I grew up watching these guys. I always wanted to hear their opinions about that week's movies. I'd never miss an episode. I really miss them. RIP, Siskel and Ebert. Top tier writers and entertainers.
Me too. Started watching them in 1984 and basically caught their shows. Not until 1989 did I decide to tape shows in case I missed something or wanted to hear stuff again. This show here I missed because the show changed stations and I couldn't find it for a few weeks. Glad to catch it here. But these guys were great to listen to when they were excited about something or pissed off. You knew they weren't crying wolf.
Watching them talk about "Funny About Love", I realized how much I miss them and how no film critics had a rapport like they did. And, to this day, no one does.
Siskel and Ebert weren't just film critics. They were great artists. That's why their film reviews are often far more interesting and entertaining than the films themselves.
As much as I admired them, I wish they never used "thumbs up or down". Films can't be judged used such a simple metric to indicate the quality of a film.
@@ricardocantoral7672 I agree with the latter part of your comment (that it's silly to opine as to the "quality" of a movie with a mere "good" or "bad," as a film critic), but I don't think that's the purpose of the thumb up/down. I think it's more of a recommendation tool. I seem to recall Ebert and/or Siskel not recommending a movie that they enjoyed, or vice versa, though I can't come up with any examples off of the top of my head.
+Cliff Slatterly I agree 100%...I didn't always agree with them either...But their discussions did convince me to take a look at certain films that I may not have watched if not for these two guys...
Boy, do I miss these guys. It seems as if they've stop making good movies since these guys have passed away. No more Goodfellas, The Last Picture Show and Saturday Night Fever. There is nothing special about any movies these days and God help us when they do a remake. I have my DVDs.
Their analysis of perceived anti-Semitism in “Mo Better Blues” is the most clearly-stated, nuanced, and intelligent breakdown of how stereotyping works in art, and how to prevent it, that I’ve ever heard. Movie criticism and American culture lost so much when they departed the scene. I swear to god, I actually teared up listening to Gene. It is so rare to hear anyone say anything half this intelligent on television.
But the problem I have with Siskel's solution is that IT too, can become a cliche. Like the "Prostitute with a heart of gold." Giving a tight-fisted club owner one line to show his love for jazz would have been like having Scarlett O'Hara treat Hattie Mc'Daniel like an equal in one scene. ("SEE, not all slave owners were bad for slaves!") What matters most about stereotypes in movies is if a race/religion/nationality is always portrayed in the same negative way, and, in that case, the blame lies not on just one film maker, but on the entire industry.
At the end of the day, there are bound to be stereotypes in films. Nobody is raised an environment that is truly diverse and those complain diversity don't actually want it.
@@ricardocantoral7672 Plenty of people are raised in an environment that is “truly diverse,” especially those raised in and around New York City and other major world cities, like London and Los Angeles. Of course, that word, and that sentiment don’t have a single thing to do with what Gene was saying, which tells me you didn’t listen to what he says, but just responded with an irrelevant personal axe to grind about “diversity” because you were emotional triggered by the very thought of a conversation around stereotypes. “There are bound to be stereotypes in films”: Duh. We have literally thousands of examples of that. They have been pervasive for over a century. Also not the point. The point is that nuanced characters who aren’t cardboard cutouts are both more realistic and more enjoyable to watch onscreen. This goes for every conceivable type of stereotype, not just ethnic or religious ones. Gene wasn’t terribly upset over the stereotyping in “Mo Better Blues,” he just wanted movies to be as good as they can be, especially those by a director he admired. But if you want mindless, paint-by-numbers, junk, you’re SO in luck, because 99% of everything is junk-and this especially applies to movies.
@@highwaystar3780 - Both Goodfellows and Narrow Margin were reviewed by Siskel and Ebert in the Video. That is what they have in common. Obviously, Goodfellows is a great Movie and much better known, but Narrow Margin is a pretty good Movie as well.
It was nice Pesci also branched out into comedy like the Lethal Weapon movies and My Cousin Vinny after this, didn't just become the Scorsese hothead again and again.
After Blackkklansman came out, the charges of Spike Lee being an anti-semite went away, or at any rate, were no longer credible. I think he learned from his mistakes, and his latest film was the best one he ever made.
No film has influenced more movies and TV since 'Goodfellas' in 1990. Boogie Nights, Go, The Sopranos, American Hustle, Blow, Swingers, Pulp Fiction (of coarse) and Reservoir Dogs are just some of the better examples of the many movies and TV shows that have been heavily influenced by 'Goodfellas'.
