Documentary sheds light on future of film critics
Amy Geller produced the documentary “For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism,” which screens Saturday at the Billy Wilder Theater.
By Arit John
Feb. 24, 2010 9:00 p.m.
Those getting ready to look for employment can add one more career on their endangered jobs list: film critic. On Saturday, the Billy Wilder Theater will screen “For the Love of Movies,” a documentary on the past, present and uncertain future of film criticism.
The documentary interviews several prominent film critics, from Pauline Kael, a film critic for The New Yorker from 1968 until her death in 2001, to Roger Ebert. Saturday’s screening will be followed by a question-and-answer session hosted by the director, Gerald Peary, and film critics John Powers, Richard Schickel, Ella Taylor and Anne Thompson.
“The film makes a point to show that critics are really smart, intelligent people who are worthy of your attention,” Peary said.
Peary has been a film critic for more than 25 years and has written for the Boston Phoenix since 1996. In that time he has become good friends with a number of critics, many of whom are featured in the film.
“I had an instant rapport with most critics,” Peary said.
It is his connection to many of the critics that gives the interviews their relaxed, easy and trusting tone. Peary added that his film critic experience has also made him more intimately aware of the changes in the field.
Peary, along with his wife Amy Geller, the film’s producer, has been working on this film for the last decade. Since beginning production on the film, the number of prominent film critics has changed dramatically.
“When I first started, all the film critics (seen in the film) had their jobs,” Peary said. “As the years passed, the whole world changed, and newspapers started firing people right and left.”
Many critics in the film have been fired or laid off since Peary began filming. At last count, 60 of the country’s major film critics had lost their jobs.
Paul Malcolm, a film programmer for the UCLA Film & Television Archive, said he expects the film and discussion to be enjoyable to anyone interested in film.
“Some of the biggest names in film criticism in America will be there,” Malcolm said. “It’s an amazing panel.”
The archive works to bring great films from the past and the present to its UCLA audience and movie lovers in America, Malcolm said.
Though this film may interest students, it most likely will not encourage them to become film critics.
“Unfortunately, it might dissuade them,” Malcolm said. “There was once a time when every major newspaper, every major magazine had a film critic. The film will give (students interested in film criticism) a sense of the reality of their field.”
There are those, however, who would disagree. Phillip Lopate, a film critic who has written for The New York Times, Vogue and Esquire, said he is confident about the future of film critics.
“I don’t necessarily see a decline,” Lopate said. “There are still wonderful writers out there and wonderful films being made.”
Lopate added “For the Love of Movies” to his top 10 list of undistributed films of 2009.
“It offers a very engrossing look at film criticism,” Lopate said.
The film does not leave potential critics without advice.
“One direct bit of advice in the movie comes from Lisa Schwarzbaum,” Peary said.
Schwarzbaum, a critic for Entertainment Weekly, said that those interested in criticism should gain world experience.
“Your review will be richer later on because of all the other things you bring to it,” Peary said. “The least interesting thing in a film review is the opinion.”
According to Peary, a good film critic can relate their review to broader, overarching topics such as politics and religion.
As for the future of film criticism, neither Peary nor the film pretends to have all the answers.
“My hope is that the world will shake out of (the decline in paid critics), and (bloggers) who are really passionate about movies will continue writing and gain a loyal following,” Peary said.
