Scorsese by Ebert - by Roger Ebert (Paperback)

Book 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

Review Quotes

"Whether you're a Scorsese connoisseur or someone just discovering the acclaimed auteur, Roger Ebert's Scorsese is a thought-provoking appreciaton of more than 40 years of masterful moviemaking."--Kyle Rupprecht "Movie Maker"

"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"

"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."--Anthony Kuzminski "Antitainment"

"[Eberts'] enthusiasm and conviction are obvious here; accordingly, this is some of his best stuff."-- "Booklist"

"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 "Time"

"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."--Michael Bizunowicz "Shepherd Express"

"An invaluable, historical resource for the Scorsese scholar and an entertaining, informative document for the Scorsese fan."-- "Choice"

"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"

"Given their career-long back-and-forth, this collection makes perfect sense. It's 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 Scorsese's 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. Ebert's insights into Scorsese are terrific, but this book offers the bonus of further insights into Ebert himself."-- "Time Out Chicago"

"Noting Ebert's coverage of one filmmaker, The University of Chicago Press asked the critic to collect his writings in a volume titled Scorsese by Ebert, which deceptively looks like a small-scale critical biography. [...] Well, they aren't slouches over at Chicago UP, and neither is the critic. [...] Such insight comes with ease from Ebert, proof of him having seen all of Scorsese's films (some numerous times) not for assignments, but as an obsession. Ebert's style also stems from his rapid-fire process in which he composes nearly as fast as he types. (Alas, how all critics aren't created equal.)"-- "Senses of Cinema"

About the Author

Roger Ebert is the Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times. Starting in 1975, he cohosted a long-running weekly movie review program on television, first with Gene Siskel and then with Richard Roeper. He is the author of numerous books on film, including The Great Movies, The Great Movies II, and Awake in the Dark: The Best of Roger Ebert, the last published by the University of Chicago Press.