Roger Ebert, the most recognisable film critic of his generation, perhaps ever, has lost his battle with cancer at the age of 70. His work in the field, writing a regular column for the Chicago Sun-Times and many books and guides, was celebrated enough to win him a Pulitzer Prize in 1975, and subsequently a much-watched television review show with his friendly rival Gene Siskel, who died in 1999. While not everyone agreed with his reviews - but what critic does everyone agree with, after all? - he wrote with wit and intelligence stemming from a lifelong love of film, and brought countless film buffs both serious and casual to a wealth of cinema they might not otherwise have found and enjoyed.
