The Neverending Story & The Last Starfighter were both great flicks. Imagine 2 movies that good coming out on the same weekend... God the 80's were an amazing time to be young.
They came out a week apart during the summer movie season. Look over all 1984, there was like maybe 20 good movies that year. You will find more "good" films released in any post-streaming movies year. And believe me there was a TON of junk released in 1984, PLUS we didn't have 7 multiplexes in driving distance, so you were often stuck with whatever couple of films were contractually obligated to play in your local "one-plex." We were FORCED to sit through a lot more trash because it was the only thing playing back then. I can't count the times we went through the paper looking for showtimes and seeing maybe one good film within 30 miles...which ended up being sold out BECAUSE it was the only good film playing locally. Going to movies back then was a chore...and don't EVER get me started on the sub par technology at a lot of local theaters; barely being able to understand the crackling dialog coming through mono speakers.....god, it sucked. NOW is when its never been a better time to be young....or just alive in general.
@@saffmichael4369 The modern multiplex is a fever dream of a bad joke. Three-hour formulaic "movies" that look like shitty video games. Half an hour of excessively loud advertisements and trailers for other shitty movies. Ironically, the best movie theater in my area has two screens and it only plays cult and classic cinema, thank god.
@@saffmichael4369 1.) Streaming services have never had any good movies. 2.) Sorry your theater sucked so bad because I lived in an area with several communities connected and cities nearby and of all the many choices in my considerably modest "this place sucks worse than anywhere in the country famously" location we didn't even have that problem at the old drive in movies that was still open and it was dilapidated and ran by flea market/strip club/casino "entrepreneurs" who just left it in disrepair and kept it open into the eighties. No, there was a collective interest in what was happening in film that was exciting and made movies "news" like when Rock music was the main game in town. It made more fascinating material by nature and attracted money, talent, and innovation. Almost every one of these services suck and have trouble casting half the time. Disney works but there's not much on it. Netflix is a load of dog shit through and through. HBO max is just okay. None of it is like watching light through celluloid dance and flicker and people appearing and disappearing as ghosts present with you in a space. It's a different activity and it doesn't even have the charm cathode ray television sets had, which at least had a kind of "electric soul" presence to it. People act as if the Mona Lisa would be much better as an HD jpeg of whoever that lady was...well, I use all this shit, but I kept my old stuff because this shit actually kinda sucks. It's always fucking up and having to be reset or something while my analogue equipment starts right up without any changes in my blood pressure or automatically shutting off or restarting or dropping out or freezing or not detecting device... endless fucking bullshit. None of my tapes ever get ate up, my records aren't scratched, my equipment is high quality and the noise and all that is so low it's not worth mentioning. Seriously, straight fuck off with that bullshit. The digital era is a constant headache with no possible work arounds, it sucks. It could be as good as you pretend but as soon as it can be they will push it farther before perfecting it as always with digital technology. The digital age means nothing ever works very well and you pretend it's great because of the "convenience." They're already getting you used to not owing anything and paying for ten subscriptions. Like a cattle to the slaughter, what a complete fucking fool. Well, my modern set up is excellent as well but I feel more like I'm tolerating it for porn and stealing music in shit quality than anything else. It's inferior in every other regard. It cheapens the material as well. I care more about the movies I buy or go see, they aren't "on tap" and have more value. I do all the things but the modern thing feels more like bullshit, especially with movies. The feature film has been completely dead for years. It's a joke. Of course there will always be punk rock and all but it's not 1977 anymore. There will always be Dead heads and Rock a Billy's and there will always be feature films but it's never going to be "the news" again and for good reason. Tons of good reasons.
I agree. It was a regular weekend movie on syndicated TV stations in 1989 and I recorded on VHS and watched it at least 10 times. I was always surprised that nobody else I knew had even heard of it. It is especially interesting in these days were the conversation has actually begun about where a.I. has become sentient. All in all a movie I've always wanted to see again, but it isn't readily available for free anywhere. I don't know if I want to pay for it... 😂
Awww, C’Mon, Gene, Baby !! I adore THE NEVERENDING STORY !! I do agree that THE LAST STARFIGHTER falls flat with the exception of the always wonderful Robert Preston & ELECTRIC DREAMS is a neat & inventive little movie. Terrific soundtrack too💜
@@alramone1 Indeed. And I think the Age of Resistance is a great prequel series to the movie. I hope the petitions that were made to convince Netflix to make a second season will work.
