Prior to websites Rotten Tomatoes and Internet review shows like The Angry Video Game Nerd and The Nostalgia Critic, we have the 2 legendary film critics, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. They were an influence on how we view and judge movies today and left a lasting legacy in the history of both film and media criticism. But why were they so influential and how were they remembered so fondly? Let's take a look, but here's a small history lesson behind the show.
It all started when both critics began working for competing Chicago newspapers in the late 1960's. They were rivals back then. Throughout their early careers as film critics, a local PBS station in Chicago, WTTW, saw potential in making a movie review show and the duo teamed up in late 1975, when their first showed aired. It was called Opening Soon at a Theater Near You. The show was so successful in Chicago that PBS decided to air the show nationwide a few years later. The show was later re-titled Sneak Previews. After contractual issues with PBS, they moved to syndicated television in 1982 and the show was re-named At The Movies. This was when they created their signature "thumps up/thumbs down" ratings because they have previously have rated movies with either "Yes" or "No" during their time on PBS. In 1986, they moved to Buena Vista Television and was later renamed from Siskel and Ebert and The Movies to Siskel and Ebert. It was their broadcasting home ever since.
The duo was known for heated discussions for the movies they have reviewed. Every time when they disagree about a movies, viewers were in for a real treat when they quarrel. Among their disagreements were Apocalypse Now (1979), Full Metal Jacket (1987), Benji The Hunted (1987), Lambada (1990), and Cop And A Half (1993). But they don't always argue. In fact they agree more often than they disagree. They agree on movies that are clearly good or clearly bad in their opinions. Even if you don't always agree with them, they are still interesting to listen to.
But more importantly, they don't just review then-recent Hollywood films, but they also review foreign films, independent and art films, documentaries, sometimes made for TV films, and re-releases on classic films either in theaters or on video. And they also covered important issues about the movies either in special segments or in special episodes. They did an episode on their attack on colorization, the controversial process to turning classic black and white films into color films. They have done episodes and actors and directors and often analyse their talents and contributions to the cinema. They have done episodes discussing trends and genres such as science fiction films, classic silent films, the home video market, or teenage sex comedies. They were among the first reviewers to review movies on Laserdisc and DVD and demonstrated their special features like audio commentaries, superior picture and sound to VHS, wide screen transfers, deleted scenes, production stills, storyboards, and behind the scenes footage. They were among the first critics to endorse letterboxing, the process of preserving wide screen movies on video by adding black bars on the top and bottom (this was back when HDTV was in it's infancy.)
But the biggest movie issue they have witnessed throughout their careers as critics is the the change from the auteur era of the 1970's to the blockbusters of today. Here's a history lesson that today's reviewers won't tell you. After the end of The Golden Age of Hollywood in the late 60's, the American cinema is under control by auteur directors, meaning that they are the sole author of the films. The directors back in the late 60's and early 70's has been making films they wanted to make, like Bonnie and Clyde, Easy Rider, M*A*S*H, McCabe and Mrs Miller, Mean Streets, and other films. But after the successes of Jaws and Star Wars, these 2 films has created the blockbuster era of film-making. This resulted into Hollywood's obsession with special effects, multi-million dollar marketing campaigns, and mainstream films overshadowing foreign films, art and independent films, and reissues of classic films. Hollywood's obsession with the box office still continues today.
In 1998, Gene Siskel was diagnosed with brain tumor and went to the hospital for surgery. He did come back to the show but he had only a few months to live and finally died of complications of brain surgery in February 20, 1999. After Gene's death, Roger decided to continue the show and rounded up guest critics to seek for a permanent replacement for Gene. In 2000, he picked Chicago Sun-Times columnist, Richard Roeper. Unfortunately, tragedy struck again. Roger Ebert was diagnosed with cancer and lost his voice in 2006. After Roeper continued the show with guest critics, he decided to leave the show in 2008. The show was revamped as At the Movies, which lasted only 2 seasons. The first season was hosted by Ben Mankiewicz of Turner Classic Movies and entertainment reporter Ben Lyons. After the this season received a lot of criticism, the two Bens were replaced by Chicago Tribune's Michael Phillips and The New York Times' A. O. Scott. The show was finally cancelled in August 2010.
In conclusion, I think the reason why Siskel and Ebert were remembered so fondly is because they are really passionate towards movies and deeply care about them. They don't do celebrity reports and gossip, they talk about movies and their knowledge and their love for the medium. That's why they were considered to be 2 of the best critics of all time.
