Andrew Sarris is dead. Hulk sad.

Photo from NY Times.
Obit sez Sarris "wrote searchingly of that glorious deluge [New Wave et all] and the directors behind it--Francois Truffaut, Max Ophels, Jean-Luc Godard, Michelangelo Antonioni, Akira Kurasawa."

Andrew Sarris died today at 83.  It's a little bit amazing to think of a time when movies mattered so much intellectually and culturally that critics could square off over auteur theory into Sarristes and Paulettes (those following rival critic Pauline Kael).  Which isn't to say there aren't heated discussions today....over who's best, Batman or Superman, the Hulk or Iron Man, Star Trek vs. Star Wars.  And then of course, there's the almighty Bottom Line.  The weekend grosses are the biggest thing coming out of Hollywood these days, and I do mean big--if you're not a half a billion at the global BO, you're nowhere, fella.



"Hulk like Michelangelo Antonioni.  Hulk like all
Ninja Turtles!" 

 Here's the link to the New York Times obit:  http://tinyurl.com/c465hoa   Read it and weep, sigh, rant or just sit down and scramble your brains one more time with Rashomon or Blowup.  And what the hell, invite a superhero to come over and watch with you.  I'm sure he'll appreciate it.