The Dark Crystal is a much better movie than The Never Ending Story .... NES was a good kids movie, and some of the visuals and music hold up pretty well, but the acting and overall execution is cringeworthy. The Dark Crystal is a piece of genius on Jim Henson's part .. a true classic.
What's amazing to me is in the UK where I'm from, 1984 had the all time lowest cinema attendances since they started recording them in the 1930s. Cinemas were going out of business while Ghostbusters, Karate Kid, Romancing The Stone and all these movies, that are now beloved classics, were playing. Most people just waited for the video tape.
Never Ending story and electric dreams are still my favorite movies of all times I’ve seen them over 100 times…. So Disappointed they don’t make movies like this anymore
If the neverending story was any shorter it wouldn't have been a great movie.......it needed every bit of it to pull us in and experience it.....in depth......
The German cut (the movie is a German co-production based on a German book) was actually longer. Siskel probably would have liked the German cut even less.
I LOVED Electric Dreams!! I saw it in the theater on my 13th birthday at a theater that has long since closed and been torn down. I still love that movie and I WISH I could find it on Blu-ray, DVD, Netflix, or some other streaming service! Heck, maybe it here on CZcams??
The LATE 70s and early 80S are the OG for family blockbusters. Just look at the lineups here in one year, 1984, the others being GHOSTBUSTERS, THE TEMPLE OF DOOM, KARATE KID and GREMLINS
I loved the Dark Crystal. Everybody's entitled to their opinion, but I thought it was superb. Fantastic puppet work, great old-fashioned score, lovable characters, and just an all-around neat film. The Never-ending Story and The Last Starfighter are classic too. I don't know what Siskel's problem is here. Then again, this is the guy that gave The Return of Jafar "Two thumbs up."
A couple of great movies from my childhood. The Last Starfighter came out on July 13th 1984, and The Neverending Story a week later on July 20th 1984. (Purple Rain, The Muppets Take Manhattan, The Gods Must Be Crazy, and the first Revenge of the Nerds movie all came out that month too.) It was an exciting time to be an 8 year old boy! 👍
I LOVE The Last Starfighter. In the hands of the right director, it would make for a great remake. As much as I hate most remakes, The Last Starfighter is a movie that could benefit from a modern update, as prominent as video games are today. The Thing and The Fly are two examples of remakes that are far better than the original. I'm not saying that a remake would be better, but making one as good as the original is possible.
When I see these S & E clips, I always give a thumbs up whether or not I liked their reviews in them. The thumbs up are for posting the videos so we can enjoy them.
I just watched The Never Ending Story, all the way thru, for the first time in almost 40 years and although the script isn't perfect, the special effects are dazzling even all these many years later!! What was Gene thinking? Cheap?!?! Perhaps, the dog and flying scenes, but the rock monster and the swamp of sadness? Wow!! This and Legend are probably the two greatest looking fantasy films ever made. Too bad the script for both needed more work. Especially, Legends script. I remember seeing the poster for The Never Ending Story when it was playing in the movie theater. I had a choice. I could see that or The Last Star fighter. I was 11 years old and it was during our family summer vacation in Maine. I chose The Last Star Fighter. It was the better film. However, if you are going to see Story, you were better off seeing it on the big screen! Wow, those effects...
That Sinking Feeling was over dubbed with slightly less Scottishy voices. And still it was shown with subtitles in some theatres. The original voice track was lost for decades.
Man they are both making things pretty tough on the poor camera guys with all their shifting around in their seats lol. I've watched lots of these vids but I don't remember noticing it as much as I did here. I loved them both and miss their reviews!
I remember trying to tell people about this movie when Her came out. I couldn't remember the name for years, and never could find it. Electric Dreams was weird as a kid.
Yeah. The talking computer named Edgar. My mom used to have that movie on tape. I think she recorded that movie when it came on HBO back then. Well, they still show movies from MGM now.
