SHOCK digs up more gold from the Siskel & Ebert anti-horror vaults.
A few days ago, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of CHILD’S PLAY 2 by dragging up a vintage clip of late, legendary film critics Siskel & Ebert’s review from their popular syndicated series AT THE MOVIES.
The review was uproarious, with Ebert praising the film’s craft while saying the picture left him feeling “unclean” and whining about how it left him morally ruined and terrified for the future of humanity. Siskel felt the same way, but was far less enamored with director John Lafia’s technical prowess.
Whatever the case, one thing is inarguable: Siskel & Ebert were not slasher movie fans. The 80’s saw them drowning in endless body count product and they led the charge in publicly loathing these flicks (which, admittedly many of which weren’t exactly high art) and, eventually, the release of a new R rated horror film was a kind of sport for them. They used the movies to simply have fun, raving and snickering and decrying the state of cinema.
And while horror fans then must have been aghast (not that horror fans have ever really cared about mainstream critics opinions), today these clips are a sonic boom of fun, with every slam against the movie being discussed serving as an endorsement for the serious horror movie obsessive.
Witness this amazingly entertaining review of Danny Steinmann’s sleazy sequel FRIDAY THE 13th PART V: A NEW BEGINNING (incidentally, this writer’s favorite in the franchise). For a pair of lads apparently so dismayed by the film’s existence, they sure are having a blast tearing it to shreds…
Have a look. And stay tuned for more classic S&E gold!
