This is an introductory post containing excerpts from Women In Film/Kerry Reid’s interview of me when I won the Women In Film Focus Award. It was first published in Reel Chicago.
REEL: What is the first film you remember seeing with Roger?
EBERT: I think it was a Bunuel film, Un Chien Andalou. We loved watching Bunuel together .
REEL: What movies do you consider indispensable viewing for anyone who truly wants to understand and appreciate the art of cinema, “desert island” films that you feel you can repeatedly watch?
EBERT: Those are two different types of films. “Indispensable for appreciating the art of cinema” may not be the “desert island films,” but some of both films off the top of my head would be: almost any documentary with a conscience, like Food, Inc. Or any film by Stanley Kubrick, but especially A Clockwork Orange or Dr. Strangelove.
If I wanted to cry or emote it would include Terms of Endearment, The Color Purple, Tous Les Matins De Monde, any film by Nicole Holofcener, or any head-over-heels love story.
For pure cinematic wonder, the films of Fellini, John Cassavetes, Jane Campion, Alan Rudolph; the films of Charles Burnett, Spike Lee, Julie Taymor; any film with Isabelle Huppert or by Kasi Lemmons, or the Coen Brothers, Spike Jonze, Pedro Almodovar, or John Sayles.
For fun, action films with Bruce Lee, especially Enter the Dragon. Or Charles Bronson or South Korean revenge films like Old Boy. Or muscular films by Kathryn Bigelow; science fiction films like Dark City; scary films like The Exorcist.
Any film by Lars Von Trier – whether successful or not, they are always visually interesting, even if sometimes immature.
Any film with Alfre Woodard, Laura Linney, Denzel Washington, or the 1970s and ‘80s Robert De Niro films. Any film with good dancing, even in 3D and well-made British costume dramas.
Okay, I see why Roger doesn’t like to make lists! Where do you start? Where do you stop?
REEL: Are there any films you and Roger disagree about?
EBERT: We disagree about A Clockwork Orange. It’s one of my favorite films and it just leaves him cold. I don’t get his love of Joe Versus the Volcano. We do talk about our differences in opinion, but there are so many films that we agree on that we end up discussing those. We both passionately agree on well-made films where people commit random acts of kindness. In both a concrete and philosophical way, we believe in “goodness.”
REEL: What is the quality that you think most defines excellence in film criticism?
EBERT: Having the curiosity to acquire a broad base of knowledge and life experiences really helps one excel in film criticism. And having the desire to communicate that to your readers or viewers in as accessible a way as possible also helps.
http://reelchicago.com/article/wif-focus-honoree-chaz-ebert-reveals-favorite-films
Nice interview Chaz. Love the whole look of your blog.
Thank you Bruce.
Dear Chaz,
I’m so glad you’ve started a blog like this. I’ve often hoped you would, ever since I heard you talking about movies at Ebertfest.
I shall be a regular reader!
Dear Scott: I hear you are writing a new book about the movies from a regional perspective. I can’t wait to read it!
Scott: you’re writing a new book on film? Wonderful!
Hey! “Tout les Matins” and “Clockwork Orange”! We’re related!
Tom: You are too too funny!
I love that you mention The Color Purple if only because it moves me so deeply I’m reluctant to share my affections for it with others.
Dear Skivvy: I know what you mean!
Great interview! It was a pleasure to read. We admire many of the same films and people! Almodovar is always brilliant.
So excited to follow your new blog! Love the interview. Can’t wait to see what you’re going to treat us with!
Thank you Lynne.
Dear Chaz,
A great interview indeed. As a trauma surgeon I have served in many miserable corners of tje globe and often found myself comforted by memorable scenes from my favourite films. Your interview describes beautifully how one cannot have one ‘all-time-favourite’ film, rather a favourite film for different emotions or phases of life.
Whilst at the fron in the Balkans during the bloody Kosovo War of 1999, I would often think of Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan”, and hope that, like the young Private, I too woud make it out alive. When things were particularly desperate, I would find solice in remembered scenes from ‘Terms of Endearment’ and ‘The Deer Hunter’. Strange, I know, but film to me acts as source of comfort in difficult times, strength in times of physical and emotional hardship, and entertainment when life is ‘cruising’.
I plan to undertake my final deployment to Afghanistan in the near future and, thanks to modern technology, I will have a large armamentarium of films to get me through the tough times.
Again, Chaz, a great onterview and a great idea for a blog. I look forward to many more interesting articles.
Kind regards,
Craig Jurisevic
Wow! Craig: Thank you for writing to let us know how movies serve to enhance our existence in many different ways. And I wish you God-Speed in your final deployment to Afghanistan. If its not too personal to ask, what are some of the film titles you hope to take with you?
Dear Chaz,
I also collect film soundtracks and often find that the music can be far more moving and engrossing than the film itself. One that induces the most profound imagery for me is the score for ‘Defiance’, composed by James Newton-Howard. Featuring the incredible Joshua Bell as first violin, Newton-Howard sets and amazingly emotive score which sets the tone of the story better than the screenplay ever could. I must say that, despite considering myself to be a reasonably ‘tough’ and hardened sort, this soundtrack never fails to ‘put the sand in the eyes’. I highly recommend it.
I wonder if a segment on film music would be worthwhile?
I’ll leave that with you.
Regards,
Craig Jurisevic
Dear Craig: Yes, a segment on film music could be done! Thanks for the idea.
I am going offline for a few days while I work on an assignment that is due. My husband is so good at keeping his website going, but I have to get the hang of this.
