Richard Schickel 1933 – 2017

Biography

Richard Schickel revolutionized how America talked about movies. The Milwaukee-born critic became TIME magazine’s voice on cinema for nearly half a century, wielding his pen like a scalpel to dissect blockbusters and art films alike. His sharp, accessible writing made film criticism matter beyond the arthouse crowd—he reached millions of readers who trusted his judgment on everything from Hitchcock to Hollywood’s latest spectacles.

But Schickel wasn’t just a writer. He proved himself a formidable documentarian, directing acclaimed films about cinema’s greatest directors and producing work that illuminated Hollywood’s hidden stories. His scholarly rigor combined with genuine passion made him essential reading and viewing for anyone serious about understanding movies as cultural force, not mere entertainment.

When Schickel died in Los Angeles in February 2017 at 84, the film world lost one of its most influential voices—a critic who’d spent decades championing cinema’s artistic possibilities while speaking directly to everyday moviegoers.