Roger Ebert

Fresh Air remembers the film critic and bon vivant Roger Ebert, who died Thursday, with a roundup of interviews from our archive -- one with Ebert alone, one with him and his late partner Gene Siskel, and two in which Ebert interviews iconic directors. Plus, critic-at-large John Powers discusses Ebert's 2011 memoir Life Itself.

An interview with film director Francis Ford Coppola, recorded at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
Film critic Roger Ebert talks with Coppola about the re-edited version of his 1979 epic Apocalypse Now. The new cut includes an additional 49 minutes of material. It is currently showing in New York and L.A., and opens in other cities over the next couple of weeks.

Roger Ebert interviews Willem Dafoe. This is a special broadcast of a live event that took place at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Ebert explores Dafoe’s 17-year career of more than 40 films, including his upcoming film, “Shadow of the Vampire.” Dafoe’s films include “The Last Temptation of Christ,” “Affliction,” “The English Patient,” and “Platoon.”

In late 2012, filmmaker Steve Jamess and Roger Ebert began talking about filming a documentary based on Ebert's memoir. Bert's wife, Chaz, agreed. They didn't know that he would die within months.

Roger Ebert tackles lowbrow and highbrow topics alike in his memoir; critic John Powers says the chronicle is sunny and hopeful — just like Ebert himself.