Siskel was a smart man but it always seemed to me that Ebert could just relax and enjoy movies for their story and really appreciate their entertainment value.
Really wow hes 38? Omg thats my age and people my age look younger than gene. I think it always goes like this people looked older back in the day for some reason .
If you had to sit through all the GOD AWFUL films he had to, you would look a lot older than your years too. Having to watch "North" is what I think drove him over the edge.
I think it had something to do with his balding. I feel most of the balding men of the current 30-40-something generation either gets treatments or shaves their entire head rather than have a horseshoe.
Spike Jonze actually said he'd never seen it. That being said, the same idea being done by two prolific music video directors is an insanely odd coincidence.
The Neverending Story was an absolute masterpiece. I saw it in the theater and the effects, costumes, music, settings, characters and story are still with me. I think we all cried a little when Artax sunk into the swamp. My only gripe is the lame Bastian character.
The Last Starfighter is one of the rare splits where Gene is 100% on the money. It's just a cute, fun sci-fi adventure. It's pure wish fulfillment that's aware that its cheesy, but embraces it. Ebert is overthinking it with the comparisons.
Electric Dreams was Directed By Steve Barron who also directed 90's Films Coneheads and The Original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie as well as Music Videos modt notably Michael Jackson's Thriller
I'm with Ebert regarding The Last Starfighter. I loved it as a kid. When I watched it more recently as an adult, it felt like a weak imitation of Star Wars.
The Dark Crystal bad? 😂 Also someone tell these two The Neverending Story is based on a famous German novel heavily influenced by European folklore. Do your homework, guys!
3:50 Roger Ebert was such a little boy👱♂️ sometimes it's a good thing sometimes it's not. AND 14:20 This is before computers actually could write a song nowadays you have loops
I just watched Electric Dreams for the first time this week. It has its charm, but it’s a bit cheap and cheesy. I can’t believe that they’re gushing about this, but were down on The Never Ending Story and The Last Starfighter.
I love it and would like to buy it someday. The leading actress in the movie has some of the cutest facial expressions I've ever seen on a woman. I wonder though, if people who didn't live through the eighties can truly appreciate this film. I was born in the eighties so the film transports me back to a time where music, dance, and love where not as these are today. Hope you enjoy it.
Virginia Madsen, loved her in "Creator" - around the same time, too. She was also amazing in the beautiful movie "Sideways" - she has aged like fine wine: czcams.com/video/X8P3kF2DHj4/video.html
Siskel seemed a bit pompous at times. Ebert, on the other hand, had great, illuminating insight. His wisdom added the the enjoyment of many of my favourite movies. His prose is appreciated by many film buffs.
Ross Cicero People back then either didn't like the puppets, or thought it was too dark for children. I remember seeing it as a child and loved it. My cousin got freaked out though. His mom was pissed.😂
Siskel flat out trashed The NeverEnding Story. That was a staple of my youth, more than any Spielberg children’s film of that era. The special effects were first rate and the leading actor was certainly not a dullard. I hate how these guys could make or break creative work with their opinions.
If Only They could Review, Frozen, Inside Out, Big Hero 6, Kung Fo Panda 3, Alvin And The Chipmunks The Road Chip, Cinderella, Star Wars The Force Awakens, etc. etc. etc.
Last Starfighter would be a great movie to remake, they’re always trying to remake classics and making them worse- here’s a movie that could be remade and made better
Siskel was right about The Neverending Story. It's a movie people want to be The Princess Bride but it's just garbage! Siskel was wrong about Last Starfighter but Ebert was 100% correct! A bad movie with little bitty good points and a whole lotta bad. It's just not a good movie!
Siskel clealry got it wrong here. Didn't much care for NeverEnding Story (which remains very popular to this day), enjoyed The Last Starfighter (which isn't well known or regarded today), and loved Electric Dream (which nobody on earth has ever heard of). "Boy, this Electric Dream is sure to be a smash hit. So topical." I'm afraid not, Gene.
You can't "get it wrong" about your own opinion, the espousal of which was the man's job. I'd rather have an honest opinion with which I may not necessarily agree, than a compromised one from someone with a vested interest in keeping their job as so many have to do today.
