I started watching Sneak Previews on PBS in 1977 as a kid age 10 - I was obsessed with this show and used to simply say "The Show is on" and my parents knew what I was referring to - I never missed a single episode over the years - RIP Siskel & Ebert, you changed the face of film criticism and movies
I'm a couple years younger than you but I agree, Sneak Preview was special. It was the only way a kid could see scenes from so many movies, including R rated ones that we wouldn't get to watch until years later on HBO or VHS rentals. Watching Sneak Previews was almost as exciting as actually going to the movies when I was a kid.
Man the PBS version was so much better than the syndicated version. They seem more relaxed and they obviously had more time to discuss the films in greater detail
In those episodes a few years into "Sneak Previews" you can see that Ebert was still trying to find his on-air footing while Siskel had become more comfortable.. After Siskel passed away Roger would mention that Gene greatly helped him to embrace their unique opportunity in doing the show.
Gene could be a real snob at times but he had nothing on that jerk John Simon. That dude was clearly bitter over the fact that he didn't have what it took to create films so he trashed a lot of them.
1977 an awesome year I saw all three of those movies in the movies and they were amazing. Although I was a rock and soul girl living bands line Queen, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd and soul like the temptations , for about a 1 2/2 year period I was definitely on the disco beat, but then rap music started in 79 and fuck music with Parliament, and goodbye disco. But it was cool while it lasted and I absolutely loved Saturday Night Fever :)
whenever i see old photos or video of Gene he seemed like someone that was really into that whole scene. i mean he always seemed snobby and uptight, but at the same time he seemed like those older guys that hung around discos and danced with the young pretty things. a midlife sort of thing.
John g. Avildsen was originally on board to direct and he wanted to make Travolta more sympathetic. He also wanted a more straightforward story instead of the day-in-the-life movie it ended up being.Thank goodness he got the boot!
I watched them from when they started and Siskel looked like a porn actor. It is inconceiveable any reviewers would have the guts to have Dog of the Week nowadays.🎉🎉
Saw Close Encounters again recently on TCM and it is truly awful! I really didn't like it. I have never liked Star Wars, just not my type of movie. I love Saturday Night Fever. So weird though seeing Tara Martin from All My Children (Karen Lynn Gorney) as a very different woman in it. Fun to see Siskel & Ebert so early on!
Sorry, but as good as Night Fever was, Thank God It's Friday was a much more accurate illustration of what life in the mid-to-late 70s was. See that film.
well except for the horrible acting. I saw that movie when it came out and only Donna Summer was worth the watch, the commodores cool as well, but the acting OMG horrific! And that little stubby guy, I went to many a disco in the day and never saw an idiot like that! But hey it was the 70's so what ever a person likes they like. but I must admit there were a few funny spots esp to a 19 years old like I was at the time, LMAO 🤣
@@janetstorm7881 LOL. Yeah, I suppose some of the acting was bad, but not that done by Debra Winger, Jeff Goldblum, and especially the woman playing the drug addict she was hysterical. I also liked Debra Winger's character's best friend who kept telling her how to identify a 'bad prospect' but then ended up with exactly that type of man. Still, there are 3 films that portray what life was like in the mid-1970s. TGIF is one. Night Fever is the second and of course Love at First Bite was third (and perhaps the most accurate in depicting the sexual encounters of the time. You know, the kind of encounters that usually ended with 'Hey, what did you say your name was?'
@@janetstorm7881 It certainly was. In fact one night in a disco, on the outskirts of Frisco, I was on the dance floor and I actually said, "I feel sorry for anyone who is born after today because they will never know how good life can be.';
I started watching Sneak Previews on PBS in 1977 as a kid age 10 - I was obsessed with this show and used to simply say "The Show is on" and my parents knew what I was referring to - I never missed a single episode over the years - RIP Siskel & Ebert, you changed the face of film criticism and movies
I'm a couple years younger than you but I agree, Sneak Preview was special.
It was the only way a kid could see scenes from so many movies, including R rated ones that we wouldn't get to watch until years later on HBO or VHS rentals.
Watching Sneak Previews was almost as exciting as actually going to the movies when I was a kid.
@@tommy1138 100% agree!
Man the PBS version was so much better than the syndicated version. They seem more relaxed and they obviously had more time to discuss the films in greater detail
Yeah this is about the time I started watching them. They were more palatable to watch review movies than Gene Shallit.
Yeah, i felt that way even back then when i was in junior high.
Agree.
