Andrew Sarris

Andrew Sarris was a prominent American film critic and theorist, known for his work with the Village Voice and his development of the auteur theory. He was a key figure in the French New Wave movement, alongside critics like François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard. Sarris's work was heavily influenced by the Cahiers du Cinéma movement, which emphasized the importance of the director as the primary author of a film, and he was also influenced by the works of Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles, and Federico Fellini. His theories were also shaped by the National Society of Film Critics, which he was a part of, and the New York Film Critics Circle, where he was an active member.

● Early Life and Education

Andrew Sarris was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in a family of Greek Americans. He attended the Columbia University, where he studied English literature and developed an interest in film, particularly the works of John Ford, William Wyler, and Billy Wilder. During his time at Columbia, Sarris was exposed to the films of Akira Kurosawa, Satyajit Ray, and Ingmar Bergman, which further shaped his cinematic tastes. He also became familiar with the works of André Bazin, a French film critic and theorist who was a key figure in the development of the auteur theory. Sarris's education was also influenced by the New York City film scene, where he attended screenings at the Museum of Modern Art and the Film Society of Lincoln Center.

● Career

Sarris began his career as a film critic in the 1960s, writing for the Village Voice and other publications, including the New Yorker and the New York Times. He was a key figure in the development of the auteur theory, which emphasized the importance of the director as the primary author of a film, and he was influenced by the works of Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles, and Federico Fellini. Sarris's writing was also shaped by the French New Wave movement, which included directors like Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, and Éric Rohmer. He was also influenced by the American Film Institute, which he was a part of, and the Library of Congress, where he worked on film preservation projects. Sarris's career was also marked by his involvement with the National Film Registry, which he helped to establish, and the American Film Critics Association, where he was an active member.

● Film Criticism and Theory

Sarris's film criticism and theory were heavily influenced by the auteur theory, which emphasized the importance of the director as the primary author of a film. He was a key figure in the development of this theory, alongside critics like François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard. Sarris's writing was also shaped by the Cahiers du Cinéma movement, which included critics like André Bazin and Jacques Rivette. He was also influenced by the works of Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles, and Federico Fellini, and he wrote extensively on the films of John Ford, William Wyler, and Billy Wilder. Sarris's theories were also shaped by the National Society of Film Critics, which he was a part of, and the New York Film Critics Circle, where he was an active member. He was also familiar with the works of Sergei Eisenstein, Dziga Vertov, and Vsevolod Pudovkin, and he wrote about the films of Akira Kurosawa, Satyajit Ray, and Ingmar Bergman.

● Influence and Legacy

Sarris's influence on film criticism and theory is still felt today, with many critics and scholars citing his work as an inspiration. He was a key figure in the development of the auteur theory, which has had a lasting impact on the way we think about film. Sarris's writing was also influential in shaping the French New Wave movement, which included directors like Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, and Éric Rohmer. He was also an influence on the American Film Institute, which he was a part of, and the Library of Congress, where he worked on film preservation projects. Sarris's legacy can also be seen in the work of critics like Roger Ebert, Pauline Kael, and Jocelyn Nussbaum, who have all cited his influence. He was also an influence on the National Film Registry, which he helped to establish, and the American Film Critics Association, where he was an active member. Sarris's work has also been recognized by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Cannes Film Festival.

● Personal Life

Sarris was married to Molly Haskell, a film critic and scholar, and the two were known for their lively debates and discussions about film. He was also a close friend and colleague of Pauline Kael, with whom he had a long-standing and often contentious relationship. Sarris was a member of the New York Film Critics Circle and the National Society of Film Critics, and he was a frequent attendee at film festivals like the Cannes Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival. He was also a visiting scholar at the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Chicago, where he taught film criticism and theory. Sarris's personal life was also marked by his love of film, and he was known for his extensive collection of film memorabilia, which included items from the films of Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles, and Federico Fellini. He was also a fan of the films of John Ford, William Wyler, and Billy Wilder, and he wrote extensively on the films of Akira Kurosawa, Satyajit Ray, and Ingmar Bergman.