The Ringer recently ended its eight-part podcast Gene and Roger, a retrospective on how a weekly TV show featuring two film critics influenced pop culture in their storied run from 1975-99. To those born after the show aired, they're a curiosity: two middle aged white guys from Chicago talking movies was a thing? Yet to any young movie fan who came of age when the show aired it was must see television. For anyone interested in their history - Gene and Roger is a fun place to start.
The podcast moves on two tracks: how their rivalry/friendship evolved over the decades and how film culture changed during their tenure. Both found their critical voices during the New Hollywood era. Ebert was a phenom on the literary scene at the University of Illinois, writing the screenplay for the Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. He got a full time gig at the Chicago Sun-Times reviewing films, and in 1975 earned the Pulitzer Prize for criticism (a first for a movie critic). Siskel graduated from Yale with a philosophy degree and became the movie critic for the Chicago Tribune. As competing writers in the same town, each developed a dislike towards each other in the early days.
In 1975 they agreed to do a television show for PBS, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was their first review. The tone was serious for the early episodes, but they eventually found a rhythm. Always competitive towards each other, a grudging respect developed. They were also film journalists, hustling to get the interview and exclusive from a star or director. Both savored the chance to be the first to write a review of a new movie, and even more to proselyte for an underdog movie. In 1982 their show Sneak Previews moved into syndication, and they became fixtures of pop culture, making regular appearances on talk shows, even hosting SNL at the height of their fame.
The podcast features narration and interviews with those who knew them best including family members, co-workers, and fellow critics. I always got the sense Ebert was generally more passionate about movies, while Siskel was more interested in movies as a reflection of culture. Ebert lived movies 24/7, watching and writing about them as if his life depended on it. Siskel had interests outside of reviewing movies, he spent a lot time at the race track. In the 1990s he became a fixture at Chicago Bulls games during the Jordan era. The most persistent myth is that they despised each other and always disagreed, when they usually agreed.
Their rise paralleled that of the Hollywood blockbuster, a trend they generally championed. Both loved Star Wars and Spielberg movies, famously defending Return of the Jedi against John Simon's blistering critique. They also made a point of discussing diversity voices in cinema, always reviewing at least one international film a week. Indie movies and filmmakers were championed alongside mainstream releases. Entire episodes were devoted to trends in movies, film history, and filmmakers. Film appreciation often took precedence over criticism.
Gene and Roger creates a compelling narrative around their friendship and ends on a bittersweet note. They were antagonistic, but a respect developed over time. They rarely socialized and moved in different circles, but each realized their together they had a chemistry that brought to fame. When Siskel was diagnosed with brain cancer he never informed Ebert about the seriousness of his condition. In retrospectives Ebert always spoke highly of Siskel and would often get emotional. Ebert transitioned well into the social media, embracing twitter and keeping up with contemporary films despite the health problems that plagued him.
The internet would change film discourse forever, no longer would a handful of critics in major markets dominate the discourse. In a way Siskel and Ebert midwifed a generation of crazed movie geeks with explosive opinions, making the internet their home base. They also introduced many to the wide variety of cinema available. Each had their weak spots. Ebert still gets dinged by horror fans for his dislike of slashers, while Siskel's takes often varied wildly, ranging from prescient to superficial. Most of it's all on youtube for anyone to view.
If you want to go back and reminisce and reflect on the state of current film criticism, I'd recommend Gene and Siskel.
https://www.theringer.com/gene-and-roger-podcast
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