The Neverending Story & The Last Starfighter were both great flicks. Imagine 2 movies that good coming out on the same weekend... God the 80's were an amazing time to be young.
They came out a week apart during the summer movie season. Look over all 1984, there was like maybe 20 good movies that year. You will find more "good" films released in any post-streaming movies year.
And believe me there was a TON of junk released in 1984, PLUS we didn't have 7 multiplexes in driving distance, so you were often stuck with whatever couple of films were contractually obligated to play in your local "one-plex." We were FORCED to sit through a lot more trash because it was the only thing playing back then. I can't count the times we went through the paper looking for showtimes and seeing maybe one good film within 30 miles...which ended up being sold out BECAUSE it was the only good film playing locally. Going to movies back then was a chore...and don't EVER get me started on the sub par technology at a lot of local theaters; barely being able to understand the crackling dialog coming through mono speakers.....god, it sucked.
NOW is when its never been a better time to be young....or just alive in general.
@@saffmichael4369 The modern multiplex is a fever dream of a bad joke. Three-hour formulaic "movies" that look like shitty video games. Half an hour of excessively loud advertisements and trailers for other shitty movies. Ironically, the best movie theater in my area has two screens and it only plays cult and classic cinema, thank god.
@@saffmichael4369 1.) Streaming services have never had any good movies. 2.) Sorry your theater sucked so bad because I lived in an area with several communities connected and cities nearby and of all the many choices in my considerably modest "this place sucks worse than anywhere in the country famously" location we didn't even have that problem at the old drive in movies that was still open and it was dilapidated and ran by flea market/strip club/casino "entrepreneurs" who just left it in disrepair and kept it open into the eighties. No, there was a collective interest in what was happening in film that was exciting and made movies "news" like when Rock music was the main game in town. It made more fascinating material by nature and attracted money, talent, and innovation. Almost every one of these services suck and have trouble casting half the time. Disney works but there's not much on it. Netflix is a load of dog shit through and through. HBO max is just okay. None of it is like watching light through celluloid dance and flicker and people appearing and disappearing as ghosts present with you in a space. It's a different activity and it doesn't even have the charm cathode ray television sets had, which at least had a kind of "electric soul" presence to it. People act as if the Mona Lisa would be much better as an HD jpeg of whoever that lady was...well, I use all this shit, but I kept my old stuff because this shit actually kinda sucks. It's always fucking up and having to be reset or something while my analogue equipment starts right up without any changes in my blood pressure or automatically shutting off or restarting or dropping out or freezing or not detecting device... endless fucking bullshit. None of my tapes ever get ate up, my records aren't scratched, my equipment is high quality and the noise and all that is so low it's not worth mentioning. Seriously, straight fuck off with that bullshit. The digital era is a constant headache with no possible work arounds, it sucks. It could be as good as you pretend but as soon as it can be they will push it farther before perfecting it as always with digital technology. The digital age means nothing ever works very well and you pretend it's great because of the "convenience." They're already getting you used to not owing anything and paying for ten subscriptions. Like a cattle to the slaughter, what a complete fucking fool. Well, my modern set up is excellent as well but I feel more like I'm tolerating it for porn and stealing music in shit quality than anything else. It's inferior in every other regard. It cheapens the material as well. I care more about the movies I buy or go see, they aren't "on tap" and have more value. I do all the things but the modern thing feels more like bullshit, especially with movies. The feature film has been completely dead for years. It's a joke. Of course there will always be punk rock and all but it's not 1977 anymore. There will always be Dead heads and Rock a Billy's and there will always be feature films but it's never going to be "the news" again and for good reason. Tons of good reasons.
@Lain Iwakura, that's just an illusion because only the great movies are even remembered.
The Last Starfighter was very underrated.
Man! Neverending Story AND Last Starfighter in the same weekend?! Kids back then were spoiled.
flmbyz No shit. I saw both over the same weekend when I was 6.
1984 was a hell of a year for classic movies. :))))
I agree.
Yeah, we sure were! :)
I was 10. Besides good movies all through the 80's we were on our own man.
I love how ebert just says “disagreement” and moves right along to the next movie
And then on the next review they had a protracted argument that got a little personal
He just wanted to have the last word.
Love these guys, miss them a lot
I haven't seen Electric Dreams and now I want to see it!
