This is the original review of Chariots of Fire by Siskel & Ebert on "Sneak Previews" in 1981. All of the segments pertaining to the movie have been included.
One of my favorite films of all time. Completely absorbing. But not for everyone. Raiders is also one of my favorite films. So it's a tough call. Raiders, obviously more appealing to a wider audience, but no less enthralling. I usually agree with Siskel more than Ebert, but this time, I'm definitely in league with Roger. Great, great film. he states he was 'very deeply affected'. Me too.
@@leew1598 Das Boot in my opinion was my favorite movie this year(came out in West Germany,look it up, in December this year). Although this is an outstanding movie, Raiders of course as well, ‘81 was a low key OUTSTANDING year for movies!!!
As a kid, I couldn't sit through this movie without falling asleep. The same was true with films like Gone with the Wind. However, now that I'm an adult, I absolutely love both of those films. There is more "story" in these films than what you find in their run-times. They are character studies of individuals from a very particular point in history. The acting is superb.
@Dean F. children sometimes have poor taste, they might prefer batman and robin over films like this but there's other times where you wish you could be a kid again, the way they experience and believe a film like Raiders of the Lost Ark is probably going to be better in a way that an adult. They don't think about film analysis, plot holes or how an effect was done. They just enjoy the magic. Children will suffer though if you make them watch a long film on serious adult themes. In this the themes are rivalry and competition and self belief in relation to rebellion against some of the upper-class establishment values of 1920s Britain so probably not great for children.
Chariots of Fire was a favorite of mine when I was a kid. Just watched it today for the first time in twenty, thirty years? It was spectacular. Fun, too, that I really didn't remember the plot, so kind of got to see it fresh. Interestingly, my boys, who are both under 8, will sit through and watch all of Interstellar and For All Mankind. Maybe it'd be a good time to watch this with them.
@@lw3646 I was the weirdo kid who saw Chariots of Fire at age 10 and was hooked and tried to show it to my friends, who had little interest. I had the movie memorized, and I ended up running track in high school and college, inspired by Eric Liddell.
We must’ve watched different cuts of the film as I found the characters incredibly one note at the most, and the story completely lacking of any trace of tension or stakes outside of any scene with the Vangelis soundtrack. Acting was ok, but what a dull script , wow.
I think this is a GREAT film!!! But this isn’t the BEST film of 1981. Das Boot is, BY FAR!!!!!!! It was released in West Germany( LOOK IT UP KIDS) in December of 1981, and came out in the states in February of 1982.
I really like Das Boot. Have seen it many times. I'm no authority, but think both Das Boot and Chariots of Fire are similarly extremely well made. Chariots touches me a bit more, maybe like what Roger described. If Das Boot does that for you, I'm glad that exists to give you and others that happiness. My favorite might be Gattaca. I realize just now there are some similar themes between it and Chariots of Fire (hadn't really thought of it before).
@@jimmybonez8928Das Boot was a fine film in its own right. It is of a completely different genre however and I think it’s impossible to say one is “better” than the other. Chariots of Fire presents to us something which many of us can relate to in human nature. As an old runner, I definitely *feel* the film and its themes.
@@hwyfan you're certainly entitled to your opinion. But I honestly think that genre, REALLY DOESN'T MATTER!!!! A great film is a great film. The fact that Das Boot isn't a sophisticated drama doesn't qualify it for you as the BEST picture of the year is completely fine. To each their own. BTW, not making recriminations against you, just stating my opinion.
British films, which had once been so exciting back in the 1960s, were so dull during this period. "Gandhi" (1982) was another snoozer. Flavorless but good for you, like eating a cabbage. Later in the decade, "indie"-style British films, pointing toward a direction away from big "prestige" films, revived the art.
Yes along with a few others for me like The Third Man, Great Expectations, Lawrence of Arabia, Zulu, A Room with a view, Howard's End, Gandhi, the Railway Children.
This movie was definitely from another time. I loved this movie when I saw it in 1981. I still like it but the fact that it is over 40 years old really makes me feel old.
My parents " we're seeing chariots of fire you can sit in the car or see it with us" siblings-2 sat in the car 2 saw it. The two the saw it were bored out of their minds. lmao.
My two problems with CoF: the industrial sounding music that accompanies the workout session of the US team and the trackside, post-meet motivational speech given by Ian Charleson that does not quite ring true to the evangelistically minded Eric Liddell. I understand the reasons for these choices, but...yeah. Raiders was certainly more entertaining being filled with fun, adventure, and references to the old serial films from the black-and-white era. But like its cousin, Star Wars, Raiders was more of a cartoon created by fans of entertaining films they grew up with and wanted to deliver a similar experience to their generation of movie goers. People moved by Chariots of Fire can appreciate Raiders of th Lost Ark. But the heroism displayed in Chariots is of a different quality altogether, made more impactful being based on an actual human drama and the fact that "All of Scotland mourned."
I like quiet, deliberate films... but this movie is as boring as can be. I never understood the praise heaped on it. It's SO incredibly bland. The running scenes don't look like the actors are even trying, I doubt they even broke a sweat. Blah.
@@MontgomeryMall shit...his life became lesser with each movie he make...poor guy , hollywood's landlords absolutely kill his career to a point this was his last Big project , after that , cause querelle is kinda non hollywood like , very Artistic non Profit European Movie ...and it was querelle that put the rope around his neck....
Intriguing how two films, both very similar, both came out in 1981 (Chariots, & Gallipoli), with the qualities that Ebert alludes to 7:35 ... uplifts the spirit, amazing score, exhilaration......and tears...
I like all three. You couldn’t go wrong with awarding any of them. I personally felt I connected with On Golden Pond best but COF is still great. Reds by Warren Beatty was also excellent.
Thank you, Gene! This is one of those films I really wanted to like and gave a few chances. But I think Gene summed it up pefectly. Best musical score of all time! Best opening scene. But boring movie.
I'm with Roger Ebert on this one. The movie changed my life, literally. And how many films can say they actually led people to become Christians? I lost count of the number of people who were so moved by Eric Liddell's character in the film that they immersed themselves in Christianity, read about his real life story, and converted.
@@OhSankYouDoktor Did something I say bother you? :) I respect you for giving your honest opinion. I was only sharing my opinion, experience, and reaction to seeing the film. It changed my life for the better. There are few films that I can say had such an impact on my childhood, and even my adulthood. What's boring to one person can be life changing for someone else. It makes life all the more interesting how unique and different everyone's subjective experiences are!
I agree with you and with Gene. The movie actually seemed a bit flat to me, overall. But I have to reconsider it, after hearing Roger note the replacement of determination with technology at that time. Now I better understand all the fuss about Mussabini, with the stopwatch, the massages, etc. - and who, I understand, gave his athletes drugs in real life to improve performance.
I can only assume people love this film for silly patriotic reasons. Great soundtrack but incredibly posh people running and discussing the politics of running is just not very interesting.
I agree with Roger. This film is in the pantheon, as close to a perfect film as can be achieved. Technically brilliant, spellbinding, "immersive", emotionally moving and intellectually challenging. My favorite film of all time.
It was a pretentious piece of shit. It went from one unbelievable speech to another that never displayed the real youth of the two main characters. It was uninteresting and a whole wardrobe of the Kings new cloths
