Anton Ego: "In many ways, the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judgment. We thrive on negative criticism, which is fun to write and to read. But the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is more meaningful than our criticism designating it so. But there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new. The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations, the new needs friends... Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere."
Roger Ebert reminded me of this excellent speech from Ratatouille yesterday when he quoted it in a piece in defense of criticism for his blog. It's a lovely and generous read, as everything Roger writes always is, and I highly recommend you check it out. Choice quote of Roger's:
"I think Anton is too hard on critics, although perhaps he is writing autobiographically. Is he correct that "average piece of junk is more meaningful than our criticism designating it so?" I would suggest that the average piece of junk is not meaningful at all, apart from the way it conditions the minds of its beholders to accept more pieces of junk.".
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2 comments:
That scene irked me, for reasons Ebert articulates. Having peter o'Toole wisely intone about how critics are full of shit and inferior to even the hackiest of hacks felt like the same tired Hollywood whinings (and coming from a Pixar studio still dripping in critical spooge from, oh, every movie it's ever made and ever will make, it's particularly rich).
Reading it back again, that last part is more redeeming than I remember it. And, in fact, Ebert could stand to set his Anton Ego aside whenever he decides to go off on another torture porn rant.
Glad you flagged Ebert's post. It's a good one. You can tell he's been very reflective of late.
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