Witness; Siskel & Ebert Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ส.ค. 2024
- Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel Movie Critics Review Witness
Movie reviews and ratings by former Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert and former Chicago Tribune movie critic Gene Siskel.
Revisit as they share thoughts on the best films of their era. From the best movies of the 1980s 1990s and 2000s to now, housed here are a collection of film trailers, reviews, and movie previews for you to enjoy. We’ll see you at the movies.
This movie is about as close to perfect as a movie can get. All its elements combine in total harmony and it manages to be so many things at once and does them all very well. Fantastic performances all around, unsentimental and realistic screenplay, stirring music score, amazing pacing and direction. The suspense is sustained but never overwhelming, and the romantic story is one of the most convincing ever seen.
This film is gorgeous. Harrison Ford should have won the Oscar for this one, truly. He stepped out of Han Solo and Indiana Jones and really became John Book. Just a wonderful film.
He was excellent and his only Oscar nom. But nobody was beating William Hurt that year.
Jah go back to the English!
"it's 4.30, time for milking"
@@scrapplepig "Not one this big .."
I have no idea why Lukas Haas did not get an Oscar as supporting actor - he was an 8-year-old kid, and he was magnificent
If I'm not mistaken, he and Jan Rubes both were nominated; 2 actors from the same movie cancelled each other out.
@@lincolnmaceachern2410 Really? That's interesting. Of course, Jan Rubes was also fantastic.
@@lincolnmaceachern2410 The only actor Oscar nominated from the film was Harrison Ford.
The finger pointing scene at the police station was brilliant. A non Amish boy would have called out when he saw the picture of Danny Glover. He just stared at Harrison Ford who carefully covered his finger. Just one of the great moments in one of my favourite films
McGillis should've be nominated for an oscar. Her and Ford were perfect in this movie. She ended up getting a golden globe nomination. Lukas Haas, although he was great in this film, didn't have enough scenes/dialogue to be worthy of oscar consideration.
I miss Siskel and Ebert. Hollywood got away with alot less crap with them on the job. This review is spot on.
I agree.
They were true critics. Today it’s bloggers and anyone can do it.
I grew up in Lancaster Co and was very familiar with the Amish, this movie beautifully portrays how they live. The simplicity and the beauty of Lancaster Co is on full display and actually makes me homesick. Not that we were Amish, but respect for them
And this movie. Would love to see this again
Witness has always ranked high on my list of favorites. The older I get, the more I love it. The cast is truly splendid but I think top billing goes to Peter Weir. His instincts and sensabsilities as a director are unique to say the least. Weir's creative disposition fit the material like a glove.The premise of Witness and the themes it explores are great but not exactly groundbreaking. The same material in different hands could have been easily mishandled. Witness succeeds in everything it sets out to accomplish because Peter Weir always manages to get directly over the target. The result is a thriller AND a romance of the highest order.
This is three great movies in one. An exciting police thriller, a touching love story about forbidden love, and a modern day clash of cultures. Can't get much better than that.
Yup.
Agreed
Witness honestly was one of the best movies Harrison Ford ever starred in! However, it seems to me like many people that I've informed this movie to have actually never heard of it! Perhaps it is in a way kind of underrated, but still it's a very chillingly intense thriller! Then again, maybe it's not too underrated, but I'm just surprised that in my hometown of Missoula Montana, whenever I mention Harrison Ford films to people, I always bring up "Witness" and they tell me they never heard of it. I always tell them, you are missing out on one of Harrison Ford's best starring roles!
It is a great movie which really thrills you and puts you on edge when it comes down to corruption in a big city police force!
~Dutch
I think because its older(1985) it was a commercial success and nominated for a bunch of awards
The barn raising scene is a classic.
Both in photography and that beautiful music by Maurice Jarre.
It’s actually peaceful watching the scene and I say too bad real construction isn’t that way.
And then they tore that barn down.
I love that scene so much.
@@charles1203 I went to high school near a very large old-order Amish community. I've seen a few of their barn raisings. While modern construction isn't really that way, their barn raisings are very similar to how it is depicted in that film. In fact, when I go home and visit my parents, I sometimes visit that Amish farm. They sell some fresh produce there that my parents buy. I always remember watching that barn go up.
