Bill Muller
Encyclopedia
William S. "Bill" Muller (1964–2007) was an American journalist and film critic, primarily for the Arizona Republic newspaper. He switched positions from reporter to film critic in 2000.
, grew up in Florida
and Texas
, and received a degree in political science
from the University of Texas. He began his journalism
career at the Dallas Times Herald
as a crime reporter. Then, he worked at the News and Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina
for two years.
In 1994, he joined the Arizona Republic, where he was an investigative reporter, and, starting in 2000, a film critic. He resided in Phoenix, Arizona
with his wife Deborah, a former movie studio publicist, and their two children.
Muller covered public utilities during the late 1990s for the Republic, including the issue of power industry deregulation
. His credits also include an award-winning profile of U.S. Senator John McCain
, articles exposing public corruption, and a regular column devoted to fantasy football
. Later, as a film critic, "Some of Bill's reviews were more entertaining than the actual movies”, according to movie theater owner Dan Harkins.
Bill Muller's profile of John McCain originally appeared in The Arizona Republic and on azcentral.com on October 3, 1999. Reporter Dan Nowicki subsequently updated and revised the biography with additional material in January 2007.
. His movie review took the form of a fictitious letter from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
to the movie's star, Halle Berry
, who had previously won an Academy Award in 2002. An excerpt of the letter follows:
For this, Muller received a 2004 award from the Arizona Press Club for best film, video and television criticism. The Press Club described his review of Catwoman as follows: “A review so fresh and clever that it's worth reading to the end, even knowing that the movie is a dog.”
, at the age of 42. The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
at Arizona State University
announced plans to create a scholarship in honor of Muller. According to the dean of the Cronkite School, “In many ways, Bill represents what we want our students to achieve….He was a reporter who upheld the highest standards of accuracy, thoroughness and thoughtfulness.”
Background and career path
Bill Muller was born in New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, grew up in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, and received a degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the University of Texas. He began his journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
career at the Dallas Times Herald
Dallas Times Herald
The Dallas Times Herald, founded in 1888 by a merger of the Dallas Times and the Dallas Herald, was once one of two major daily newspapers serving the Dallas, Texas area. It won three Pulitzer Prizes, all for photography, and two George Polk Awards, for local and regional reporting...
as a crime reporter. Then, he worked at the News and Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
for two years.
In 1994, he joined the Arizona Republic, where he was an investigative reporter, and, starting in 2000, a film critic. He resided in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
with his wife Deborah, a former movie studio publicist, and their two children.
Muller covered public utilities during the late 1990s for the Republic, including the issue of power industry deregulation
Deregulation
Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or simplification of government rules and regulations that constrain the operation of market forces.Deregulation is the removal or...
. His credits also include an award-winning profile of U.S. Senator John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
, articles exposing public corruption, and a regular column devoted to fantasy football
Fantasy football (American)
Fantasy football is an interactive, virtual competition in which people manage professional football players versus one another and that allows people to act as general managers of a pseudo-football team. The players that an individual is able to manage are professional American Football players...
. Later, as a film critic, "Some of Bill's reviews were more entertaining than the actual movies”, according to movie theater owner Dan Harkins.
Reporter
Muller’s profile of John McCain won first place in the Arizona Press Club’s 1999 Awards for the Best Journalism in Arizona in government/politics reporting. The Arizona Press Club described Muller's "The life story of Arizona's maverick senator" as follows:This story soared above the competitors. This entry was written masterfully and thoroughly. The reporting was excellent as the writer drew from a myriad of sources and materials. No stone was apparently left unturned in providing insight into the real John McCain. This is the story to read for anyone wondering who John McCain is but wanting a fair, unbiased accounting. Particularly impressive was the section on the complicated Keating Five scandal, which is often written about in confusing, hard-to-understand terms. The scandal was portrayed accurately, but the details were not skimped on in making it easy to understand for those unfamiliar with it.
Bill Muller's profile of John McCain originally appeared in The Arizona Republic and on azcentral.com on October 3, 1999. Reporter Dan Nowicki subsequently updated and revised the biography with additional material in January 2007.
Film critic
Several years after Muller transformed himself from a reporter into a film critic, he wrote a review of the 2004 film CatwomanCatwoman (film)
Catwoman is a 2004 American superhero film and quasi-spinoff of the Batman film series directed by Pitof and released by Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures on July 23, 2004....
. His movie review took the form of a fictitious letter from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures...
to the movie's star, Halle Berry
Halle Berry
Halle Berry is an American actress and a former fashion model. Berry received an Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, and an NAACP Image Award for Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and won an Academy Award for Best Actress and was nominated for a BAFTA Award in 2001 for her performance in Monster's Ball, becoming...
, who had previously won an Academy Award in 2002. An excerpt of the letter follows:
While we at the Academy pride ourselves on having open minds and a strict noninterference policy concerning the roles chosen by our previous winners, we're forced to make an exception in your case. If you would consult the paperwork that arrived with your statuette, I would direct you to section E, subsection 2b, in which the Academy can, in limited circumstances, rescind an award and request return of the statuette. The specific language in question refers to winners who bring "shame, ridicule or derision" upon the Academy through "wanton, reckless and repeated dramatic incompetence." Given your consistent overacting and mugging in "Catwoman" (not to mention your previous work in "Gothika"), I think it would be difficult to argue this codicil does not apply. So, at this time, we'd like to ask for our award back.
For this, Muller received a 2004 award from the Arizona Press Club for best film, video and television criticism. The Press Club described his review of Catwoman as follows: “A review so fresh and clever that it's worth reading to the end, even knowing that the movie is a dog.”
Planned scholarship in his honor
Bill Muller died on September 6, 2007 of kidney cancerRenal cell carcinoma
Renal cell carcinoma is a kidney cancer that originates in the lining of the proximal convoluted tubule, the very small tubes in the kidney that filter the blood and remove waste products. RCC is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults, responsible for approximately 80% of cases...
, at the age of 42. The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication , is one of the 24 independent schools at Arizona State University and named in honor of veteran broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite...
at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
announced plans to create a scholarship in honor of Muller. According to the dean of the Cronkite School, “In many ways, Bill represents what we want our students to achieve….He was a reporter who upheld the highest standards of accuracy, thoroughness and thoughtfulness.”