"...fast asleep, like much of the current audience..." |
Also complicated: the two Rogers we get, depending on the movie in question. Citizen Kane and Casablanca bring out Professorial Roger, giving us the authoritative goods on the flick in question. Although he can unearth the unexpected in these uninterrupted monologues, much of what he says can seem obvious to a viewer who has also seen the films a few dozen times.
Then there's Casual Roger -- the Ebert that joined Crumb director Terry Zwigoff on the couch for a bit of back-and-forth as the film unspooled. One gets the impression Ebert did this soundtrack as a favour to Zwigoff, a director he championed early. Where Zwigoff sees mistakes and creative decisions he laments, Ebert sees an entertaining exploration of character. And where Zwigoff sees a character with deficits that frequently wreak personal havoc on himself and the people around him, Ebert sees someone commendable in his candor.
It's probably obvious which Roger I prefer. I'm missing Floating Weeds and Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls, and I expect I shall spring for the forthcoming Criterion re-release of the latter -- because I imagine his recollection of the experience of closing off the '60s with Russ Meyer and a gaggle of gorgeous actors is probably quite entertaining -- if not necessarily insightful.
Next . . .
2 comments:
Have you seen Floating Weeds? I'd be interested in your thoughts on it.
My own thoughts are here
http://joelswagman.blogspot.com/2014/05/floating-weeds.html
It's not the sort of film I'm much tempted to watch, I have to admit. Ebert was also a YOOOJ fan of the 7-Up films -- of which I watched one installment, in the early '90s or late '80s. The third from last or second last, can't recall. Anyway, that one installment was as far as I cared to follow that particular film experiment. Which is all to say that 20+ years ago I'd have been more receptive to Floating Weeds than I am currently.
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