R.I.P. Roberta Hill (and the Crazed Cinephile That She Was)

The film world lost one of its most avid fans recently.  Roberta Hill, a staple of New York screenings - as well as the nemesis to some theatre employees - died on July 18, finally succumbing to the cancer that had been fighting her (I actually did not find out about it until I read her obit in the new Film Comment - lovingly written by fellow cinephile Jack Angstreich).  Roberta, who was one of five cinephiles highlighted in the 2002 doc Cinemania (along with the aforementioned Angstreich), was liked by some, hated by some and feared by some (scared to death is a more apt term I suppose) but one thing is for sure - the lady loved movies.  All movies.  The good, the bad and the ugly.  I never actually met Roberta - I had seen her at a few movies, but never actually deigned to talk with her (I was one of those that were scared to death of the woman) - but I could see, in both her attitude and fortitude, that she loved going to the movies more than anything else in the world - many times seeing as many as five or six a day (a thing yours truly has been known to do on many an occasion).  For those who liked her, hated her or were scared to death of her, she will be missed.  Hopefully she is watching movies wherever she may be now - just don't strangle the ticket taker Roberta.