Participant(s): Roger Ebert Over his long, incredible career in film criticism Roger Ebert was regularly used to breakdown a film in its commentary, providing alternative audio tracks for Casablanca, Floating Weeds, Crumb, Dark City and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (which he also wrote the screenplay for). While all of these are worth listening to, without doubt the essential Ebert commentary to experience is his companion to Citizen Kane, which he considered to be the greatest and most important film of all time. You will be forgiven for thinking that Orson Welles seminal film has already been discussed, debated and praised ad nauseam. It is true that in the 70-years since its release Citizen Kane has probably received more critical analysis than any other film. However, Roger Ebert the leading film critic of our time is able to provide fresh, intriguing commentary without ever seeming overly high-brow or elitist. The commentary is very much like an aural essay but hearing it play out alongside the 1941 film makes it all the more captivating. The tragic passing of Roger Ebert early last year means that his analysis of Citizen Kane is now also an invaluable document encapsulating the personality of the late-great film critic. His illness meant that in his later years he lost the ability to speak so commentaries like this are all the more important.
Hailing from South East London, Sam Heard is an aspiring writer and recent graduate from the University of Warwick. Sam's favourite things include energy drinks, late nights spent watching the UFC with his girlfriend and annihilating his friends at FIFA.
