Tag Archives: virginia-woolf

Roger Ebert’s Death (1942-2013): Forefather Of Movie Blogging Passes Away

I’ve never been much of an obituary-writing guy, but Roger Ebert   deserves to be celebrated.  So, rather than add to the hundreds of thousands of words that are about to be spent reexamining his remarkable life and career following his death today, I’m going to make one observation about his contribution to movie culture and then leave you with a clip that, I hope, will make you smile when you think of him. My introduction to Ebert, and his equally mouthy partner in movie criticism, Gene Siskel , came via their thoroughly enjoyable syndicated television show At The Movies , which began as a PBS series in 1975, Sneak Previews , and eventually became Siskel and Ebert and The Movies  from 1986 until 1999. (The year Siskel died.)  And though I’m quite aware that a) these guys were operating on television and b) blog culture was a long way off,  there’s a real argument to be made that Siskel and Ebert are the real forefathers of the movie blog culture that exists today. Siskel and Ebert: Proto-Movie Bloggers Each week, they candidly curated a subjective list of movies that were opening that week.  They told the television audience which films were worth seeing and why,  which ones should be ignored, and which movies were worth actively seeking out at the video store if they weren’t shown at the local cinema. And, by the way, their thumbs up or down system of rating movies was the proto-Rotten Tomatoes . As Roadside Attractions tweeted on Thursday afternoon: “Siskel & Ebert almost single-thumbedly made Hoop Dreams a thing. If they’d never done anything else, they’d still be indie film legends.” Siskel and Ebert lavished attention on obscure movies;  they taught their audience how to look at crowd pleasers with a critical eye, and they fought and bickered with each other in a way that made great television. Their TV show had all of the elements of a great blog:  curation, information, perspective and entertainment.  And they did it better than a lot of bloggers are doing it now. Rest in peace, Roger Ebert. You, too, Gene Siskel. This is how I’ll remember you: bickering brilliantly like Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?  Siskel and Ebert At Each Other’s Throats Follow Frank DiGiacomo on  Twitter. Follow Movieline on  Twitter.

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Roger Ebert’s Death (1942-2013): Forefather Of Movie Blogging Passes Away

Bling Ring First-Look: Emma Watson Struts For Sofia Coppola

Here is the first image from Sofia Coppola’s forthcoming The Bling Ring , which features Emma Watson leading a cabal of young thieves to the rich and famous. Clearly she means business! Are those Lindsay’s Lohan’s shades? Megan Fox’s shoes? Paris Hilton ‘s Frappuccino? Watson talked to EW (which debuted the image) about her preparations for the role, which are about as Method as you can get under the circumstances: “I just watched a ton of reality TV,” she says. “I was doing an English course [at Brown University]. So I would go from reading Virginia Woolf to [watching] Kim Kardashian. I kind of loved it, this mix of super-high and super-low culture. I think it was a nice balance.” Poor thing. Anyway, joining Watson above are [L-R] Taissa Farmiga, Israel Broussard, Katie Chang and Claire Julien. The Bling Ring has yet to score a release date, though a fall-festival run seems likely, starting with Venice. Developing… [ EW via JoBlo ]

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Bling Ring First-Look: Emma Watson Struts For Sofia Coppola

Elizabeth Taylor Passes Away at 79

Elizabeth Taylor has died at the age of 79. Her cause of death is not immediately known, but Taylor had been treated at L.A.’s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for congestive heart failure last month. Although she had recently suffered a number of complications, her condition had stabilized and it was hoped that she would be able to return home. Sadly, it was not to be as she passed away. The English-born, American-raised Elizabeth became a star at a very young age and has long been considered one of the greats of Hollywood’s golden age. A two-time Academy Award-winning actress, Elizabeth Taylor later in life became notorious for her seven marriages and sometimes eccentric behavior. She starred in the 1944 smash hit National Velvet at age 12, then won acclaim A Place In The Sun, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and other works in the ’50s. Taylor won Oscars in the 1960s for roles in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and Butterfield 8 , and was often the subject of celebrity gossip fascination. Her tempestuous marriages to Richard Burton, changing appearance, declining health and friendship with Michael Jackson all sparked speculation. May the Dame rest in peace. Here’s a nice tribute of vintage photos … R.I.P. Elizabeth Taylor: A Tribute

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Elizabeth Taylor Passes Away at 79

Elizabeth Taylor Passes Away at 79

Elizabeth Taylor has died at the age of 79. Her cause of death is not immediately known, but Taylor had been treated at L.A.’s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for congestive heart failure last month. Although she had recently suffered a number of complications, her condition had stabilized and it was hoped that she would be able to return home. Sadly, it was not to be as she passed away. The English-born, American-raised Elizabeth became a star at a very young age and has long been considered one of the greats of Hollywood’s golden age. A two-time Academy Award-winning actress, Elizabeth Taylor later in life became notorious for her seven marriages and sometimes eccentric behavior. She starred in the 1944 smash hit National Velvet at age 12, then won acclaim A Place In The Sun, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and other works in the ’50s. Taylor won Oscars in the 1960s for roles in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and Butterfield 8 , and was often the subject of celebrity gossip fascination. Her tempestuous marriages to Richard Burton, changing appearance, declining health and friendship with Michael Jackson all sparked speculation. May the Dame rest in peace. Here’s a nice tribute of vintage photos … R.I.P. Elizabeth Taylor: A Tribute

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Elizabeth Taylor Passes Away at 79

Elizabeth Taylor Passes Away at 79

Elizabeth Taylor has died at the age of 79. Her cause of death is not immediately known, but Taylor had been treated at L.A.’s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for congestive heart failure last month. Although she had recently suffered a number of complications, her condition had stabilized and it was hoped that she would be able to return home. Sadly, it was not to be as she passed away. The English-born, American-raised Elizabeth became a star at a very young age and has long been considered one of the greats of Hollywood’s golden age. A two-time Academy Award-winning actress, Elizabeth Taylor later in life became notorious for her seven marriages and sometimes eccentric behavior. She starred in the 1944 smash hit National Velvet at age 12, then won acclaim A Place In The Sun, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and other works in the ’50s. Taylor won Oscars in the 1960s for roles in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf and Butterfield 8 , and was often the subject of celebrity gossip fascination. Her tempestuous marriages to Richard Burton, changing appearance, declining health and friendship with Michael Jackson all sparked speculation. May the Dame rest in peace. Here’s a nice tribute of vintage photos … R.I.P. Elizabeth Taylor: A Tribute

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Elizabeth Taylor Passes Away at 79

What’s On: I Oughta Be in Pictures

This week, Dancing with the Stars ‘s fast-dwindling cast takes on a cinema-related challenge. Will Chad Ochocinco and Pam Anderson read sides from Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? Will Jake Pavelka and Len Goodman recreate the FAO Schwarz piano scene from Big ? The answer will not placate you: The catalog of Diane Warren is much more likely to come into play.

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What’s On: I Oughta Be in Pictures

‘Virginia Woolf’s beach’ sold for £80,000

Virginia Woolf classic ‘To The Lighthouse’, has been sold at auction for 80,000 pounds.