The two documentaries Roger Ebert called his all-time favourites
The influential American movie critic Roger Ebert was well-known during his peak in the late 20th century for his scathing reviews of the worst contemporary films. Included in his list of most hated flicks were a number of surprising classics, including John Waters’ Pink Flamingos, David Lynch’s Blue Velvet and the Coen brothers Raising Arizona, yet despite his notorious venom, Ebert also loved to dish out praise.
From the movies of Martin Scorsese, which he particularly adored, to the mysterious allure of the filmography of Stanley Kubrick, Ebert long-held an interest in a variety of different flicks from across the world. One genre he was partial to was the documentary, however, naming two in his list of ten all-time favourite films, which also included releases from the aforementioned directors, Raging Bull and 2001: A Space Odyssey.
But, the first documentary that Ebert highlights on his favourites list is the Errol Morris movie Gates of Heaven from 1973, a film that explores the lives of those who operate a pet cemetery that has recently been exhumed. The directorial debut of an influential filmmaker in his field, Gates of Heaven, is a beautifully human movie that captures the idiosyncratic beauty and comedy of the mundane.
“He has made a film about life and death, pride and shame, deception and betrayal, and the stubborn quirkiness of human nature,” Ebert says of the celebrated documentary, adding: “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”.
Elsewhere, Ebert’s second and final pick isn’t one documentary per se but rather a series of films that come together to form the influential Up series. First created back in 1964, the series follows the lives of 14 children from across the United Kingdom, tracking their lives every seven years where relationships, tragedy and triumph complicate their lives, forming a compelling document of humanity.
“I have very particular reasons for including this film,” the critic wrote, “No other film I have ever seen does a better job of illustrating the mysterious and haunting way in which the cinema bridges time. The movies themselves play with time, condensing days or years into minutes or hours. Then going to old movies defies time because we see and hear people who are now dead, sounding and looking exactly the same”.
Remarkably, the Up series has not yet come to an official close, with 63 Up being released in 2019. Tragically, however, the ninth iteration of the show documented the first death of a participant, and in the years following its release, the director behind the project, Michael Apted, also passed away, leaving the future of the show in question.
Roger Ebert’s favourite documentaries:
- 28-Up (Michael Apted, 1984)
- Gates of Heaven (Errol Morris, 1978)