LOVED Electric Dreams. It’s a shame it hasn’t received a decent release.
They both gave it a very strong review. I never heard of it before now and I would have thought I would have.
It only played about 2 weeks in the cinema...and kind looks dated now...but was really enjoyable
I agree. It was a regular weekend movie on syndicated TV stations in 1989 and I recorded on VHS and watched it at least 10 times. I was always surprised that nobody else I knew had even heard of it. It is especially interesting in these days were the conversation has actually begun about where a.I. has become sentient. All in all a movie I've always wanted to see again, but it isn't readily available for free anywhere. I don't know if I want to pay for it... 😂
That sinking feeling is a gem of a movie.
Siskel's just 38 here! Damn I'm old!
He looks like he's 48 here! O.o
@@Grim2 I just said that out loud
Awww, C’Mon, Gene, Baby !! I adore THE NEVERENDING STORY !! I do agree that THE LAST STARFIGHTER falls flat with the exception of the always wonderful Robert Preston & ELECTRIC DREAMS is a neat & inventive little movie. Terrific soundtrack too💜
the dark crystal has proven to be one of the greatest fantasy movies ever and it's amazing they both didn't appreciate it
I agree. It's a great masterpiece to me. Many people who didn't like it back then are liking it now.
@@harrisonutoft5871 It was ahead of its time
Saw it for the first time last year. Can’t call myself a fan, but I get why people like it.
@@alramone1 Indeed. And I think the Age of Resistance is a great prequel series to the movie. I hope the petitions that were made to convince Netflix to make a second season will work.
The Dark Crystal is a much better movie than The Never Ending Story .... NES was a good kids movie, and some of the visuals and music hold up pretty well, but the acting and overall execution is cringeworthy. The Dark Crystal is a piece of genius on Jim Henson's part .. a true classic.
What's amazing to me is in the UK where I'm from, 1984 had the all time lowest cinema attendances since they started recording them in the 1930s. Cinemas were going out of business while Ghostbusters, Karate Kid, Romancing The Stone and all these movies, that are now beloved classics, were playing. Most people just waited for the video tape.
The UK just sucks unfortunately...even more so today
Never Ending story and electric dreams are still my favorite movies of all times I’ve seen them over 100 times…. So Disappointed they don’t make movies like this anymore
I like every movie on this episode...seek out That Sinking Feeling, it is worth it
I seen Never-ending story & that sinking feeling, real good. But electric dreams I enjoy the most.👍👌
If the neverending story was any shorter it wouldn't have been a great movie.......it needed every bit of it to pull us in and experience it.....in depth......
stefany potter Hes a critic of course he's gonna say bad things😂I bet his kids loved it tho
The German cut (the movie is a German co-production based on a German book) was actually longer. Siskel probably would have liked the German cut even less.
I saw Never Ending Story once as a kid. I watched The Last Starfighter a bunch of times on tv. I never heard of the two other movies before.
I will never tire of this series
it's adorable that they love Electric Dreams so much
I LOVED Electric Dreams!! I saw it in the theater on my 13th birthday at a theater that has long since closed and been torn down. I still love that movie and I WISH I could find it on Blu-ray, DVD, Netflix, or some other streaming service! Heck, maybe it here on CZcams??
It's been released on DVD and Blu-Ray in non-US Region 2. Also:
czcams.com/video/BqCnABQUPTE/video.html (with Greek subtitles)
The LATE 70s and early 80S are the OG for family blockbusters. Just look at the lineups here in one year, 1984, the others being GHOSTBUSTERS, THE TEMPLE OF DOOM, KARATE KID and GREMLINS
I miss siskel & ebert. Cool show it was
1:43 The Never-Ending Story
4:07 The Last Starfighter
10:04 Electric Dreams
14:31 That Sinking Feeling
$$$ The Last Starfighter and Never Ending Story are two of the greatest children’s movies of all time $$$
Sometimes I agree with Siskel, sometimes Ebert. When it comes to the Neverending Story I agree wholeheartedly with Ebert
I loved the Dark Crystal. Everybody's entitled to their opinion, but I thought it was superb. Fantastic puppet work, great old-fashioned score, lovable characters, and just an all-around neat film. The Never-ending Story and The Last Starfighter are classic too. I don't know what Siskel's problem is here. Then again, this is the guy that gave The Return of Jafar "Two thumbs up."
