Synopses & Reviews
Roger Ebert wrote the first film review that director Martin Scorsese ever received for 1967's
I Call First when both men were just embarking on their careers. Ebert had never been touched by a movie in quite the same way before, and this experience created a lasting bond that made him one of Scorsese's most appreciative and perceptive commentators. Scorsese by Ebert offers the first record of America's most respected film critic's engagement with the works of America's greatest living director. The book chronicles every single feature film in Scorsese's considerable oeuvre, from his aforementioned debut to his 2008 release, the Rolling Stones documentary,
Shine a Light.
Here Ebert puts Scorsese's career in illuminating perspective, exploring the different phases of his development and the abiding themes (many of which reflect Scorsese's Catholicism) that give his work such complexity and depth. All of Ebert's incisive reviews of Scorsese's individual films are here, of course, but there is much more. In the course of eleven interviews done over almost forty years, the book includes Scorsese's own insights on both his accomplishments and disappointments. One of these interviews, the single longest ever conducted with Scorsese, appears here for the first time. Ebert has also written and included six new reconsiderations of the director's less commented upon films, as well as a substantial introduction that provides a framework for understanding both Scorsese and his profound impact on American cinema.
As Scorsese himself notes in his foreword to this volume, history is the only critic that counts, but the dialogue from which its judgments arise begins with the kind of emotionally alert, historically informed, and intellectually honest writing that Ebert has collected here in this, the ideal pairing of filmmaker and critic.
Review
"This book is proof that the greatest criticism is simply careful and educated observation that connects a filmmaker with his subject, his audience, and his time. Ebert is one of the most acclaimed and perceptive critics of his time, and this unique book is an invaluable study in the canon of both film and criticism." Library Journal
Review
"Whether you're a Scorsese connoisseur or someone just discovering the acclaimed auteur, Roger Ebert's Scorsese is a thought-provoking appreciation of more than 40 years of masterful moviemaking." Booklist
Review
"An invaluable, historical resource for the Scorsese scholar and an entertaining, informative document for the Scorsese fan." Anthony Kuzminski - Antitainment
Review
"Already a revered film critic, Ebert is also one of the most perceptive writers living today. And the level of perception present in his syndicated movie reviews is at its peak in this admiringly ciritical book about another revered figure. Through the eyes of Ebert, we go on a reflective journey into the mind of Scorses and, by extension, our own minds." Choice
Review
"A film-by-film chronicling of the professional, yet passionate, Ebert-Scorsese relationship. Packaged together are every Ebert review of a Scorsese title, as well as an array of essays, interviews, and the transcript of an on-stage discussion between the director and writer. . . . Ebert has also gone back to write an additional 'reconsideration' of a half-dozen select Scorsese titles. . . . A work of obvious affection, even adoration, what might surprise readers most is how Scorsese by Ebert emerges as a work of profound identification." S. James Snyder
Review
"Scorsese by Ebert is one of the finest books to ever be written on the medium of film. . . . An illuminating and insightful look at a virtuoso director written by a virtuoso journalist; it's the Citizen Kane of film criticism." Kyle Rupprecht - Movie Maker
Review
"Ebert, film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, is an unabashed fan of Scorsese, whom he considers "the most gifted director of his generation." To prove it, he's compiled his reviews of every Scorsese film-beginning with I Call First in 1967 to his latest, Shine a Light. Along the way, Ebert pays special tribute to five "masterpieces," including Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Mean Streets, which he calls "one of the source points of modern movies." These three films in particular, Ebert argues, reflect Scorsese's ongoing preoccupation with sex and guilt, themes fueled by a Catholic upbringing and his childhood in New York City's Little Italy. Citing the director's strong collaboration with actor Robert De Niro and screenwriter Paul Schrader, Ebert says all three men seem "fascinated by the lives of tortured, violent, guilt-ridden characters," usually men who cannot relate to women, such as Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver or Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull. Of special note are interviews with Scorsese over a 25-year period, in which the director candidly discusses his body of work." Publishers Weekly
Review
"Given their career-long back-and-forth, this collection makes perfect sense. Its a project Ebert has talked about for years, and during his recent recovery from surgery, he finally made it a reality. Ebert has collected all of his original reviews of Scorseses films, along with interviews and essays on the director. That would be a great thing on its own, but the real strength of this book comes from his new essays about a number of the films. These afford readers a wonderful opportunity to see how someone approaches the same work of art over decades. . . . In these reconsiderations, Ebert invites us into his thought processes, letting us see not just what he thinks, but how he forms his opinions. Eberts insights into Scorsese are terrific, but this book offers the bonus of further insights into Ebert himself." Time
Review
"[Eberts'] enthusiasm and conviction are obvious here; accordingly, this is some of his best stuff." Time Out Chicago
Synopsis
Roger Ebert wrote the first film review that director Martin Scorsese ever received for 1967 s I Call First, later renamed Who s That Knocking at My Door creating a lasting bond that made him one of Scorsese s most appreciative and perceptive commentators. Scorsese by Ebert offers the first record of America s most respected film critic s engagement with the works of America s greatest living director, chronicling every single feature film in Scorsese s considerable oeuvre, from his aforementioned debut to his 2008 release, the Rolling Stones documentary Shine a Light.
