Life Itself: The Importance of Being Ebert
What do you say about the greatest film critic that ever lived?
Nothing. You just sit back in awe.
See you always come across familiar faces in the industry (I am allowed to start calling it that, right?), the names that are thrust upon you when you start exploring (or trying to explore) the entirety of film. Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Scorsese are all on upon a list that begs you to watch, listen and learn. Starting the journey into film is tentative but vital if you consume as much of it and more than you are producing out; gaining pounds by the minute of film fat that'll simmer around your belly as you happily divulge in cinematic goodness.
When embarking on this career, both in criticism and filmmaking there is one name that should be high up on your lost - Roger Ebert.
"Aye?" You cry confused, in a Northern accent I imagine every internet commentator to have because it makes their misspellings and casual racism somewhat amusing underneath the shock, "I'm a bleeding director! How can a critic help shape my film career? They know about as much stuff as Jon Snow and they couldn't do what I do! Audiences love me!"
Alright, Michael Bay, sit your arse down and simmer. I get that the world is full of people criticising film. This day and age it's far easier to take to your keys a recant how awful
Citizen Kane is the 100 followers like, "oh, it's crap!" (See, the Northern Accent helps!)
Before this overshare nation cave into full swing, there was Ebert and after the Internet has imploded a la Ultron, his complete devotion to cinema will still be there, as a learning too for critical thinking, writing and cinema as an art form.
If you still are not convinced by this long winded article then head over to Netflix and settle down for the phenomenal Life Itself. The documentary from award winning Steven James revolves around the big hearted passionate man both through compilations of his work, narrations and interviews with his loved ones. Juxtaposed against this is the last days of Ebert as he battled cancer - a cancer that took away his jaw and throat making it impossible to talk. Ebert died in 2013 and wrote about film up until his death and inspired generations to head to the cinema and immerse themselves into the world of film.
Life Itself could’ve very easily been a predictable and sloppy documentary, cobbled together archive footage and narration of his life from his college days, through his work with the Chicago Sun-Times, his turbulent work relationship with Gene Siskel, winning a Pulitzer Prize and through his personal life and marriage. And while Life Itself does do these things, it is done in such a sublime way that it is impossible not to feel your heart ache with his loss. What Steven James does, under the tutelage of Ebert, was create a tableau of a man and his love for cinema. This larger than life figure who still looms over criticism and cinema today lead a remarkable and interesting career through headstrong determination and will. His eloquent work that flared with forward thinking and a poetic wielding of the work was just Ebert wildly enthusing his reviews with his personality.
Because from the minute the film hits, you know that Ebert was less a film critic and more it’s lover. In many ways, Life Itself is a romance movie, not just with Ebert and his wife, but with Ebert’s mistress cinema. The movie showcases how impacting Ebert’s work was on such an epic scale and in turn, what riches the art form gave back to him. For they both shaped each other, Ebert alongside Siskel became the face of film reviews and put forward them as entertainment that is in an abundance today with podcasts and vlogs. In turn, Ebert show the world of cinema shift and change and he loved every single second of it. Lured in at a young age, this iconic writer was indeed the greatest critic of all time.
What is remarkable is that James and Ebert are very indicative in the film about showcasing the grimy parts of Ebert’s life too. Roger’s alcoholism at an early career, his catty relationship with Gene that, if we were to modernise this, would be the perfect relationship, the care he was in after the removal of his jaw when he had thyroid and salivary gland cancer up until the point where, aghast to his wife, he simply just wanted to go. Life Itself showcases the unsavoury parts of his character that make his undeterred personality illuminate on the screen.
What is fascinating about the documentary is how much Ebert had influenced filmmakers. Through his devotion, he was able to deal out support to lowly directors or writers and boost their work. Memoirs from Martin Scorsese, Ava DuVarney and more gave a clear message that Ebert didn’t just sarcastically tear down work for the mere pleasure of being controversial, he was there as a spectator and commentator, so much so that he’d encourage small budget films, independents and foreign films to come up to the screen. He may have had films that caused belly-ache and doubt, but right until the bitter end he kept showcasing his obsession with cinema.
Life Itself is poignant to the very end and a must see for all those with a whiff of love for cinema. Ebert helped shaped the world of film and criticism, despite losing his voice he still continued to blog and publish work. And his jovial spirits towards the end of the film - his laughter despite tentative and almost non-existent communication - still rings out in a warming contagious way. A man with so much substance and depth our cinematic world would not be the way it is now if it weren’t for his stunning piety to it.
And let me tell you this, I would not be the writer I am today if it weren’t for Roger Ebert, we still feel his loss around the industry today. Influential and inspirational, Life Itself and the man behind it are must-see’s