One of the most influential film critics of the 20th century. A person who changed the perception of film criticism and made it accessible to a wide audience. Millions read his reviews, and the famous “thumbs up – thumbs down” gesture became a symbol for evaluating films in the USA and beyond. He was the first film critic to receive a Pulitzer Prize, the author of dozens of books and a TV star whose voice determined the taste of an entire era. More at chicago1.one.
Biography
Roger Joseph Ebert was born on June 18, 1942, in Urbana, Illinois, to a working-class family: his father worked as an electrician and his mother was an accountant. The atmosphere of a small university town with a rich cultural life had a significant impact on the formation of his interests. As a schoolboy, Ebert showed an unusual talent for writing – he worked on the school newspaper, and at 15 he began to collaborate with the local publication “The News-Gazette”. His short articles and notes were already distinguished by their lightness of style, attention to detail and ability to address a wide audience.
In 1960, he entered the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he first studied English literature and then journalism. During his studies, he edited the student newspaper “The Daily Illini” and it was then that he first started writing movie reviews. His interest in cinema was combined with a deep knowledge of classical literature and journalism, which helped him develop a unique style as a critic. It was the combination of academic training, journalistic practice and sincere passion for cinematography that laid the foundation for his future legendary career.
Career
In 1967, Roger Ebert joined the editorial staff of the “Chicago Sun-Times” as a film critic. His first review appeared in April of the same year, and from then on he became the newspaper’s permanent voice on film issues. Very quickly, Ebert gained a reputation as a critic who could not be ignored: his articles were distinguished by a lively language, frankness and accessibility to any reader. A special feature of his approach was that he did not try to write “for a narrow circle” of filmmakers or professional critics. Ebert addressed primarily the viewers – those who went to the cinema on Friday evening to get emotions, impressions or just have a good time. His texts were understandable, full of humor and vivid examples from everyday life. At the same time, he did not sacrifice the depth of analysis: Ebert subtly felt the dramaturgy, visual style, the work of actors and directors.
Television and popularity
Roger Ebert gained real national fame through his collaboration with his colleague Gene Siskel from the “Chicago Tribune”. In 1975, they launched the television show “Sneak Previews”, which became the first program in the USA dedicated to discussing new films in the format of “two critics – two opinions”. Later, the show was transformed into “At the Movies”, which was broadcast on a national level and brought Ebert worldwide popularity. The program was unique for its time: the two critics not only analyzed films, but also actively communicated with each other, argued, joked and debated. A special element was their famous “thumbs up / thumbs down” – a simple but effective way of evaluating a film, which quickly became a recognizable symbol of the television program.
Thanks to this format, film criticism became accessible to a wide audience. Ebert knew how to explain to viewers why a certain film was worth watching, and why not, using simple language, examples from everyday life and subtle humor. The show helped millions of Americans form their own tastes, get to know new genres and discover independent cinema, which previously remained unnoticed.
The television programs of Ebert and Siskel became not just entertaining: they created a new culture of film criticism, where the critic’s opinion was both authoritative and understandable to the average viewer. It was thanks to this that Roger Ebert became a public figure and a symbol of honest and accessible film journalistic analysis.
Recognition
During his life, Roger Ebert won numerous awards and became a symbol of film criticism in the USA and the world. In 1975, he became the first film critic to receive the Pulitzer Prize for criticism. This confirmed that reviews can be not only informative, but also a real literary genre capable of influencing public opinion. His reviews were regularly published in hundreds of newspapers around the world, which made Ebert one of the most quoted and influential film critics of his time. Readers trusted his opinion, and directors and studios took his ratings into account when releasing films.
In 2005, Ebert received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and became the only film critic at that time to be honored with such a distinction. This symbolized the recognition of his contribution not only to journalism, but also to the cultural life of Hollywood and the film industry. In addition to newspaper columns, he wrote dozens of books about film. The most famous series “The Great Movies” became a classic of film criticism: in these publications, Ebert analyzed the best films of world cinematography, explained their artistic value and social context, making complex topics accessible to a wide audience. His style, simplicity of presentation and sincere love for cinema ensured him not only professional recognition, but also a special warm sympathy of millions of readers and TV viewers. Ebert proved that criticism can be simultaneously serious, deep and understandable, and this is what made him a cultural icon of film journalism.
Legacy
In the early 2000s, Roger Ebert learned that he had thyroid cancer. Complex treatment and a series of operations seriously affected his health: he lost the ability to speak and eat naturally, which made him dependent on artificial ventilation and feeding tubes. Despite his physical limitations, Ebert did not stop working. He continued to write reviews for the “Chicago Sun-Times”, maintained his own blog and actively communicated with readers via the Internet. His texts of this period became more personal and philosophical: in addition to film, he touched on topics of life, death, faith, love and human values.
Ebert died on April 4, 2013, at the age of 70, leaving behind a huge legacy in the world of film journalism. His death was a great loss for the film world, the media and millions of viewers who had followed his ratings and advice for decades.
Roger Ebert left an invaluable cultural and professional legacy:
- the archive of reviews contains about 10 thousand texts, which are still used by film scholars, students of film academies and journalists as a fundamental resource for analyzing cinematography;
- every year in his hometown of Urbana, Ebertfest is held – a film festival founded by Ebert, which popularizes independent and little-known cinema, discovers new talents and preserves the spirit of auteur cinema;
- his name has become synonymous with honest, accessible and passionate film criticism, capable of combining deep analysis with simplicity of presentation, humor and emotional sincerity.
Roger Ebert was not just a film critic – he became a cultural phenomenon and the voice of an entire era. He proved that you can write about films in an understandable, emotional and exciting way, without snobbery and complex terms.
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