These two guys were, first and foremost, WRITERS. Their sensibilities on TV here came from their souls, because before they ever did a critique here on a movie, they had already written about it in either the Sun Times (Roger) or Tribune (Gene), Chicago's two biggest newspapers, at least at the time. Siakel was more basic, he cut through the noise, and said, I loved (or hated) this movie because. 1, 2, 3, 4. This actor I loved, that director I didn't, and the script was either great or terrible, usually. Roger, on the other hand, was the flowery interpreter of what the director, writers and actors were trying to do, and almost never missed a chance to compare the movie he was reviewing to some other film from a previous era, to match up story lines, intentions or acting performances. These guys were the real deal, their love for cinema blasted through in every show they did together, and if you watch this particular show to the end, Siskel is at his intellectual and emotional best here when addressing the charges of racism leveled at Spike Lee. Being proudly Jewish from Chicago he especially waa sensitive to the issues mentioned here. You can always hear his Chicago accent whenever he says Hard, or Car, btw. That hard Chicago A. Roger, being from downstate Illinois, did not have that accent. But I digress. They both died WAYYYY too young, and both from particularly heinous diseases. Maybe all that time in dark theaters eating popcorn wasn't good for them. Or maybe it was just coincidence, who knows? But as someone who loves the movies, they sure saved me... and a lot of us, from seeing the bad ones, right? Did you ever go see a movie after watching this show and seeing a movie you were thinking of seeing receive TWO THUMBS DOWN???!!! Me either, lol. I've noticed since their passing, that I don't find myself nearly as interested in cinema anymore. I've been to only one movie in the theatre now in the past 10 years... Bohemian Rhapsody. Two thumbs up. Right boys?
A great classic with Bracco elevating the movie in my opinion. The real life Tommy played by Pesci actually was a taller version of Liotta, who looked like him. Jimmy Conway was a flippin lunatic ...
I used to watch this show for the three years prior to Gene siskel passing on. I disagree with both siskel and ebert about narrow margin I think it was a good movie. rest in peace Mr siskel and Mr Ebert.
I caught myself identifying with them too, because i was raised around them and the union in Kansas City and later Vegas and Dallas. I'm so lucky I'm not dead.
I understand Gene's argument about the Lee characters of the brothers but like Tarantino, he is a writer and can create any cinematic universe he wants, whether people agree or not. Films and the writing are fiction and people can decide whether they like it not or decide to leave the theatre ... To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if Lee was referencing the Weinstein brothers and they realized it and organized a media outcry ...
when they were talking about the spike lee stereotype issue, gene remarks that ebert didnt recognize at first that the club owners were jewish. He said it very straight faced, but I knew he was saying it to make him look bad. Then Ebert acknowledges it and what a naive midwestern small town boy he must appear, and at 18:19 i knew I was right, gene is enjoying that way too much lmfao
@@craigwilson3532 - Spoiler Alert He? The Twist being the Woman who was flirting with the Gene Hackman Characte who seemed to liked him- "The Tall Girl" was reallly working with the Bad Guys- The Professional KIllers and was a Professional Killer herself?
so in one show you've got a completely-forgotten failed comedy flop starring a long-fallen giant of the genre, one of the best movies ever made, and a boring by-the-numbers / connect the dots Hollywood Thriller bomb that's also been completely forgotten. being a film critic must be an emotionally-draining and confusing job sometimes.
This is funny about the Mo Better Blues Incident about anti-semitism but Quentin Tarantino been doin it for years. I'm not taking sides but lets be truthful spike and quentin are one and the same.
This is from 1990, 2 full years before we ever knew who Tarrentino even was with Reservoir Dogs but really his name wasn't the household one it is now until 1994 & Pulp Fiction
Spike Lee would go on to be a bit of a hypocrite over Quentin Tarantino's movies using racial slurs even though the characters were murders, rapist ect. It would seem Lee wants racial immunity on what he directs while turning his nose up at anyone else. A real killer isn't going to be very politically correct and it would dumb down the character in an R rated movie.
I think deep down they both admire but are jealous of each other. Lee knows Tarantino might be the better writer but Tarantino knows Lee is better at communicating and articulating black experiences which is natural since Lee is black and Tarantino is an observer on the outside.
The irony of the helicopter being noticed in GoodFellas and nothing being done about it, and their gripe about it not being noticed in Narrow Margin is classic of how Gene's Brain Cancer had rendered him unable to make that connection. Liotta would have just left, if he thought he was going to be arrested. And Ebert...well he was always kinda soft and dumb.
siskel is actually wrong here in that these owners must have loved jazz...these clubs were most likely left over speak easy's.....owned by the mob....who had but one concern...making money...maybe spike should have presented them like that...but the real issue is.....is the charge...of anti- se m i ti sm......being used to prevent depiction or accurate portrayal........of j ews? many a life has been ruined by such false charges.....