In the course of eleven interviews done over almost forty years, the book also includes Scorsese s own insights on both his accomplishments and disappointments. Ebert has also written and included six new reconsiderations of the director s less commented upon films, as well as a substantial introduction that provides a framework for understanding both Scorsese and his profound impact on American cinema.
"Given their career-long back-and-forth, this collection makes perfect sense. . . . In these reconsiderations, Ebert invites us into his thought processes, letting us see not just what he thinks, but how he forms his opinions. Ebert s insights into Scorsese are terrific, but this book offers the bonus of further insights into Ebert himself." Time Out Chicago
"Ebert, film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, is an unabashed fan of Scorsese, whom he considers the most gifted director of his generation. . . . Of special note are interviews with Scorsese over a 25-year period, in which the director candidly discusses his body of work." Publishers Weekly
"
Synopsis
This work offers the first record of America's most respected film critic's engagement with the works of America's greatest living director. Ebert puts Scorsese's career in illuminating perspective, exploring the different phases and themes that give the director's work such complexity.
Synopsis
Roger Ebert wrote the first film review that director Martin Scorsese ever received—for 1967s I Call First, later renamed Whos That Knocking at My Door—creating a lasting bond that made him one of Scorseses most appreciative and perceptive commentators. Scorsese by Ebert offers the first record of Americas most respected film critics engagement with the works of Americas greatest living director, chronicling every single feature film in Scorseses considerable oeuvre, from his aforementioned debut to his 2008 release, the Rolling Stones documentary Shine a Light.
In the course of eleven interviews done over almost forty years, the book also includes Scorseses own insights on both his accomplishments and disappointments. Ebert has also written and included six new reconsiderations of the directors less commented upon films, as well as a substantial introduction that provides a framework for understanding both Scorsese and his profound impact on American cinema.
"Given their career-long back-and-forth, this collection makes perfect sense. . . . In these reconsiderations, Ebert invites us into his thought processes, letting us see not just what he thinks, but how he forms his opinions. Eberts insights into Scorsese are terrific, but this book offers the bonus of further insights into Ebert himself."—Time Out Chicago
"Ebert, film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, is an unabashed fan of Scorsese, whom he considers ‘the most gifted director of his generation. . . . Of special note are interviews with Scorsese over a 25-year period, in which the director candidly discusses his body of work."—Publishers Weekly
About the Author
Roger Ebert (1942-2013) was a film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times for more than forty years. In 1975 he became the first film critic to win the Pulitzer Prize. That same year he teamed up with his rival critic, Gene Siskel of the Chicago Tribune, to host a movie review program on public television. Sneak Previews became the most popular entertainment program on the PBS network and gave Ebert a nationwide audience. He was the author of numerous books on film including Awake in the Dark: The Best of Roger Ebert, the Great Movies essay collections, and a memoir, Life Itself.
Table of Contents
Foreword, by Martin ScorseseIntroduction
Part 1: Beginning Introduction I Call First
Whos That Knocking at My Door
Reconsideration
Woodstock: An Interview with Martin Scorsese & Company Boxcar Bertha Mean Streets Alice Doesnt Live Here Anymore Taxi Driver
An Interview with Martin Scorsese and Paul Schrader New York, New York
Reconsideration The Last Waltz Part 2: Achieving Introduction Raging Bull The King of Comedy
Scorsese: King of Romantic Pain
Reconsideration After Hours
Reconsideration The Color of Money
The Last Temptation of Christ Scorseses Last Temptation Reconsideration New York Stories: “Life Lessons” Martin Scorsese and His “New York” Story
Part 3: Establishing Introduction GoodFellas Why GoodFellas was the Best Film of 1990 Cape Fear The Age of Innocence The Innocence of Martin Scorsese Casino De Niro, Pesci, Scorsese Tell a Shocking Mob Story in Casino Part 4: Reflecting Introduction Wexner Center for the Arts Interview
Part 5: Venturing Introduction Kundun Scorsese Learns from Those Who Went before Him Reconsideration Bringing Out the Dead Bringing Out Scorsese Gangs of New York Gangs All Here for Scorsese
The Aviator
Howard's End: Scorsese and the Aviator
No Direction Home: Bob Dylan
The Departed
Shine a Light
Part 6: Masterpieces
Introduction
Mean Streets
Taxi Driver
Raging Bull
GoodFellas
The Age of Innocence
Index