And they show longer clips of the movie
In those episodes a few years into "Sneak Previews" you can see that Ebert was still trying to find his on-air footing while Siskel had become more comfortable.. After Siskel passed away Roger would mention that Gene greatly helped him to embrace their unique opportunity in doing the show.
I remember when Siskel gave Star Wars a mild “no” on a local CBS news broadcast. Bill Curtis and Walter Jacobson low key called him an elitist snob.
Gene could be a real snob at times but he had nothing on that jerk John Simon. That dude was clearly bitter over the fact that he didn't have what it took to create films so he trashed a lot of them.
The days of originality and creativity are long gone ...but these films are great
1977 an awesome year I saw all three of those movies in the movies and they were amazing. Although I was a rock and soul girl living bands line Queen, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd and soul like the temptations , for about a 1 2/2 year period I was definitely on the disco beat, but then rap music started in 79 and fuck music with Parliament, and goodbye disco. But it was cool while it lasted and I absolutely loved Saturday Night Fever :)
Umm what kind of music??
FUNK @@sblagg527
We used to make movies in this country
Siskel Love Saturday Night Fever so much he paid 2000.00 for Travolta's suit from the movie.
That love must have made him even more angry at Staying Alive!
And it was sold for 145 grand in 1995, with a nice profit margin.
whenever i see old photos or video of Gene he seemed like someone that was really into that whole scene. i mean he always seemed snobby and uptight, but at the same time he seemed like those older guys that hung around discos and danced with the young pretty things. a midlife sort of thing.
For all of us Star Wars is now a myth of cinema. So is interesting to listen a contemporary review of the movie
Great year for films. Same here, used to watch it on PBS than it went to ch.11 wpix
'Another look at Stars Wars...' ?? Where's their first look at Star Wars??
Request the 2001 episode with Reviews of Larry Clark's Bully ➕ Legally Blonde ➕ Scary Movie 2!!
John g. Avildsen was originally on board to direct and he wanted to make Travolta more sympathetic. He also wanted a more straightforward story instead of the day-in-the-life movie it ended up being.Thank goodness he got the boot!
😊
Can you find a Siskel & Ebert episode with “Star Trek: First Contact” (1996)?
Poor old Sorceror.
I watched them from when they started and Siskel looked like a porn actor. It is inconceiveable any reviewers would have the guts to have Dog of the Week nowadays.🎉🎉
Saw Close Encounters again recently on TCM and it is truly awful! I really didn't like it. I have never liked Star Wars, just not my type of movie.
I love Saturday Night Fever. So weird though seeing Tara Martin from All My Children (Karen Lynn Gorney) as a very different woman in it.
Fun to see Siskel & Ebert so early on!
lol what didn’t you like about close encounters? It’s one of my favorite movies. I’m curious!
@@QuintTheSharkersame! I love it
It's cheesy. @@QuintTheSharker
close encounters was super good when i first saw it i couldn't believe it was made in 1977 back then i thought most pre 1990 movies were boring
Sorry, but as good as Night Fever was, Thank God It's Friday was a much more accurate illustration of what life in the mid-to-late 70s was. See that film.
well except for the horrible acting. I saw that movie when it came out and only Donna Summer was worth the watch, the commodores cool as well, but the acting OMG horrific! And that little stubby guy, I went to many a disco in the day and never saw an idiot like that! But hey it was the 70's so what ever a person likes they like. but I must admit there were a few funny spots esp to a 19 years old like I was at the time, LMAO 🤣
@@janetstorm7881 LOL. Yeah, I suppose some of the acting was bad, but not that done by Debra Winger, Jeff Goldblum, and especially the woman playing the drug addict she was hysterical. I also liked Debra Winger's character's best friend who kept telling her how to identify a 'bad prospect' but then ended up with exactly that type of man. Still, there are 3 films that portray what life was like in the mid-1970s. TGIF is one. Night Fever is the second and of course Love at First Bite was third (and perhaps the most accurate in depicting the sexual encounters of the time. You know, the kind of encounters that usually ended with 'Hey, what did you say your name was?'
@@WilAdams 77 was a crazy time to be a 19 year old college freshman, a time like non other. greatest decade ever 😎
@@janetstorm7881 It certainly was. In fact one night in a disco, on the outskirts of Frisco, I was on the dance floor and I actually said, "I feel sorry for anyone who is born after today because they will never know how good life can be.';
Everyone is convinced that their decade was the real decade to live. 😂