old Siskel & Ebert TV reviews to be available online
More than 20 years of televised reviews by newspaper film critics Roger Ebert and the late Gene Siskel and columnist Richard Roeper will be available beginning Thursday at the Web site http://www.AtTheMoviesTV.com.The site is touted as the largest collection of video-based movie reviews online. Searchable by movie title, director or actor, it features about 5,000 lively — sometimes very lively — discussions of movies that always end with the reviewers' "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" evaluation.
Cool. One of my first exposures to the idea of film criticism was the original Siskel & Ebert show, Sneak Previews, which ran on PBS from 1975 to 1983. These episodes are not what will now be available online -- these are the reviews from the syndicated commercial-TV show the two critics started after PBS gave them the boot. But still, it’ll be interesting to be able to see these reviews.
I’ve been saying for years that it was only a matter of time before all manner of classic TV is available for viewing and/or download online, and here we go.
(Technorati tags: Roger Ebert, Gene Siskel, Siskel & Ebert)
comments
posted by Tim (Wed Aug 01 07, 6:05PM)
MaryAnn, you got to try and get shot being a guest critic on "At the Movies'. Met Siskel a couple of times and Ebert once. Don't think Ebert's coming back unfortunately.Never met Roeper,(god's gift to humanity). If I do run into him I'll be sure to put a good word in for you. Someone needs to set him straight. Love from Chi-town. Tim
posted by Jerry (Thu Aug 02 07, 10:29AM)
Wow, wasn't it just last year when you dissed Ebert and his thumb? Glad you seem to approve now.
posted by MaryAnn (Fri Aug 03 07, 1:23AM)
I have frequently said that what I do is not like what Ebert does, that I'm doing something very different than the thumbs-up/thumbs-down thing. That doesn't mean he didn't influence me. I can't imagine anyone working as a film critic today who's under 40 who can claim not to have been at least partly influenced by him.