named after Ebert will go ahead as planned. Organisers of Ebertfest said the 15th edition of the annual event was still set for 17-21 April in Champaign, Illinois. | Meanwhile, a film festival named after Ebert will go ahead as planned. Organisers of Ebertfest said the 15th edition of the annual event was still set for 17-21 April in Champaign, Illinois. |
| Ebert's final film review is believed to have been his verdict on Terrence Malick's To the Wonder, which, apparently, he rather liked. It is due to be published by the Chicago Sun-Times next week. | Ebert's final film review is believed to have been his verdict on Terrence Malick's To the Wonder, which, apparently, he rather liked. It is due to be published by the Chicago Sun-Times next week. |
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