Siskel never knew what the hell he was talking about. 😂 ... Part of the fun watching these old reviews.
I loved the duet between Virginia Madsen and the computer playing "A Lover's Concerto" together in Electric Dreams.
so many iconic classic kids movies in the 80s and some I adore and some are very cheesy
A couple of great movies from my childhood.
The Last Starfighter came out on July 13th 1984, and The Neverending Story a week later on July 20th 1984.
(Purple Rain, The Muppets Take Manhattan, The Gods Must Be Crazy, and the first Revenge of the Nerds movie all came out that month too.)
It was an exciting time to be an 8 year old boy! 👍
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, gremlins, Star Trek 3, Ghostbusters & Starman came out that summer also.
You're lucky I was 21 at the time I love those movies then and I love them now
Ohhh the memories. I believe I actually saw this episode.
I LOVE The Last Starfighter. In the hands of the right director, it would make for a great remake. As much as I hate most remakes, The Last Starfighter is a movie that could benefit from a modern update, as prominent as video games are today. The Thing and The Fly are two examples of remakes that are far better than the original. I'm not saying that a remake would be better, but making one as good as the original is possible.
Seth Rogen and Steven Speilberg have both tried to acquire the rights to do it. They haven't been successful :/
I heard it’s finally getting a follow up called The Last Starfighters. You can see the poster on IMDB.
When I see these S & E clips, I always give a thumbs up whether or not I liked their reviews in them. The thumbs up are for posting the videos so we can enjoy them.
Yup.
I just watched The Never Ending Story, all the way thru, for the first time in almost 40 years and although the script isn't perfect, the special effects are dazzling even all these many years later!! What was Gene thinking? Cheap?!?! Perhaps, the dog and flying scenes, but the rock monster and the swamp of sadness? Wow!! This and Legend are probably the two greatest looking fantasy films ever made. Too bad the script for both needed more work. Especially, Legends script.
I remember seeing the poster for The Never Ending Story when it was playing in the movie theater. I had a choice. I could see that or The Last Star fighter. I was 11 years old and it was during our family summer vacation in Maine. I chose The Last Star Fighter. It was the better film. However, if you are going to see Story, you were better off seeing it on the big screen! Wow, those effects...
Electric Dreams is criminally underappreciated. Absolutely love that film.
I agree. The film was never given a true release and I believe that they thought the movie could amount to anything.
Siskel was just smitten w/Electric Dreams
Siskel didn't like The Neverending Story?? That's shocking. I always thought of it as one of the best movies of all time.
Not that shocking when you realize he's an idiot and didn't like many classics.
Movie isn't that great. Song was great.
That Sinking Feeling was over dubbed with slightly less Scottishy voices. And still it was shown with subtitles in some theatres. The original voice track was lost for decades.
I loved Electric Dreams 1- awesome soundtrack 2- early work for Virginia Madson.
The fight between NES and TLS was hilarious. It was like you're stupid! no you're stupid!
Oh wow! That brought back memories! Man I miss those two guys! (Well one more than the other, hehehe, guess we all were that way!)
Trashing the Neverending Story!?! Glad at least one of them liked Last Starfighter- both movies were favorites of mine as a kid
at least ebert liked neverending story
..the dark crystal is awesome
i saw never ending story and temple of doom back to back
Electric Films, shot locally by a British film company, is a really good film.
this is the best theme and intro for this show; before it became "Siskel & Ebert"
Al Ramone no, it’s the worst of the three.
Man they are both making things pretty tough on the poor camera guys with all their shifting around in their seats lol. I've watched lots of these vids but I don't remember noticing it as much as I did here. I loved them both and miss their reviews!
Boy, did Gene miss the mark on The Neverending Story here. A simply iconic film for kids of the 80s.
I remember trying to tell people about this movie when Her came out. I couldn't remember the name for years, and never could find it. Electric Dreams was weird as a kid.
LAst Star Fighter, The Neverending Story and Electric Dreams were all great!
I remember Electric Dreams.
