Two thumbs up! Those are the three little words that stated it all. It’s hard to believe that a little show called “Sneak Previews” which started out as a movie program on a Chicago PBS affiliate in 1975 would revolutionize film criticism. In 1986 the show officially became “Siskel & Ebert and the Movies” and a pop culture phenomenon was born.
It didn’t sound all that exciting. Who would want to watch two film critics sitting across the aisle debating the latest releases? The answer was enough people that the show has endured to this day.
It endured the death of Gene Siskel in 1999. Eventually, his seat was taken by Chicago Sun-Times columnist Richard Roeper. The show continued to endure. Then this year the unthinkable happened – the show was forced to go on without Roger Ebert, due to complications from cancer surgery.
While the show continues today as “At the Movies” it’s just not the same. It has two new hosts – Ben Lyons (whose qualifications are being the son of film critic Jeffrey Lyons and working for the E! channel) and Ben Mankiewicz of Turner Classic Movies. The show’s format has also changed somewhat. Worst of all, it no longer includes “thumbs up, thumbs down.” The trademark is owned by Ebert and Siskel’s widow, and the show’s distributor failed to reach an agreement with Ebert to continue its use on the show.
Also, now the show also has two main critics and a three-critic roundtable. The fact that it takes roughly five critics to replace Siskel and Ebert should tell us something – the revamped show is the end of an era. This is a big blow to the lost art of film criticism. What is it that made this show such a staple for casual filmgoers and film buffs alike?
For me the attraction was the debates. It wasn’t just two people yelling at one another, it was scholarly debate with both critics bringing a wealth of not just film knowledge but knowledge of the other arts as well. What made it even better was that Siskel and Ebert were knowledgeable without being snooty. They knew a great art house film but they also knew when they had seen a great blockbuster.
Too often today one has to wonder if a film critic has actually seen the movie he or she is reviewing or why they only recommend socially relevant films. I will admit that I think “Casablanca” is the greatest film of all time. I also recognize that the most fun movie I’ve ever seen is “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
I bring all of this up because this little show about movies made such an impression on me that I now try to see as many movies as I can and I make a religious habit of reading Roger Ebert’s reviews every week. Other film critics could learn a lot from Ebert, but not just because he won a Pulitzer Prize.
Ebert is rare in that he has tremendous insight into not just the film but also the audience for the film. He understands what people expect out of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” versus “Standard Operating Procedure.” Back when the show was still “Siskel & Ebert and the Movies” the duo not only reviewed new releases but also did segments on certain directors, such as Quentin Tarantino, as well as segments about unusual topics.
Thankfully most of these treasures can now be dug up on the “At the Movies” Web site. One of my favorites was a show that Siskel and Ebert did in black and white to show their appreciation of black and white movies. It wasn’t just a way to voice their disgust over the colorization of old movies (which should be outlawed, but that’s another discussion) but also to explain why people should give these movies a chance.
Siskel and Ebert’s love of film and their lively discussions inspired me not just to watch their show every week but also to check out films I may not have. As an example, I may never have discovered “Blue Velvet” had I not seen the impassioned debate about it on the show. Granted, it turned out to be a film that made me want to take a shower, but I was glad, I had been introduced to the cinematic stylings of David Lynch.
The magic of this show which is now an institution is that it doesn’t matter how much or how little you know about movies, all that matters is that you come with an open mind. Who knows? You may wind up checking out a movie you either never heard of or never thought you would like. For that the show deserves a “thumbs up!”
Sitzman is a senior print journalism major and guest columnist for The Spectator.