Yup. That's one of the best scenes.
Love how Ford grabs his finger so he’s not pointing Very good touch
With everything going on in this brilliant movie, one of the best scenes is the most light-hearted where Ford and McGillis are dancing to Sam Cooke’s “(What A) Wonderful World”. Every couple should experience a spontaneous moment like that!
It's very much like the scene in Badlands , which is a good thing.
Such a masterful film. And what a pleasure it is to hear a review of this caliber, so perceptive and nuanced.
One of the best films I've ever seen. Too bad Out of Africa won Best Picture.
Out of Africa, starring Robert Deadford and Meryl Sleep. What a snoozefest that was.
Unbelievable
Both movies were great
I loved Out of Africa. I did But Witness, I think was a better movie all round. Out of Africa looked beautiful, but I mean, it was Africa, so many beautiful shots flying over the bush, the amazing scenery and wild animals and all that. But Witness was beautifully shot but in a completely different way. I think that it was a better movie and should’ve won best picture.
witness was robbed ! its best movie of 1985.. screw out of africa lol
I remember after I watched this movie, I was so in love with Rachel and just the beautiful simplicity of the life she lived with her family. Such a gut wrenching ending as Harrison Ford's character makes the decision to leave someone he obviously loves to go back to the violence and chaos of city life where he feels at home. And lets not forget the powerful and haunting soundtrack by Maurice Jarre which adds so much to this wonderful movie.
Yup.
I was in love with Harrison Ford and I still am.
Maurice Jarre's musical score for this move was breathtaking and considering the subject matter, so original.
You are so right, Dana. In fact every facet of this movie was exceptionally well done. Acting, writing, directing, cinematography, music... everything !
Boy is it!
It’s the only dated thing about the movie really, so for me it’s a no.
Especially the opening scene with the rolling wheat fields.
The music is never dated for me. I love it as much today as I did when I saw it in theaters. I found every clip on YT and downloaded it to listen to it at my leisure.
Watching this review back in the day is what prompted me to go see this film. To this day I think this was one of the best I'd ever seen. And, yes, this was Harrison Ford's greatest performance. Btw 'We can tell it...the average person can tell it, too."
One of the finest movies I ever saw
Peter Weir has made so many wonderful films.
His specialty is making hits out of material studio execs would consider "non-commercial"
I remember Viggo Mortensen had a secondary role as an Amish man.
I just watched it! such a fantastic movie, definitely one of the best of the 80's.
I agree!
Fantastic movie! One of Harrison's best. Kelly McGillis was perfect!
It's hard not to want to gush about the film, especially after the way they point out so many praises that are easy to agree with, but what I'm remembering seeing this is about their skill at elevating one's appreciation for great films. To help us identify why a film is great when it gives us something we didn't realize we'd want to see, rather than just give us the same old things that worked in the past.
So glad that during Harrison Ford's farewell tour he has not revisited Witness (unlike Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Blade Runner). Glad he left it alone-too perfect!
What could he do? Back to the Grain?
“Farewell tour” LoL
A really good movie. Kelly McGillis and Harrison ford characters love affair was very moving, a very artistically made movie similar to what you would find in continental european countries or foreign countries rather than the faster paced American style of film making. Like the movie critics here says the Australian directors have a style of directing that you would find in Europe or other foreign countries where film making is a form of art rather than all about monetary profits. Great performances from Ford and McGillis and artistic direction from the Australian director make this a terrific movie.
Yup. You make good points. Peter Weir.
I really loved this movie. Great film, well directed and brilliantly acted. The plot has it all with murder, sympathetic characters lots of suspense and a healthy dose of culture shock as a subplot.
Yup.
this movie was easily in the top 5 eighties films!
best movie of 1985
A perfect movie. Great direction, great acting, great soundtrack.
Chiling and incredible scene (pointing)
chilling fix it!
Probably one of the most 'rural 80s' movies I've seen along with _The Natural,_ _The River,_ and _Country._ 1985 was just its own little time.
