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David Elliott interviewed in San Diego Magazine

July 24th, 2008 by Scott Marks

I’d like to say good evening, and how do you do, ladies and gentlemen. Kup’s world ends tonight with a bunch of bon mots from the lovely Ginette Vicot. (I’d like to point out that long before Jesse Jackson’s corresponding verse, this rhymin’ Hyman had such a funny meter to the roar of his repeater, if you catch my drift.)

It’s been pointed out to yours truly, that not unlike legendary prankster Red ” Aaron Chwatt” Buttons, my friend Donald, err, uhh, David, I should say, Elliott never got a dinner.

You can’t blame a guy for wanting to throw back a few farewell stingers with Burl Stiff and his fellow penman at the Tickled Trout. More than sedi…cough…sentiment and supper, I mean, Dave wanted a chance to bid farewell to his loyal readers who couldn’t wait to rip open the Night and Day section to peruse his latest cinematic missives.

I gotta’ tell you that David was always a good man when we worked together at the Chicago Sun-Times, and according to Essee a very capable wordsmith. I preferred schmoozing with the stars to watching their dreck pictures where I frequently caught some shuteye. If only Elliott had written more about Bears great Sid Luckman, because I never was big on movie reviews. Besides, who am I to critique someone else’s writing? Truth be told, Essee writes most of this crap…Anyway, I’d like to go on record as personally thanking Dave for never letting it be known that I once let loose a trouser fillip in his presence while ascending the Chicago Theatre in their cramped elevator. Yes sir, two rode together and one blew! Heh! Heh!

Since I already ran a photo of Dave and his lovely daughter Samantha, I found it only fitting to publish a shot of his son Tarvis. That Elliott is one loyal foot soldier. I don’t care how much Marshall Field paid me, you’ wouldn’t catch me dead wearing a chazarai Sun-Times t-shirt. Only Manny’s in Elmhurst for this reporter!

Now Ivan Bunny, there’s one for movies! I tell ya’ he sees everything. He was the one that saw Meet Dave. You know, just recently, Bunny’s bald spot finally filled in. I’ll never forget the day he performed a self-inflicted Larry Fine in my office. It was right after he read where Elliott proclaimed The Road to Perdition “the greatest gangster film since The Godfather.” Now I going to stick up for the man because for this reporter’s money Perdition far outclassed Marty Scorceske’s Goodfellows or Casino. I think it was even better than Stop! or My Mom Will Shoot and Feds. (By the way, Mary Gross is a Chicago gal, I might add.)

Continue reading David Elliott interviewed in San Diego Magazine

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Roger Ebert to reoccupy film critic’s seat at Chicago Sun-Times

April 1st, 2008 by Scott Marks

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Roger Ebert used the occasion of his 41st anniversary as film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times to write an open letter to his readers announcing his return to the paper early next month.

In January of 2002, Ebert was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. One month later surgeons successfully removed the cancer, but in 2003 he once again went under the knife when cancer was found in his salivary gland.

Roger was a guest at the 2005 San Diego County Fair and over dinner spoke of a misdiagnosed infection he endured as a child that he blamed as the source of his current health problems.

Roger has been absent from the movie beat since June of 2006 when he underwent further surgery to remove a section of his jaw bone. While recuperating, Roger continued to contribute occasional reviews to the paper and today announced that he will return as full-time critic shortly after his 10th annual Ebertfest at the University of Illinois. The celebration of overlooked films runs from April 23 to the 27th.

Roger will not return to his syndicated review show Ebert and Roeper At the Movies any time soon. He writes, “I am sorry to say that my ability to speak was not restored. That would require another surgery. But I still have all my other abilities, including the love of viewing movies and writing about them. And at my side I have my angelic wife, Chaz.”

Welcome back, Roger. Can’t wait to start shaking my fist at some of your reviews again!

Roger Ebert photos

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David Elliott honored by San Diego film community

March 31st, 2008 by Scott Marks

David Elliott shares a fundamental bonding moment with daughter Sabrina:

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Photo Courtesy of The Walter Parks Thatcher Memorial Library

Local cinema shindig reels in the fun!
by Burl Stiff, Jr.
Society Columnist
March 31, 2008

For someone who spent so many hours in a darkened room, the view of Del Cerro must have seemed staggering.

The Cinema Society’s Andy and Beth Friedenberg opened their luxuriant hilltop home to the San Diego film community last night to pay tribute to former Union Tribune film critic David Elliott.

