View image Director and longtime Ebert favorite Werner Herzog ("Stroszek") visits with Roger before the noon Sunday screening of "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls."
An experience like Ebertfest 2007 is beyond my capacity to convey in words -- and I'm not just talking about the movies. At one point I asked Roger if he was having as much fun as I was. He wrote on his pad: "The time of my life!" Sitting in his recliner in the back row of the Virginia Theatre in Champaign, IL, (his customary spot -- but this time with cushier accommodations and more legroom) he sure looked like he was having a blast. The rest of us had a fine time, too, as I hope you will see from these photos I took...
View image Chaz Ebert introduces her husband to the opening night crowd from the stage of the Virginia Theatre.
View image Roger with "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" star Marcia McBroom-Small (Petronella, aka "Pet").
View image The crowd is in the house and all is quiet outside, just before "La Dolce Vita" hit the screen Friday night.
View image Ebertfest '07 begins with a bang -- on the front page of the Chicago Sun-Times. Enlarge to see Roger's note about Chaz's opening remarks -- which kicked off with the the immortal line from "BVD": "It's my happening and it freaks me out!"
View image To give you an idea of the scale of the Virginia Theatre, here's festival director Nate Kohn, actor Alan Rickman and blogger David Poland on stage after "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer." The 'Scope movies -- "Gattaca," "La Dolce Vita," "Perfume" and "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" (in a newly struck print) -- looked especially ravishing on this screen, with the expert projection of James Bond and Steve Kraus.
View image Festival director Nate Kohn, University of Illinois President Joseph White, Webster, and Mary White at the reception at the president's house.
View image What an audience! David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson, third row, house right. No, they're not blushing. That curtain is RED.
View image Roger and Chaz prepare to let the laptop version of HAL 9000 do the speaking for Roger before the matinee of "Holes."
View image Big and beautiful: For most of the filmmakers who attend Ebertfest, this is the single biggest audience with whom they'll ever see their movie. It's an overwhelming experience.
View image The Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra (or select members thereof) under the direction of Steve Larsen, perform Joseph Turin's 1986 score for Raoul Walsh's 1928 "Sadie Thompson," starring Gloria Swanson and Walsh himself. The 97-minute score is written for 18 musicians: two flutes (piccolo double), oboe, two clarinets (bass clarinet double), two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, two trombones, two celli, string bass, piano, and percussion.
View image David Bordwell, Chicago Tribune critic Michael Phillips, Kristin Thompson, conductor Steve Larson and composer Joseph Turrin on stage after "Sadie Thompson" (introduced by her distant cousin Kristin). Note the thumb statuettes on the floor. These are the new models, cast from Roger Ebert's hand and made of the same material, and by the same company, as the Oscar statuettes.
Hot damn! You didn't just meet The Werner, you got a photo with! After I watched his trippy "The Wild Blue Yonder" (thank you Netflix), I was about two inches of sanity away from actually going on his proposed 3000 mile walk (keeping a journal all the while).
In case that doesn't make a lick of sense: I remember reading/seeing something with Mr. Herzog in which he said that, should he open a film school, the admission requirement would be a journal kept by the applying student, while they walked some designed 3000 mile distance in Europe, alone. He would be able to tell by the entries who truly made the walk and who didn't.
Great to see Ebert back in action, even if only a little. I've been terribly busy with my thesis and classes this last year of college (we can only hope), and haven't had as much time to contribute, but your work is just as appreciated as ever, Jim.
I second Rob's emotions, Jim. Life and everything that goes into it (most especially my studies) have kept me further from the blog and the world of film than I'd like to be over the past two months, but I sure am glad that you're out there working your magic. Those are some wonderful photos-- I especially liked the ones of Roger and Marcia McBroom, Roger and Werner, David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson glowing red with the glory of cinema (in the form of a really great curtain) and, of course, you and Werner (now that's a keeper, huh?) How glad I am that you were there covering this festival. I can't wait to hear (and see) more. Welcome back!
Rob, I had forgotten about Herzog's 3,000-mile film school idea, but I maintain that it's a brilliant idea (who gives a figgity how impractical?) that sounds like the antidote to $250 million superhero movies and action thrillers based on 1980s toy lines. Who else but someone who has lived and experienced life to its fullest could have come up with some of the movies Herzog has, especially the demented and lovely Wild Blue Yonder?
Have you guys heard of Walking To Werner? It's a documentary about a young aspiring filmmaker who, after being greatly moved by Herzog's films, decides to go to his particular brand of film school. He walks from Seattle to Los Angeles, with the intent of meeting Herzog, and films himself along the way.
I had not (heard of Walking to Werner). Sounds like "My Date with Drew," only (worlds) better. Will check that out.
David, that documentary sounds fascinating. I will, of course, check right away, but for the benefit of anyone else, do you know if it's available on Netflix? Thanks for the tip.
I just checked the official site and it looks like it's not avaialble on DVD yet, after all. It's been on the festival circuit for the past year, which is how I saw it...