Jonathan Rosenbaum

Jonathan Rosenbaum is a renowned American film critic and author, best known for his work as the chief film critic for the Chicago Reader from 1987 to 2008. During his tenure, he wrote extensively on a wide range of films, including those by Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, and Steven Spielberg. His critiques often explored the works of international filmmakers, such as Akira Kurosawa, Federico Fellini, and Jean-Luc Godard. Rosenbaum's writing has been widely praised for its insight and depth, and he has become a respected voice in the world of film criticism, often cited alongside other notable critics like Roger Ebert and Pauline Kael.

● Early life and education

Jonathan Rosenbaum was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and grew up in a family that encouraged his interest in film. He attended Harvard University, where he studied literature and developed a passion for French New Wave cinema, particularly the works of Éric Rohmer and Claude Chabrol. After graduating, Rosenbaum moved to New York City and began writing about film for various publications, including The Village Voice and Film Comment. He also developed a strong interest in the films of Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, and Billy Wilder, which would later influence his own critical style.

● Career

Rosenbaum's career as a film critic spanned over three decades, during which he wrote for numerous publications, including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and Sight & Sound. He was a regular contributor to Cahiers du Cinéma and Positif, and his work has been translated into multiple languages, including French, Spanish, and Italian. Rosenbaum has also taught film studies at various institutions, including New York University, University of California, Berkeley, and University of Chicago. His expertise has been sought by filmmakers like Woody Allen, Terrence Malick, and David Lynch, who have all been the subject of his critiques.

● Film criticism

Rosenbaum's film criticism is characterized by its eclecticism and depth, often exploring the works of lesser-known filmmakers like Shohei Imamura, Nagisa Oshima, and Seijun Suzuki. He has written extensively on the films of Stanley Kubrick, Brian De Palma, and Oliver Stone, and has been a vocal advocate for the preservation of film history, particularly the works of D.W. Griffith and F.W. Murnau. Rosenbaum's critiques often engage with the theoretical writings of André Bazin, Christian Metz, and Sergei Eisenstein, demonstrating his commitment to understanding the art of filmmaking. He has also written about the films of Roman Polanski, Milos Forman, and Francis Ford Coppola, and has explored the intersection of film and politics in the works of Costa-Gavras and Gillo Pontecorvo.

● Selected works

Some of Rosenbaum's notable works include Movie Wars: How Hollywood and the Media Conspire to Limit What Films We Can See and Essential Cinema: On the Necessity of Film Canons. He has also edited several anthologies, including Placing Movies: The Practice of Film Criticism and Film: The Front Line 1983. Rosenbaum's writing has been collected in various volumes, such as Goodbye Cinema, Hello Cinephilia: Film Culture in Transition and The Unquiet American: Transnational Essays 1986-2012. His work has been praised by filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and Werner Herzog, who have both been the subject of his critiques.

● Awards and legacy

Throughout his career, Rosenbaum has received numerous awards and accolades for his contributions to film criticism, including the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film Critic and the Society of Professional Journalists Award for Excellence in Journalism. He has been recognized by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Cinémathèque française for his dedication to promoting film culture. Rosenbaum's legacy continues to inspire a new generation of film critics and scholars, who draw on his work to explore the films of Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Lars von Trier, and Terrence Malick. His influence can be seen in the writing of critics like A.O. Scott and Manohla Dargis, who have both followed in his footsteps as prominent film critics. Category:American film critics