Legendary film critic Roger Joseph Ebert, known as Roger Ebert or simply as Ebert, would have turned 76 today. The writer and the film critic is known as 'The Critic's Critic' and rightly so. He was the film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times and turned an icon with his deep and touching reviews of great and not so great films. Ebert also has the distinction of being the first film critic to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. He teared apart the bad films and did not pull any punches. We can only wonder what he would have done to the bad films which were made during his time in Bollywood, and there were many to be frank. They should thank heavens that he didn't review them, though he loved whatever little Indian Cinema he saw or reviewed.
Ebert also became popular and made reviewing films popular on TV when he starred with Chicago Tribune critic Gene Siskel. The two critics hosted the show called Sneak Previews and At the Movies shows. The show became an instant favorite with the audience thanks to all the barbs and verbal sparring between the two critics. It was they who created the phrase "Two Thumps Up." They also trademarked it.
The film critic has many great reviews to his name. Most popular being the "Roger Ebert: Great Movie Reviews". But he also came down heavily on films that he felt were bad, very bad. Here are 10 of his most savage observations from reviews of films that he abhorred:
1."One Woman or Two"
Add it all up, and what you've got here is a waste of good electricity. I'm not talking about the electricity between the actors. I'm talking about the current to the projector.
2. "North"
I hated this movie. Hated hated hated hated hated this movie. Hated it. Hated every simpering stupid vacant audience-insulting moment of it. Hated the sensibility that thought anyone would like it. Hated the implied insult to the audience by its belief that anyone would be entertained by it.
3. "Mad Dog Time"
"Mad Dog Time" is the first movie I have seen that does not improve on the sight of a blank screen viewed for the same length of time. Oh, I've seen bad movies before. But they usually made me care about how bad they were. Watching "Mad Dog Time" is like waiting for the bus in a city where you're not sure they have a bus line.... "Mad Dog Time" should be cut into free ukulele picks for the poor.
4. "The Hot Chick"
The movie resolutely avoids all the comic possibilities of its situation, and becomes one more dumb high school comedy about sex gags and prom dates.... Through superhuman effort of the will, I did not walk out of "The Hot Chick," but reader, I confess I could not sit through the credits. The MPAA rates this PG-13. It is too vulgar for anyone under 13, and too dumb for anyone over 13.
5."Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo"
"Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo" makes a living prostituting himself. How much he charges I'm not sure, but the price is worth it if it keeps him off the streets and out of another movie. "Deuce Bigalow" is aggressively bad, as if it wants to cause suffering to the audience. The best thing about it is that it runs for only 75 minutes.... Speaking in my official capacity as a Pulitzer Prize winner, Mr. Schneider, your movie sucks.
These are just a few selections from the vast reservoir of Roger Ebert's take down of bad films. The late film critic, who loved going to the movies, made sure he gave the bad films and their makers a piece of his mind in his inimitable style. Roger Ebert is remembered for his review of great movies. However, his review of bad films are also so great, that they deserve to be shared and read so as to discourage future filmmakers from making bad films.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 18, 2018 12:44 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).