The movie Roger Ebert called a “bottomless mystery”
When it came to the world of film criticism, few figures stood as mightily as the inimitable and legendary Roger Ebert. His precise and widely knowledgeable prose seemed to consider every element that makes up a movie, whether the narrative, the acting or the technical craftsmanship, and his reviews remain vital to the world of cinema itself.
In fact, Ebert transcended the very nature of the ‘review’, subverting it instead into a glimpse into the heart of the cinematic medium. He dived headfirst into the art of storytelling, and his writing became an art form in its own right, simultaneously weaving himself into the rich tapestry of film’s glorious history.
Back in 1991, Ebert faced the almost impossible task of naming the ten greatest movies of all time, a challenge that he was well placed to take on, given his position in the movie industry. After including the likes of Citizen Kane and Casablanca, Ebert turned his attention to the 1978 independent documentary Gates of Heaven.
“This film, not to be confused in any way with Heaven’s Gate, is a bottomless mystery to me, infinitely fascinating,” the critic began. “Made in the late 1970s by Errol Morris, it would appear to be a documentary about some people involved in a couple of pet cemeteries in Northern California.”
“Oh, it’s factual enough: The people in this film really exist, and so does the pet cemetery,” Ebert continued. “But Morris is not concerned with his apparent subject. He has made a film about life and death, pride and shame, deception and betrayal, and the stubborn quirkiness of human nature.”
Gates of Heaven, as Ebert attests, is Morris’ film about the pet cemetery business. Morris had been inspired to make the film after reading a San Francisco Chronicle article called ‘450 Dead Pets Going to Napa Valley’, and to get it made, he had to borrow money from his family and friends, although the risk paid off as it helped to launch his career.
Going on to discuss Morris’ brilliance, Ebert noted, “He points his camera at his subjects and lets them talk. But he points it for hours on end, patiently until finally they use the language in ways that reveal their most hidden parts.” But it’s the characters, the centrepiece of any film, that seem to get the highest praise from Ebert.”
He added: “I am moved by the son who speaks of success but cannot grasp it, the old man whose childhood pet was killed, the cocky guy who runs the tallow plant, the woman who speaks of her dead pet and says, ‘There’s your dog, and your dog’s dead. But there has to be something that made it move. Isn’t there?’ In those words is the central question of every religion.”
