Film critic Andrew Sarris passed away today. Sarris was extremely influential in the late 50’s-60’s in introducing the “director-as-autuer” point of view to film criticism and theory. Occasionally, critics can become major players in the medium they dissect and end of changing the artform. In the theatre world these visionaries included Walter Kerr, John Simon, Frank Rich, and Brooks Atkinson. Sarris paved the way for modern-day directors such as Wes Anderson, Paul-Thomas Anderson, David Fincher, and David Lynch.

Read Roger Ebert’s tribute to Sarris HERE.

Andrew Sarris   1928-2012