"I will do what I have to do as if Roger was looking over my shoulder" - The good soldier of cinema: Roger Ebert June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013

Roger Ebert's passing is an immeasurable loss. Countless words have been shared by those who knew and loved him, who were inspired by him and who were encouraged by him. I have little new to add, but would rather share my favorite words written about him, here from filmmaker Werner Herzog:

“I always loved Roger for being the good soldier. Not only the good soldier of cinema, but he was a wounded soldier who for years in his affliction held out and plowed on and soldiered on and held the outpost that was given up by almost everyone: The monumental shift now is that intelligent, deep discourse about cinema has been something that has been vanishing over the last maybe two decades. And it has been systematically replaced by celebrity news. It is what it is, and we have to stand the tide. I try to hold out and keep up what Roger was after.

[There] will be a long, long echo [of his work] reverberating for a long, long time. I’ve always tried to be a good soldier of cinema myself, so of course since he’s gone, I will plow on, as I have plowed on all my life, but I will do what I have to do as if Roger was looking over my shoulder. And I am not gonna disappoint him.”

--- Werner Herzog, April 4, 2013 (via EW)

Rest in peace, Roger.