"American directors are much too much about action and don't know how to direct the land," says Gene. Umm, Terence Malick? But, I get it. In the main, they are. And, I agree with both Roger & Gene about this and all of Peter Weir's films. Superb.
Witness is a four star movie; great screenplay is the reason :)
Great screenplay no doubt, but also great casting, acting, directing, and music. Witness is one of those dozen or so nearly perfect movies.
Won for *Best Original Screenplay* and *Best Film Editing* 🏆🏆
Top film. Very smart, the love story works as a story of repressed passion.
Witness is my favorite Harrison Ford movie and one of my top 5 favorites of all. Excellent movie.
I live not far from the Amish country in the film and have experience with Amish folks. This film is great and treats them with utmost respect. We now have a great 4K transfer too of the film to enjoy.
my favorite movie of all time.
My right ear really enjoyed this video!
Miss these guys....old fashioned movie review
Peter Weir also directed my favorite film of all time Gallipoli. They mention The Year of Living Dangerously, which I have never seen, but will now if they think it is better!
I love Harrison Ford. He’s like Paul Newman. There is intense presence but yet he can be funny like in Star Wars and Working Girl. Another really good movie is Frantic.
I like Witness and Presumed Innocent. I think Frantic is silly.
Frantic. Presumed Innocent. The Fugitive. Witness. What a man Ford is!
I agree with those sentiments especially what you said about frantic..(Frantic) never got the credit and the respect!! that it truly deserved at that time..Harrison Ford's performance along with his French co star Emmanuel seigneur were excellent to say the least, when you think of the rubbish that gets churned out by today's standards which receives such acclaim,, can't but not boggle the mind in how this can be possible-A simple explanation would certainly have to do with money exchanging hands
Frantic an amazing picture directed by Roman Polanski!
Sgt. Murtaugh how could you.
He's getting too old for this shit.
Whenever I use the bathroom at this train station I think of this movie.
With kiladelphia the murder capital of the usa, with the climate far worse than in 1985. I've spent weeks in every major us city, Kiladelphia is a place I prefer to avoid.
Sounds like you spend a lot of time in train station bathrooms. Cruising for punks?
I also think of Blow Out.
@@charles6771 Even more when you're a truck driver like me. City of Brotherly Love, my ass!!
@Phil McKrakin The dbag here is you. Blow Out happens to be De Palma's best film.
WITNESS to 4K now !!!!!!!
I miss these guys RIP
"A murder mystery and a love story" except there wouldn't have been much mystery left to the murder after that spoiler review with the key police station clip.
I think the mystery is in the movie, not necessarily to the viewer. The clip they show is pretty early in the movie, so it isn't giving anything away.
I concur. But finding out the killer is actually a decorated police officer is a major choke point in the story. Whenever I show it to someone for the first time that revelation always provokes a big “oh shit” reaction.
@@BULL.173 My point was just that the review gives it away. It is definitely a big reveal if you haven't had it spoiled.
I miss these two.
One of my all time favorite movies! ❤
mine too. Check otu all Peter Weir movies. Genious but this one in particular was a masterpeice.
Good to see Siskel (May he rest in peace) and Ebert agree on a film but a pity they didn’t once mention Maurice Jarre for his brilliant musical scoring of the film without which it wouldn’t have been the same. Oh well …
The Were Deaf in my opinion
I miss Roger Ebert.
No wonder my beloved was nominated for an Oscar for this performance; if you haven't figured it out already, that is why my 'screen name' is Ford's Girl- homage to The Great One
Soundtrack is amazing
This is a wonderful movie. Harrison blew me away in this one as much as the little boy and the actor who played the grandfather, I believe he's a german actor
Jan Rubes is Canadian, actually
@@RideAcrossTheRiver actually he was born in Czechoslovakia and emigrated to Canada as an adult.
@@gailwebb9619 Guess What, guess what ...
@@RideAcrossTheRiver what does this comment even mean?
@@gailwebb9619 Rubes' TV show in the 1970s.
I know it's been decades, and this is an old review, but the big spoiler for the film is shown in this review. UNREAL!
Fantastic movie. Love Ford!
I thought this one of his was great and also Regarding Henry was a great movie also.
Every single one of their reviews belongs in the Library of Congress.
