As of this previous thread, the 1982 Siskel & Ebert TWOK review had yet to be posted. Here it is:
Siskel & Ebert TWOK 1982
- Thread starter mb22
- Start date
Thanks for posting this. I remember watching the show after the third time I went to the theatre to see TWOK. While I was happy for the positive reviews, I think the criticism went over my head. I thought Siskel was a bit harsh, even condescending.
Seeing it again, I believe that Siskel was spot on—or at least I’ve come around to has way of thinking. For instance, I really warmed to DSC once Pike was introduced for many of the reasons Siskel cited in support of TWOK. Ebert, though, was a fan through and through and his review reflected that.
One stray thought: my goodness those clips ran long! These days I doubt a critic would cede so much time to subject matter.
I doubt a studio would allow such lengthy portions of their film to be shown so soon after release
But yes, I remember this review very well, because of how well it mirrored my own feelings (& still does) & what appeared to be the general consensus at the time. It may not be the most artsy. It may not be the best sci-fi. It may not be the most reverent, but it is without a doubt, a terrific movie experience
Spoiler alert!! I forgot about that show, thank you much for the memories! It really is amazing how much they would reveal on the show. Remove that bit of the battle scene, trim the Enterprise departure from dock scene at the end, and they pretty much would have the perfect film segments to really lure in the audience. The Khan bit used was simply perfect as it gives away nothing from the movie's best bits, while being the best possible tease.
Nice to see Siskel's positive review, which was even better than Ebert 's take on Star Wars as an aside.
I think they chose the camping scene deliberately... good Sybok intro scene used, which had some fantastic incidental music to it.
"Everyone's getting sloshed" -
Ebert's right, the first hour is the worst.
Siskel should have, instead of going after Star Wars, compare the camping scene to the one in "Blazing Saddles"... both had fart jokes, Trek's was only more indirect, and tasteful - which is historic, this is the first time "tasteful" has ever been used to describe a fart joke...
"Is this a job for adults?" Well, they're there talking about it so... yes?
Yeah, same here. Movies are still there but they're not big epic events anymore. Not just because (including but not limited to):
- Somebody (not the audience) decided TV had to look as slick as an epic film, so just stay at home watching 21 minutes of commercials in a 60 minute time slot for a show (or 12 minutes' worth for a half-hour stint)
- Epic films are too rabidly paced, poorly constructed (making Chekov's unexplained recognition by Khan nothing by comparison) and allow little breathing room
- whiz bang star wars effects don't last as long as robust buildups the way II and VI had unless nothing of the sort had been seen before (which is why A New Hope got anywhere, the plot is so sub b-movie)
- Too many commercials before the film starts
- Too many previews of movies that aren't epic being shown that nobody's going to see
- Tickets cost so much and yet so many theaters are in disarray and falling apart and closing down
- Too many ticket holders being inconsiderate of others in the same area what with the cell phones and the babies crying talking in all the rows except the backmost and side rows where the light from the phones wouldn't be seen except nobody else wants to be in the back rows because everyone already in the back rows and sides are too busy making other sorts of noises you're embarrassed and/or envious of that you rightly don't want your kids to have anything to do with until after their third marriage...
- of course, if the movie were rubbish you'd hear a lot more people talking and crying and mocking the thing outright and then you know nobody's going to complain enough to get at
- what happened to all the ushers anyway? Don't tell me they're being noisy in the rear row seats and not in a good way...
Star Wars' plot is the least important thing, it was the unique mashup of genres and its groundbreaking visuals that made it a big hit. It's still a fun movie (I just saw a vintage 70mm print at the Motion Picture Academy).
Similar threads
