Film critic Roger Ebert on the Art of Cinematography

The American Society of Cinematographers honored the celebrated critic, Roger Ebert with a special award in appreciation of his knowledgeable reviews. Haskell Wexler, ASC, presented the tribute. Extracts from their conversations follow.

	Ebert (left) and Wexler discuss the art of cinematography.

For a city stuck in the heart of what Hollywood insiders call “fly-over country,” Chicago has produced a fair share of cinematic legends, including William Friedkin, Phil Kaufman, Bill Butler, ASC, Haskell Wexler, ASC and Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Roger Ebert whose movie reviews consistently incorporate a keen appreciation for the art and craft of cinematography. Earlier this year, the American Society of Cinematographers honored Ebert with a special award in appreciation for his savvy critiques of their art form.

Wexler presented the trubute to Ebert at the 17th Annual ASC Award ceremonies in Los Angeles. The cinematographer and critic trace their relationship back to 1969 when Ebert reviewed Medium Cool, a reality-based political drama filmed in Chicago that Wexler directed and shot. Ebert placed the controversial film on his top ten list of 1969 along with such classics as Weekend, The Wild Bunch and Easy Rider.

The cinematographer and critic were recently reunited at Ebert’s 5th annual Overlooked Film Festival in Champaign, Illinois, which featured Medium Cool. In his introduction, Ebert extolled both Wexler and cinematographers in general, asserting “so often what we’re responding to in a great movie is (the work) of the director of photography.”