Roger Ebert’s Memoir, Life Itself, To Get Documentary Treatment

News, Projects

Roger Ebert is one of the most prolific film critics who, along with the late Gene Siskel, boiled the approval or disapproval of a film release with a simple thumb. A thumbs up meant it was recommended viewing. A thumbs down meant avoidance.

Besides film criticism, Ebert is an accomplished writer having written both a screenplay (“Beyond the Valley of the Dolls”) and memoir (“Life Itself”). With the memoir being released as a trade paperback this week, Ebert took to Twitter to make a big announcement about the memoir being developed into a documentary.

“Whoa! My memoir has been optioned for a doc by Steve James (“Hoop Dreams”) and Steven Zaillian, with Martin Scorsese as exec producer.”

The Pulse: So we have the collaborative efforts of James, Zaillian and Scorsese behind a documentary about one of best writers of film criticism around. The venerable dream team of talent behind the camera will take the utmost care in translating Ebert’s memoir into a fascinating documentary, I have no doubt. The fact that the film is being shepherded by a filmmaker who’s opus of a documentary, Hoop Dreams, rewrote the rules of the documentary category at The Oscars is the icing on the cake.

Travis Leamons is one of the Inside Pulse Originals and currently holds the position of Managing Editor at Inside Pulse Movies. He's told that the position is his until he's dead or if "The Boss" can find somebody better. I expect the best and I give the best. Here's the beer. Here's the entertainment. Now have fun. That's an order!