I was also wondering if you have the episode for Siskel and Ebert for this all time movie classic:
The Outsiders (1983)…probably my most favorite film because you have people in there like: Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, Diane Lane, C. Thomas Howell just to name a few
While I don’t know that we have the full episode listings for 1983, it appears that Siskel and Ebert did not review Strange Brew on their show (the movie apparently was released in late August, during the period at the end of the season when pre-taped “special” shows would typically run). I also cannot find an Ebert print review. This becomes even more curious due to the claim that Siskel and Ebert were offered roles in Strange Brew, which they obviously turned down. The original source for this claim is unknown by me, but it was printed in the Washington Post Strange Brew review from Aug. 26, 1983, so maybe it was in the press notes for the movie, or perhaps Moranis/Thomas mentioned it during their press tour. Did Siskel write a review for Strange Brew? Not sure, as most of the old Tribune stuff is behind the paywall. But he did make a comment during a later interview piece with Rick Moranis, in which Siskel referred to “the disastrous Strange Brew, Head Office and Club Paradise.”
Were you able to find that Ebert Strange Brew review online? Googling didn’t work for me, and I also couldn’t find it on the official Ebert site. I was under the impression that all of Ebert’s print reviews from that era were available on the official site, but maybe they aren’t?
I found Roger’s review off of an online newspaper archive. It’s behind a paywall though. I do have access to all of Gene’s print reviews from the Tribune through my library. Many of Roger’s print reviews and commentaries aren’t posted on his website, and are also missing from his books (e.g. Joe, The Funhouse, The Entity, Megaforce, The Beastmaster, Village of The Damned, Dracula Dead and Loving It, to name a few), even though he did write them. I also noticed that Roger’s website is missing a lot of his reviews from certain years (e.g. 1977). Some of Roger’s online print reviews are also inaccurate in their star ratings.
Jesse, what newspaper have you found those missing Ebert reviews in? Do you have copies of them in text already? I’d like to post as many of the reviews “missing” from his web site as we can find either here on this site or somewhere else. I think Big is another one that’s in his books but missing from his web site. And if you can share a full list of the “missing” reviews you know about, and any with incorrect star ratings, that would be great.
Roger’s reviews were nationally syndicated so quite a few papers printed his reviews. I just searched online newspaper databases using certain keywords. However, because such databases require payment, I can only search for and view snippets from an archived page. Sometimes such searches can be laborious but they are often worth it.
It appears that the digitized archives of the Suntimes only go back from 1986 to present, although my library does offer it for free; but I don’t know how complete this source is.
A few commentators on Roger’s website have said that some of his online reviews are erroneous in their star ratings. I did some digging and off the top of my head, reviews with erroneous ratings include: Pale Rider, The Sword and the Sorcerer, The Tempest, and Erendira.
There are lots of reviews that are from his books but not found on his website, such as: The Watcher in the Woods, My Tutor, Explorers, Exposed, D.A.R.Y.L., The Dogs of War, Lords of Discipline, Extremities, The Emerald Forest, The Spy Who Loved Me, and more.
And there are lots of reviews that he either wrote capsule or full-length reviews for but are not included on his website and books: Inchon, Some Kind Of Hero, The Ice Pirates, The Missouri Breaks, The Wind And The Lion, Looker, Nasty Habits, Black Sunday, The Bad News Bears Go To Japan, Hammett, Murder By Death, Rollercoaster, Demon Seed, The Cassandra Crossing, The Other Side of Midnight, Macarthur, The Eagle Has Landed, and more.
When I have time, I will try to find Roger’s review for Dracula: Dead and Loving It. I believe I came across that one through my library’s online database. Roger also contributed to the Film Comment magazine, so I will see if I can find those again. I have been busy but I will post more when I find more time.
IMDB seems to have this all screwed up, so here is what the archives of my local paper list as airing Aug-Sep
[unfortunately, the July archives are missing]
August 6: Winners that were losers
August 13: Star Chamber/Zelig/Jaws 3-D/Risky Business/
August 20: Dueling Critics
August 27: Secret of Star Wars
Sep 3: Teen Sex & the Movies
Sep 10: Bold New Sexuality
Sep 17: Pryor to Murphy
Sep 24: Eddie and the Cruisers, etc.
Oct 1: Dial H for Hitchcock
Oct 8: [no listing: IMDB says Big Chill & Brainstorm]
Oct 15: Romantic Comedy/ Never Say Never Again/Beyond the Limit/ The Lonely Lady
Oct 22: Under Fire/ The Right Stuff/ All the Right Moves
Oct 29: Heat and Dust etc.
