https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ky9-eIlHzAE
In this old video, some stuck-up, snobby movie critic bashes the then-new release, Return of the Jedi, and it is up to Siskel and Ebert to defend the movie. But during the conversation, listen to the highly prescient remarks the snobby critic makes about such movies! Weird, huh? Especially considering what came to pass.
It's very interesting to watch this. I agree with much of what both sides say. Return of the Jedi isn't a great film but it was immense fun for me as a 13-year-old, and Simon is 67% correct: two of the three leads are poor actors; Harrison Ford does a good job with what he's given. However, I think it's fine that films like this exist, and they aren't dumbing down children.
More than anything, however, it makes me reminisce and lament. When Siskel describes his experience watching Jedi at the mall in Indiana I realized such an experience no longer exists. When the original Star Wars films were new, my parents, and nearly every other kid's parents, would drop us all off at a theater, and we'd fill the auditorium and cheer and boo and have a raucous fun time watching a movie like Star Wars. There may have been a handful of adults there, but it was mostly kids. I don't think children have that experience anymore. Adults have taken over films like Star Wars, kids are chaperoned everywhere they go, and most kids probably prefer to be home watching something on a phone or other streaming device. It's a different world for children, and that statement by Siskel really drove home how different it has become.
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it sounded to me as if they were discussing Jedi. The clip is from 1983, and the clip opens with Simon being asked if his opinion of the "new film" is the same as of Empire.
shareOh.
amirite?
shareYes, I didn't see the year mentioned in the description. I've corrected the OP accordingly.
What do you make of it? How much value do you see in Simon's critique?
shareWhat value? None, he's an old fart with no idea of what the blockbuster audiences want. If he would take his own children to a movie like this:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086423/?ref_=nv_sr_1?ref_=nv_sr_1
Then he's more old-fashioned than I thought! Seriously, that's his recommendation for children? How BORING.
That recommendation was not very useful, as such a film is only going to appeal to a mature, intellectual child. However, I think he made some valid, prescient points. Return of the Jedi really did rely far too much on CGI and special effects, and look at where we are today where seemingly 80%+ of what we see in films is computer-generated. Great writing and great acting have taken a backseat to realistic explosions, monsters, etc., and this downward trend really did start with the Star Wars films.
shareI never noticed how much i miss watching "at the movies" with Siskel and Ebert until I watch old movie reviews from their show.
I always thought ROTJ was the weakest out of the OT but now that Disney has taken over I am so realizing it wasn't that bad.
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