Final Thumbs Up

Tuesday, April 09, 2013

Photo by Getty Images

The funeral was attended by family, friends, and fans.  The blogosphere and Twitterscape is still aglow with fond remembrances as we all say good-bye to the ultimate lover of movies and friend of Runco, Robert Ebert.

No one can argue that he was the nation’s most influential film critic, who worked across media, from newspaper to television to book publishing to social media, to define a profession.  He aptly showed how early adoption of technology can keep a public figure relevant across the decades.  He’s the only film critic with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  At his funeral, the mayor of Chicago joked that “Roger spent a lot of time sitting through bad movies, so we didn’t have to.”  He inspired his fans by bravely and publicly facing down cancer, eventually losing his ability to speak, though not his ability to communicate.  In the end, the villain won, but like the fallen heroes in epic films, the legacy continues.

On April 2, just days before his death, he posted an open letter on his blog claiming for himself a much deserved “leave of presence.”  To slow down from his prolific writing production (resulting in 306 movie reviews last year alone across 200 newspapers) to do what he could have only fantasized about in his lifetime as a film critic: “seeing only the movies I want to review.” 

So, in homage to a gifted and generous movie lover, here is a link to what Roger Ebert called the “Great Movies.”  These 300 films shaped public opinion, pushed the boundaries of cinema technology and art, and, Roger believed, were worthy stories, well told.  Perhaps some of these will spark your interest.  Perhaps you’ll add your own thumbs up to that of Roger Ebert.

And Roger, we’ll see you at the movies.

Theo Kalomirakis: Of Movie Palaces and Home Theaters

Thursday, February 28, 2013

A recent blog post by the godfather of home theater and our friend, Theo Kalomirakis, remembers fondly the bygone era when theaters were destinations.  I think home theater enthusiasts agree that movies, and the environments we experience them, can still take our breath away.  We are proud that Runco video products are part of the finest home theaters in the world.  Subscribe to Theo’s blog.  You won’t be sorry.

Runco at Denver Home Show with AV Specialists

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

The Audio/Video Specialists, an electronic design and installation firm, along with The Rocky Mountain Design Collective will be exhibiting at the 2012 Denver Home Show with a custom built home theater, sharing demonstrations and information about the latest AV technologies. The premium cinema room will be on display for visitors throughout the show before being donated (room and décor only, no electronics) to Brent’s Place, a local non-profit that helps children and families dealing with life threatening cancer.

More than just a TV and some speakers, the Denver Home Show set-up will include premium audio/video products, including a Runco D-73d 3D projector.

The Denver Home Show runs from March 16-18, for more information, please visit www.homeshowdenver.com.