[November archives missing]
Which means they skipped reviewing: Pauline at the Beach (US release); Cujo (a big hit); Curse of the Pink Panther; Smokey/Bandit 3; Easy Money (Rodney Dangerfield); Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn; Yor the Hunter; Strange Brew; Return of Martin Guerre (US release); Fire and Ice (the Bakshi cartoon); The Moon in the Gutter (US release, by the guy who made Diva); Koyaanisqatsi; Cross Creek; Going Berserk (a bunch of SCTV cast members)
(It’s possible that some of those last few were on the Big Chill/Brainstorm episode in early October, there’s not a complete listing)
I was also wondering if you have the episode for Siskel and Ebert for this all time movie classic:
The Outsiders (1983)…probably my most favorite film because you have people in there like: Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, Diane Lane, C. Thomas Howell just to name a few
While I don’t know that we have the full episode listings for 1983, it appears that Siskel and Ebert did not review Strange Brew on their show (the movie apparently was released in late August, during the period at the end of the season when pre-taped “special” shows would typically run). I also cannot find an Ebert print review. This becomes even more curious due to the claim that Siskel and Ebert were offered roles in Strange Brew, which they obviously turned down. The original source for this claim is unknown by me, but it was printed in the Washington Post Strange Brew review from Aug. 26, 1983, so maybe it was in the press notes for the movie, or perhaps Moranis/Thomas mentioned it during their press tour. Did Siskel write a review for Strange Brew? Not sure, as most of the old Tribune stuff is behind the paywall. But he did make a comment during a later interview piece with Rick Moranis, in which Siskel referred to “the disastrous Strange Brew, Head Office and Club Paradise.”
I think I seem to recall Gene giving it a negative review.
You’re correct on the date for Gene’s review. Also, Gene gave the film two stars.
As for Roger, his review is also dated for Aug 26th, and he actually gave it three stars, with the headline of: “Strange Brew”: Hoser Hilarity.
Were you able to find that Ebert Strange Brew review online? Googling didn’t work for me, and I also couldn’t find it on the official Ebert site. I was under the impression that all of Ebert’s print reviews from that era were available on the official site, but maybe they aren’t?
I found Roger’s review off of an online newspaper archive. It’s behind a paywall though. I do have access to all of Gene’s print reviews from the Tribune through my library. Many of Roger’s print reviews and commentaries aren’t posted on his website, and are also missing from his books (e.g. Joe, The Funhouse, The Entity, Megaforce, The Beastmaster, Village of The Damned, Dracula Dead and Loving It, to name a few), even though he did write them. I also noticed that Roger’s website is missing a lot of his reviews from certain years (e.g. 1977). Some of Roger’s online print reviews are also inaccurate in their star ratings.
Jesse, what newspaper have you found those missing Ebert reviews in? Do you have copies of them in text already? I’d like to post as many of the reviews “missing” from his web site as we can find either here on this site or somewhere else. I think Big is another one that’s in his books but missing from his web site. And if you can share a full list of the “missing” reviews you know about, and any with incorrect star ratings, that would be great.
Roger’s reviews were nationally syndicated so quite a few papers printed his reviews. I just searched online newspaper databases using certain keywords. However, because such databases require payment, I can only search for and view snippets from an archived page. Sometimes such searches can be laborious but they are often worth it.
It appears that the digitized archives of the Suntimes only go back from 1986 to present, although my library does offer it for free; but I don’t know how complete this source is.
A few commentators on Roger’s website have said that some of his online reviews are erroneous in their star ratings. I did some digging and off the top of my head, reviews with erroneous ratings include: Pale Rider, The Sword and the Sorcerer, The Tempest, and Erendira.
There are lots of reviews that are from his books but not found on his website, such as: The Watcher in the Woods, My Tutor, Explorers, Exposed, D.A.R.Y.L., The Dogs of War, Lords of Discipline, Extremities, The Emerald Forest, The Spy Who Loved Me, and more.
And there are lots of reviews that he either wrote capsule or full-length reviews for but are not included on his website and books: Inchon, Some Kind Of Hero, The Ice Pirates, The Missouri Breaks, The Wind And The Lion, Looker, Nasty Habits, Black Sunday, The Bad News Bears Go To Japan, Hammett, Murder By Death, Rollercoaster, Demon Seed, The Cassandra Crossing, The Other Side of Midnight, Macarthur, The Eagle Has Landed, and more.
When I have time, I will try to find Roger’s review for Dracula: Dead and Loving It. I believe I came across that one through my library’s online database. Roger also contributed to the Film Comment magazine, so I will see if I can find those again. I have been busy but I will post more when I find more time.
IMDB seems to have this all screwed up, so here is what the archives of my local paper list as airing Aug-Sep
[unfortunately, the July archives are missing]
August 6: Winners that were losers
August 13: Star Chamber/Zelig/Jaws 3-D/Risky Business/
August 20: Dueling Critics
August 27: Secret of Star Wars
Sep 3: Teen Sex & the Movies
Sep 10: Bold New Sexuality
Sep 17: Pryor to Murphy
Sep 24: Eddie and the Cruisers, etc.
Oct 1: Dial H for Hitchcock
Oct 8: [no listing: IMDB says Big Chill & Brainstorm]
Oct 15: Romantic Comedy/ Never Say Never Again/Beyond the Limit/ The Lonely Lady
Oct 22: Under Fire/ The Right Stuff/ All the Right Moves
Oct 29: Heat and Dust etc.
[November archives missing]
Which means they skipped reviewing: Pauline at the Beach (US release); Cujo (a big hit); Curse of the Pink Panther; Smokey/Bandit 3; Easy Money (Rodney Dangerfield); Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn; Yor the Hunter; Strange Brew; Return of Martin Guerre (US release); Fire and Ice (the Bakshi cartoon); The Moon in the Gutter (US release, by the guy who made Diva); Koyaanisqatsi; Cross Creek; Going Berserk (a bunch of SCTV cast members)
(It’s possible that some of those last few were on the Big Chill/Brainstorm episode in early October, there’s not a complete listing)
Roger reviews Brainstorm at the end of this show https://siskelebert.org/?p=4646