The evening’s guest of honor, looking sartorially splendiferous in his customary blue blazer and button down Oxford, worked the crowd while his wife, Union Tribune classical music critic Valerie Scher, held court with local publicists about her new Rated G column.

Landmark Theatre’s Chris Principio was there, so was David Swanson. As always, screening-mate Jean Lowerison wowed the crowd in purple. The Coronado Museum’s Joe Ditler talked Our Gang comedies with Citizen Video’s Holly Jones while the San Diego Reader’s film critic Duncan Shepherd was anxious to visit the Friedenberg’s opulent subterranean screening room.

Local publicists old and new joined in the revelry. Former Solomon Friedman reps Stacey Torgeson and Jennie Petro mingled with current Allied Advertising whizkids J. R. Cordray, Jennie Ogness Gendron, Cathy Pedlow, Andy Hart, Lindsay Flateur, Heather Secrist and Jen Curran.

Also in attendance, Herb and Roberta Ross (sans Brooklyn), the ever mirthful Fred Saxon and his bride Laurie, and the Review Express’ Diana Saenger accompanied by her better half Lou.

More were the San Diego library’s Ralph DeLauro, Ginette Vicot, Emulsion Compulsion scribe Scott Marks , Marion Kahn, Cinema Under the Stars impresario Doug Yeagley, the North County Times’ Dan Bennett and KGTV anchorwoman/San Diego Asian Film Festival director Lee Ann Kim who was gracious enough to sandwich in an appearance between broadcasts.

Andy and Beth’s daughter Erica, with help from her ten year old son Morgan, was responsible for the never ending hours d’oeuvre.

Unlike one of Chris Principio’s screenings, the cocktail party went a half hour over it’s anticipated 120 minute running time. No money was raised for charity.

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San Diego Union Tribune loses film critic David Elliott

January 16th, 2008 by Scott Marks

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David Elliott is my friend, easily the most intelligent, compassionate and loyal influence on my life this side of my mother. We may disagree when it comes to certain films (the gag reflex still kicks in when I think of his ** review of Goodfellas), but if there is a finer writer practicing the art of film criticism for a daily newspaper in the United States, please forward me their reviews.

Anything I have to say concerning David’s termination would be fueled with both bias and bile. David wrote for the San Diego Union Tribune for going on 24 years and the paper’s recent attempts to increase profits by firing staffers stinks. As much as I would love to prick myself and bleed for you, out of respect for our near-30-year friendship, I will hold my tongue.

In addition to feeling a friend’s loss, what troubles me almost as much is the way film criticism has been cheapened over the past ten years. I still remember the 60s when critics battled over art. Ebert and Siskel with their goddamned thumbs helped transform an art form into an electronic tip sheet peppered with blurbs and one-liners.

Who will replace David? Wire copy. Editors figure that unlike plays or concerts, films pretty much open on the same day across the country. Why bother to pay a local critic when it is so much easier (and cheaper) to run with wire reviews? Never mind individuality or pride in ownership. In Chicago, a day didn’t pass where I failed to see the faces of Roger Ebert or Mike Royko or Irv Kupcinet leering back at me from buses and billboards. These journalists were star players and were treated as such. In the depths of their ignorance, the U-T pooh-poohs the concept of journalist as superstar. If you didn’t know that the paper employed a phenomenal critic, they sure in hell weren’t going to tell you.

Is film criticism so expendable that individual voices must be whittled down into a few souls fortunate enough to be syndicated? And what about the voices on the fountain of misinformation highway that want so much to court studio favor that they fawn over all things projected? These aren’t critics, they’re reviewers who fill a paragraph with plot description and stick stars at the top of the page.

As much as I love goofing on Burl Stiff’s column/society roll call (this guy should have the word “gift” printed across the top of each paycheck and they ax Elliott) you will never again see me carrying a copy of the Union Tribune. I’d rather read the Poway Penny Saver. If I need a Stiff fix there is always their impossible to navigate website which, even though it’s free, is still overpriced.

UPDATE

While my passionate anger keeps me from spilling my guts, that won’t stop me from finding other writers who are eager to discuss publisher David Copley.

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In response to the recent spate of layoffs, City Beat’s Kelly Davis wrote a wonderful article discussing Mr. Copley’s extravagant lifestyle.

Here is a link to Kelly’s City Beat article.

Here is a link to my KPBS Film Club partner Beth Accomando’s thoughts.

How stands the Union now, Mr. Copley?

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