Siskel and Ebert

A couple of fellows from Chicago became two of the most well known movie critics in the US when they took to the television screen in 1982 through the late 1990s. Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel were quite a team. They recognized a great film. Their comments educated about what contributes to a movie's success, and what kinds of problems can take away its power and beauty. Their faces lit up, their voices became animated, when they could discuss a movie that truly satisfied them. Siskel could become lyrical when speaking of movies that moved him.

Their hearts were in their work; they were hardly ever cruel about a film they were reviewing. They loved movies and appreciated the kind of effort and talent that filmmakers and actors put into creating a work that engages its audience.

Their back-and-forth exchanges enlightened the viewers, both about the movie at hand, and life in general. Plain-spoken, they were honest about what they thought was good or effective, and what they thought was not. They were civil to each other, but could get quickly heated when they disagreed about whether a scene was effective. Ebert could get snippy and irritable when his opinion was countered, and Siskel might push a button or two more before becoming the angelic peacemaker. No matter what, they kept showing up for the next program.

Viewers came away with useful info about which movies coming up might best interest them. They were pleasurably entertained by two knowledgeable, articulate reviewers. And they got to watch two people share an enthusiasm and work out differences week after week, year after year. A number of their videotaped reviews can be found via youtube.com .