Yeah. The talking computer named Edgar. My mom used to have that movie on tape. I think she recorded that movie when it came on HBO back then. Well, they still show movies from MGM now.
Never Ending Story ain't THAT much like Dark Crystal, and nor is Last Starfighter THAT much like Star Wars!
Always respected Ebert's opinion over Siskel's. The Never Ending Story and The Dark Crystal, great movies.
Siskel was a smart man but it always seemed to me that Ebert could just relax and enjoy movies for their story and really appreciate their entertainment value.
Siskel had an agenda I feel, he was put there to throw people off. Right ass that one.
@@torballs smart? Many just an asshole
Except for Cop and a Half, and Speed 2 (both gave that two thumbs up)
I love That Sinking Feeling (and I wish Roger could have pronounced Glasgow correctly).
The NEverending story and last starfighter are both dank ass movies.
I loved The Neverending Story so much that I was worried to watch their review of it, in case they trashed it.
At least one of them liked it.
"Electric Dreams" should be on HDTGM
Geez, Siskel was only 38 there? I'm 42 and I don't look nearly that old!
Really wow hes 38? Omg thats my age and people my age look younger than gene. I think it always goes like this people looked older back in the day for some reason .
If you had to sit through all the GOD AWFUL films he had to, you would look a lot older than your years too. Having to watch "North" is what I think drove him over the edge.
I'm 36. That's only 2 years from 38.
I think it had something to do with his balding. I feel most of the balding men of the current 30-40-something generation either gets treatments or shaves their entire head rather than have a horseshoe.
how bout now
"This 38 year old" oh poor Siskel. I'm 38 and he looks older than my dad!
Remember that Lionel Hutz from The Simpsons, sued the movie over the title. Why did he sue? Because the movie ended!
Wow. What was Genes problem? The effects of „that German film“ looked better than a lot of American movies at that time
Wow, that Electric Dreams story is very much like the 2013 film called Her. They must have taken inspiration at the very least from this 1984 movie.
Spike Jonze actually said he'd never seen it. That being said, the same idea being done by two prolific music video directors is an insanely odd coincidence.
The Neverending Story was an absolute masterpiece. I saw it in the theater and the effects, costumes, music, settings, characters and story are still with me. I think we all cried a little when Artax sunk into the swamp. My only gripe is the lame Bastian character.
RIP Moles
The Last Starfighter is one of the rare splits where Gene is 100% on the money. It's just a cute, fun sci-fi adventure. It's pure wish fulfillment that's aware that its cheesy, but embraces it. Ebert is overthinking it with the comparisons.
9:13 - This is textbook Siskel & Ebert conflict. Haha!
Electric Dreams was Directed By Steve Barron who also directed 90's Films Coneheads and The Original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie as well as Music Videos modt notably Michael Jackson's Thriller
I'm with Ebert regarding The Last Starfighter. I loved it as a kid. When I watched it more recently as an adult, it felt like a weak imitation of Star Wars.
Reminds me of Troy McClure and his lawsuit......
“the first computer love story”
actually,like most movie ideas, the twilight zone did it first.
And the ones not from Twilight Zone came from Carl Barks, Republic serials, and jidaigeki
I've always loved S&E but they could never seem to disagree without arguing about it.
The Dark Crystal bad? 😂
Also someone tell these two The Neverending Story is based on a famous German novel heavily influenced by European folklore. Do your homework, guys!
If you want to really appreciate The NeverEnding Story, read the book.
That Sinking Feeling. The awful dubbed version.
Nooooooooooooooo, they dubbed That Sinking Feeling.
I may be the only kid who hated The Neverending Story. I thought it was so boring and the horse scene gave me nightmares.
3:50
Roger Ebert was such a little boy👱♂️ sometimes it's a good thing sometimes it's not.
AND 14:20
This is before computers actually could write a song nowadays you have loops
I just watched Electric Dreams for the first time this week. It has its charm, but it’s a bit cheap and cheesy. I can’t believe that they’re gushing about this, but were down on The Never Ending Story and The Last Starfighter.
Never even heard of Electric Dreams.
Watch it man!