Regards,
Chaz
Dear Chaz,
Thank you for your kind words. I responded to your question previously but the response somehow got ‘lost’ in the ether! On this deployment, should it go ahead, I will be taking as much comedy as possible. One which gets the whole team laughing is ‘Team America’. Though politically incorrect, and by no means ‘high cinema’ the crass irony for those of us directly involved in this war is just the medicine the doctor ordered. Nothing too serious after a day operating on the unlucky civilian and military casualties of war.
I will also take films such as ‘The Notebook’, ‘The Reader’, ‘Coriolanus’ and ‘ Made in Dagenham’ to name a few.
On my return from Afghanistan in 2008, I wrote a memoir of my time in the Kosovo war of 1999 (Wild Dingo Press, 2010). It did well here in Australia and overseas, is now on Amazon, Kindle etc. and is in the hands of a few producing agents in LA at the moment.
Who knows. I may write again on my return, time permitting!
I look forward to your next instalment.
Kind regards,
Craig Jurisevic
What a beautiful blog!
Thank you!
Merci’ Madame!
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First, congratulations on your film blog! And I see it’s made with WordPress; smart move. Second: I know a B/W photo of “Le château de Chenonceau”, when I see one! Did you know it was once owned by the Menier chocolate family? Yup! Chocolate helped to pay the bills and restore parts of the building along with its grounds, in the early 19th century and yes, I’ve been there, why do you ask?🙂
Have you decided yet, what film you’re gonna review for your first EVER movie blog post? There were some great films at TIFF 2012 this year, I gather, and Whedon’s “Much Ado About Nothing” certainly created a buzz (Shakespeare in B/W, no less.)
Or maybe you’ll review something older? A classic perhaps like “Sabrina” (1954) by Billy Wilder, or a maybe foreign film – Jean Cocteau’s surrealist gem, “La Belle et la Bête” aka Beauty and the Beast. Whatever you pick, I’m sure it’ll be interesting. I’ve seen your taste in chenille sofa fabric; you have a good eye.
Smile.
Dear Marie: Of course you have been there! LOL! You always make me smile. But I will not be doing full movie reviews like a critic. We already have someone in our family doing that. (Wink, wink.) I will, however, write about movies I have seen or like or have some sort of strong opinion about in combination with other musings about the movies. To tell you the truth, I don’t know what I will write about and this blog will take shape as I go along. I just know that on a daily basis Roger and I have conversations about so many things and he says, “You should really write about that.” Whether its to get me to stop talking to him about it or whether he really thinks its interesting I don’t know. Ha! Well, except when I talk about metaphysical things of a sixth sensory nature, then he says, “Hmm…perhaps you shouldn’t talk about that too much.” So, of course you know thats one of the things I WILL talk about. Cheers, Chaz
Chaz, I have always been curious about your position on the “Harold and Maude” controversy that raged (Wink, wink) on Roger’s blog sometime back.
John in Denver: Sorry, but I am not really aware of the Harold and Maude controversy! Roger is so prolific that I cannot always keep up with his various writings and especially his social media “bar-room brawls.” LOL! I will look into it. But I will be offline for a couple days.
Ah, the metaphysical aka the unseen forces! I myself refer to them on a frequent basis in my email exchanges with Roger; who then smiles and nods by way of response while looking for an exit. LOL
“The atmosphere in the room was so thick, you could cut it with a knife.” Who isn’t familiar with that phrase? Or: “I’ve got a gut hunch.”
Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean something isn’t there. Just because you don’t use a telescope to view it, doesn’t mean you can’t use something else.
I think it’s connected to empathy, along with how much you’re able to feel in general. If you can readily put yourself into someone else’s shoes, however abstract (like empathizing with an old tree nearing the end of its life, poor dude) it connects you to more than just yourself, you know? And for shifting the focus off yourself. If you can feel what’s around you on a deeper level, of course you’ll have more information to work with – like Mom’s when they grow a third eye in the back of their heads:
Did you see anything? Nope.
Did you hear anything? Nope.
Did you smell anything..? Nope.
“But I still know they’re up to something.” – Mom
And at which point, you’ll hear the booming voice of God suddenly manifesting upstairs in a child’s bedroom – making them all freeze. Chuckle!
I think the more connected you are, and on every level, the more you’ll be able to see the metaphysical and by literally using your senses to do it. Like human sonar – but instead of sending out a frequency (like whales do) you just listen. And when you get a response, it makes a visceral “ping” on your radar.
And that the ability to do that is akin to working a particular set of muscles and why everyone is capable of doing it. Or conversely losing the skill, if they don’t use it often enough.
I think Beatrix Potter had those skills and then some. You only have to look at her stories and what she personally valued and why: Beatrix was so connected to the things around her, she recognized the need to preserve the Lake District; buying-up parcels of land before ultimately donating 4,000 acres to the National Trust.
Whereas I can see Donald Trump happily turning the Lake District into a golf course.
You know?
And so Roger can smile and nod and look for the exit, all he wants.
The unseen forces have spoken.
Interesting list of films. I Iike John Sayles because his work is so psychologically accurate.
Are there some other filmmakers that you can recommend whose work is also psychologically accurate?– i.e. the characters behave & think & feel & misunderstand one another in the same ways that real people commonly do.
I am a psychologist, so I really notice when a film has its characters acting in very non-realistic ways.
When it’s a comedy & the departure from reality is used for comedic effect, I do enoy that though, as with the works of Mel Brooks & Monty Python.
Congratulations on your new blog Chaz, I too will be a follower. Love the title…its MMMarvelous!