As you may have no doubt here, Roger Ebert has passed away at the age of 70 after his decade-long battle with thyroid cancer. This is a very sad day for film critics around the world, because in many ways, Ebert is considered to be the Steven Spielberg of film criticism. He was the most recognisable film critic in his profession, and is widely admired and well known for his opinions, knowledge and appreciation for cinema. Now personally I don't rate Ebert as my favourite film critic of them all (That title goes to a Mister Kermode), but what I can credit Ebert for, is the fact that so many well known film critics have their fans because of him. People like Mark Kermode, Richard Roper and Michael Phillips have all been introduced through Ebert's programming, or because of Ebert's exposure. Ebert first came to prominence with his show At The Movies with another beloved critic Gene Siskel. Siskel died in 1999 of a brain tumour, and it would be a few years later before Ebert's thyroid cancer would first become a problem for Ebert. But despite that, what made Ebert so well known in the first place was the fact that he loved movies more so than almost any other person on the planet. You could tell with the way he expressed and debated his views on his shows with Siskel , as well as his written reviews for The Chicago Sun Times, and later online. On At The Movies, Ebert and Siskel would have the most brilliant and insightful of debates, as well as developing a very unique relationship with each other. They were professionals who both appreciated cinema, but often squabbled like brothers and defended their opposing positions on cinema like secret service men defending the president. As well as reviewing films, Ebert had a brief journey into screenwriting. The 1970 film Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls was co written by Ebert for film-maker Russ Meyer, but was poorly received by critics as well as bombing at the box office. Today, it's considered a cult classic (though I've never seen it, and likely never will). Many of us at What Culture.com know who Ebert is, and how much he means to us, whether we recognise it or not. While he may not be hugely important now, I think he'll ultimately come into bigger fruition in the coming years, after his passing. Film buffs these days are becoming more aware of how the film industry is operated globally, as well as the key way of how to enter the industry and make their mark on it. So its important to note where we first got many of the information we know about cinema now, prior to the internet. And that is where Ebert really comes in. He was one of the first people that provided us insight behind the camera, as well as key subjects and issues in the industry that we continue to debate and discuss many years later. His views were important to recognising new cinematic talent, as well as inspiring many other film lovers to follow in his footsteps and become professional film critics themselves. So Roger, on behalf of WhatCulture.com, we thank you for the years of hard work, determination and honest wisdom you passed to us, so that we can guide ourselves on our own cinematic journey. Thank you, and we'll be remembering you at the movies.
Stayed tuned for more of our Roger Ebert tributes and testimonials.