I love it and would like to buy it someday. The leading actress in the movie has some of the cutest facial expressions I've ever seen on a woman. I wonder though, if people who didn't live through the eighties can truly appreciate this film. I was born in the eighties so the film transports me back to a time where music, dance, and love where not as these are today.
Hope you enjoy it.
Great soundtrack.
Virginia Madsen, loved her in "Creator" - around the same time, too. She was also amazing in the beautiful movie "Sideways" - she has aged like fine wine: czcams.com/video/X8P3kF2DHj4/video.html
I kinda agree with siskel and Ebert on last starfighter I remember seeing it In a theatre and feeling underwhelmed and I was only 10.
Siskel was 38 here wow
Siskel seemed a bit pompous at times. Ebert, on the other hand, had great, illuminating insight. His wisdom added the the enjoyment of many of my favourite movies. His prose is appreciated by many film buffs.
That's part of why they worked, they had two different opinions. Why pay for 2 critics if they both have the same opinion on most things?
Siskel was a savage when it came to The Neverending Stories.
Boy, they were off on these reviews. The Neverending Story is a classic, The Last Starfighter is a dud, and no one has ever heard of Electric Dreams.
Electric Dreams was always on a video store shelf in every video store or library I visited- until they switched from VHS to DVD.
The Ivory Tower doesn’t look cheap AT ALL.
The Dark Crystal was good 👍🏼
They were buddies who acted like they couldn't stand each other!
They didn't like The Dark Crystal?!?!?!? Were they out of their fucking minds?!??!?!
Ross Cicero People back then either didn't like the puppets, or thought it was too dark for children. I remember seeing it as a child and loved it. My cousin got freaked out though. His mom was pissed.😂
I'd never met a soul who liked it until ten years ago.
Siskel flat out trashed The NeverEnding Story. That was a staple of my youth, more than any Spielberg children’s film of that era. The special effects were first rate and the leading actor was certainly not a dullard. I hate how these guys could make or break creative work with their opinions.
Only one game was placed on Earth, The Last Starfigher. I hate it when Ebert gets details wrong. Which is nearly every review.
The Never Ending Buzzkill more like it
Siskel was so cynical and didnt like soooo much. Ebert seemed to be able to take movies for what they were.
If Only They could Review, Frozen, Inside Out, Big Hero 6, Kung Fo Panda 3, Alvin And The Chipmunks The Road Chip, Cinderella, Star Wars The Force Awakens, etc. etc. etc.
They already reviewed the only Disney-produced Cinderella adaptation that matters.
Ebert knows what's up! Siskel is out of his mind.
Gene also called the Last Starfighter better than Indiana Jones in a review I read lol.
Decent movie but no way.
Last Starfighter would be a great movie to remake, they’re always trying to remake classics and making them worse- here’s a movie that could be remade and made better
Dude is it me or is the camera moving with them
Kinda jarring
Siskel was right about The Neverending Story. It's a movie people want to be The Princess Bride but it's just garbage! Siskel was wrong about Last Starfighter but Ebert was 100% correct! A bad movie with little bitty good points and a whole lotta bad. It's just not a good movie!
Back to sleep, Lewis, or I'm telling Mom about your Playboys.
Critters. Another great sci-fi flick. Don't care much for cult sequels.
Siskel clealry got it wrong here. Didn't much care for NeverEnding Story (which remains very popular to this day), enjoyed The Last Starfighter (which isn't well known or regarded today), and loved Electric Dream (which nobody on earth has ever heard of). "Boy, this Electric Dream is sure to be a smash hit. So topical." I'm afraid not, Gene.
I beg to differ. People still love The Last Starfigher.
The Last Starfighter has actually aged really well... other than the CGI. It's become sort of a cult classic.
Many people appreciated "Electric Dreams". Unfortunately it was overshadowed by a another film with a similar plot, "Short Circuit".
Electric Dreams was somehow in every video store I went to for about 10-15 years. Until DVD's arrived.
You can't "get it wrong" about your own opinion, the espousal of which was the man's job. I'd rather have an honest opinion with which I may not necessarily agree, than a compromised one from someone with a vested interest in keeping their job as so many have to do today.
last starfighter is ok. but it dont hold a candle to the never ending story
Gene is, again, on the wrong side of history on this one.