It's a beautiful movie
I took my high school girlfriend to this movie for our first date.
did you get laid?
@@braddyer4441 I know the answer, because I was a ‘Witness’. See what I did there?
Thanks for sharing this.
This movie should’ve won best picture that year big let down by the Oscar’s
Great movie, and a very young Samuel (Lukas Haas) is enabled with face-recognition organic software to identify Danny Glover as the bad guy. Having Peter Weir directing with his usual choice of emotive soundtrack also helps.
Do you have the episode where they talked about Laserdiscs for the very first time?
The scene with letting the kid play with a gun that is not loaded...”Now it’s safe”...did not age well.
Compare that scene with one in Menace ll Society.
It's just an insight into the way he thinks.
And of course even though he is a cop he leaves a loaded gun in an unlocked drawer.
lewisner my recollection is that he was brought there unconscious as a result of his injuries. I don’t think he put it there
Not sure what didn't age well. It's still true that an unloaded gun can't hurt anyone. He was giving good gun safety advice to the kid: to only handle a gun with adult supervision and when it is unloaded.
Similar to Frantic, but also still some Han Solo
Viggo Mortenson sighting in this film!
I love these 2 💛🤟🙌👍
*_Ford, McGillis..._* *_Witness_* is one of Ford's best! Harrison Ford, though a known Liberal, is an inspiration to ALL men! He's got that "I'm a badass, but I should not need to be one." -mentality!
Real Men Are Liberals.
Bob Schneider lol if it were up to liberals they wouldn’t be men at all
Desmond K stop acting like a little girl.
What an incredibly sexist thing to say. I need a safe space
Though is one word too many. The sentence is perfect wirhout it.
Weir's best?
*The Year of Living Dangerously*
*Dead Poets Society*
*The Truman Show*
...so many to pick
Dead poet's society,but, how can you go wrong with the late GREAT Robin Williams, and ALL those brilliant young up & coming actors in 1989!?
4:47 it’s not much of a murder mystery when you’ve already given away the murderer’s identity so soon in your review. Hard cheese anyone who looked to this review as a guide to what films to go see.
The French would describe or classify this kind of movie as (noir)
I rode an overnight train, and there were Amish families on the train, but no murder Witness.
My left ear is sad
Why did Roger have a sweater made from oven insulation?
it goes well with his painted on eyes glasses
He didn't wear sweaters when they changed production companies for the new show
i don't see why this movie is so underrated....same year as back to the future? same cultural differences in the plot?...witness came first so that movie deserve the credit and to be honest is as good as Back to the Future...
its not underrated...just not as famous as Raiders or Star Wars
@@babybird871 Daniel's comment is more proof that most ppl have no clue what underrated means.
webster police jail
michael joseph welch posts bail
william rogers tale
This is not the kind of review I would want to see, too many spoilers.
WITNESS
If anyone stumbles upon this, STOP RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Stop watching and don't get spoiled. Ebert and Siskel ruined so many great moments with their show. I loved their show but they would spoil so much. Idiots.
STOP READING POSTS AS WELL!
Watch this movie. It is fantastic.
Enjoy your day.
the worst ending in movie history
Yes....?
in movie history?? you`ve only seen or 3 movies? why? it was perfect
@@babybird871 after all the gun fighting and killing Harrison Ford gets to the boss of the bad guy and gets him to surrender by yelling "just stop it" at him then walks up to him and snatches the gun out of his hand?!?! I don't think so. That would never happen
@@babybird871 I just don't see that happening. He was too invested. You have Harrison Ford in front of you and you have a shotgun you don't just give up. Dude was ordering hits all movie. Not as much of a wimp as you suggest
exactly he was ordering hits..didn`t have the guts to do them himself.. it`s easy to have someone else do the dirty work.. maybe wimp is the wrong word but he was clearly was in over his head and he realized it...
I shit on that "romantic" crap. But the rest of this movie is close to reality as it gonna get.
One of the goofiest movies I’ve ever seen
Wow! You need to charge people for that quality of analysis.
@@user-ln4gd6hx7e that wasn’t an analysis but ok
@@user-ln4gd6hx7e I agree with the username. Good analysis of trump