After all these years, the balcony is closed

July 21st, 2008 at 04:51pm Will Pfeifer

Film critic Roger Ebert announced today that he’s not returning to “At the Movie with Ebert and Roeper,” the movie review show he first started co-hosted back in 1975 with fellow Chicago critic Gene Siskel. In an e-mail to the Associated Press, Ebert said Disney, who owns the show, is taking it in some new direction and, “I will no longer be associated with it.”

I remember watching Roger and Gene back in the 1970s on PBS, when Roger wore the sweater, Gene wore the blazer and each episode ended with their “Dog of the Week” (complete with a real dog!). I haven’t seen the show in years, and didn’t even tune in for the various guest hosts who filled Roger’s seat during his recent health issues. (Ebert hasn’t been on the show since 2006.)

I was never much of a fan of co-host Richard Roeper. He lacks Ebert’s encyclopedic knowledge and inspiring love of movies. Plus, he once wrote that he can’t see how anyone finds the “Our Gang” comedies funny, and that sealed it for me. If you can’t see why those film shorts are comedy classics, you have no business reviewing movies. Roeper said he’ll continue with some sort of movie review show, but who cares? If you want real film criticism, stick with Ebert’s writing — that’s where his best work has always been. His site, frequently updated with reviews, articles and columns, can be found here.

 That picture at the top, by the way, is a young Roger Ebert (on the right) posing with cult film director Russ Meyer. Did you know Ebert co-wrote the screenplay to BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS? It’s true!

Entry Filed under: Movie news