Roger Ebert è uno dei più importanti critici cinematografici americani.
La sua fama è dovuta, oltre ai suoi articoli pubblicati sul Chicago Sun-Times, alla trasmissione televisiva At the movies: assieme a Gene Siskel formava un duetto formidabile, capace di un continuo contraddittorio sui film da proporre agli spettatori. Su You Tube trovate facilmente molti dei loro commenti.
Ancora oggi, nonostante un tumore alla gola l’abbia ridotto al silenzio, è uno dei punti di riferimento nel campo della critica quotidiana.
Sul suo blog, il 30 aprile ha pubblicato un bellissimo articolo sulla Golden Age della critica cinematografica: come sempre nei suoi articoli non c’è nulla di agiografico o di nostalgico.
Per Ebert la Golden Age è qui ed ora!
Il suo articolo sembra quasi una risposta a quelli pubblicati nei giorniscorsi da Cordelli e Ferroni.
Scrive Ebert:
This is a golden age for film criticism. Never before have more critics written more or better words for more readers about more films. But already you are ahead of me, and know this is because of the internet.
Film criticism is still a profession, but it’s no longer an occupation. You can’t make any money at it. This provides an opportunity for those who care about movies and enjoy expressing themselves. Anyone with access to a computer need only to use free blogware and set up in business.
Certo fare il critico cinematografico non è più un lavoro, ma rimane comunque una professione che molti appassionati coltivano con talento e passione, senza ricavarne nulla se non il piacere di scrivere ed essere letti:
Long ago, when this transition was first taking shape, I came across a young man named James Berardinelli, who had started reviewing films online from somewhere in New Jersey. We corresponded, and I found he was in his 20s, had a job as an engineer, a passion for film, and long evenings to fill because of a loss in his life. He said he traveled to New York or Philadelphia to see screenings or attend theaters. He was extraordinarily self-disciplined, and wrote more reviews than most “full time” critics. He began to attract attention.
Today, by some measures, Berardinelli is among the half dozen most-read critics in the world. He still works as an engineer. His site doesn’t support him. The studios and other industry advertisers don’t give a damn about film criticism, preferring to direct most of their online ad budgets to celebrity and gossip sites. Well, Jim has never made a living from his site, so he’s used to that. He told me once his Amazon resale commissions helped to offset his out-of-pocket costs.
La scoperta di Twitter, ha aperto a Ebert un nuovo mondo di contatti, blog e talenti provenienti dai paesi più lontani:
Last fall I finally surrendered and joined Twitter. I compiled an assortment of other Tweeters who met only one criteria: I considered them worth my time. If I clicked on their avatars, often they linked to blogs. Now I was truly astonished. I found them writing on all possible topics, and they were often more evocative and gripping than the usual mainstream sources. Most of these bloggers wrote for the joy of writing, because they wanted to and had something to say… they had income that didn’t depend on movie criticism.
La carta stampata è in crisi, soprattutto negli Stati Uniti, ma internet la sta trasformando radicalmente.
I am obviously approaching the end of my own career. April 1 was my 42nd anniversary at the Chicago Sun-Times. I wouldn’t bet on either one of us making it to 50. But the internet has transformed me and is transforming the Sun-Times.
Yes, I’m sad that traditional newspapers have come upon hard times, and traditional print venues for film criticism are disappearing.
But I’m feeling good these days. I love movies, and I love writing about them and reading about them. I feel like part of a truly World Wide Web (and what a magical term that is–worthy of science fiction). I know good movies are valued everywhere, and good writing.
Ebert racconta quindi un episodio accaduto ad un collega che, richiesto di un parere da un giovane critico in erba, lo ha sconsigliato di proseguire in una carriera che sta diventando troppo selettiva e con la quale è forse diventato impossibile guadagnarsi da vivere.
Ebert ha però una risposta diversa, suggeritagli da David Bordwell:
The best response to this question came from my hero David Bordwell, who is the most knowledgeable film critic in America.
David and his wife Kristin Thompson, herself on the topmost shelf, have published many invaluable books, including textbooks few film students fail to use.
Now David and Kristin have transformed their own careers with the best single movie blog on the web. After distinguished careers as much-published writers, it’s as if the internet allowed them to unleash their real energy.
Here’s what David wrote back: “Forget about becoming a film critic. Become an intellectual, a person to whom ideas matter. Read in history, science, politics, and the arts generally. Develop your own ideas, and see what sparks they strike in relation to films”.
Yes! This is the best possible advice. I tell young students: Take film courses, certainly. But cover the liberal arts. Take English literature, drama, art, music, and the areas Bordwell lists. Learn something about science and math.
Don’t train for a career–train for a life.
What the internet is creating is a class of literate, gifted amateur writers, in an old tradition.
Ebert conclude il suo articolo con il racconto di un incontro avvenuto all’ultimo festival da lui organizzato a Chicago:
At this year’s Ebertfest, Chaz and I hosted a “meet and greet” for the Correspondents and Ebert Club members. One man in his early 20s looked somehow familiar. I discovered this was Homer, who I met as a kid on an Ebert & Roper Film Festival at Sea a decade ago. He said he’d just graduated college. We asked him what he had studied.
“English literature,” he said, “because that’s what you told me to take, instead of locking into a career path.”
What are you doing now?
“I’m in law school.”
Then Homer said words of the greatest significance: “I’m trying to figure out what I can do with that.”
That’s what an education is for. That’s what life is for. That’s the discovery made by these extraordinary writers I’ve found on the World Wide Web. Find out all you can, and see what you can do with it.
Questo è forse il segreto da condividere con tutti coloro che amano il cinema, il teatro, la letteratura, la musica… studiate, coltivate le vostre passioni e non fatelo settorialmente. La cultura forse non vi farà guadagnare una carriera, ma vi aprirà le porte della vita.
Non è poco.
Stanze di Cinema 