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Andrew Sarris

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Critic

The Resume

    (October 31, 1928-June 20, 2012)
    Born in Brooklyn, New York
    Film critic for the Village Voice (1960-89) and New York Observer (1989-2009)
    Wrote 'The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929-1968' (1968)
    Popularized the 'auteur theory' of film criticism in the US

Why he might be annoying:

    Auteur theory ratcheted film criticism to new levels of pretentiousness.
    He feuded with fellow critic Pauline Kael, who he called a 'wench.'
    His rankings of directors in 'The American Cinema' were criticized as elitist and subjective.
    When he retired, he described his younger self as 'a solipsist and a narcissist and much too arrogant.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He said, 'I never argue with people about movies.'
    He said about auteur theory, 'I would be the first to concede that any critical theory carried to extremes is absurd.'
    He was willing to change his opinion in print, most famously with '2001: A Space Odyssey,' which he initially panned then reassessed after a friend persuaded to see it again 'under the influence of a smoked substance... somewhat stronger and more authentic than oregano.'
    He apologized to Billy Wilder for undervaluing him in 'The American Cinema.'
    Martin Scorsese said, 'What Andrew did, especially for young people, was to make you aware that the American cinema, which you had been told was just a movie factory, had real artistic merit.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 7 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 13 Votes: 46.15% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 17 Votes: 52.94% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 86 Votes: 62.79% Annoying