Siskel & Ebert Season 9 Episodes

Episode 1

Quiz Show/Milk Money/A Simple Twist of Fate/A Good Man in Africa/What Happened Was...

Sat, Sep 10, 1994

Episode 2

Why Gump? Why Now?

Wed, Jan 26, 1994

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert try to figure out what has made Forrest Gump (1994) such a surprise success. Gene Siskel first points out that Tom Hanks is coming off three big successes in a row: A League of Their Own (1992), Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and Philadelphia (1993). He goes on to say that the movie is almost a religious experience for American audiences who haven't come to grips with the last thirty years in their tumultuous history. It works like a bedtime story or a parable. Ebert points out the brilliant device of having the title character narrate the story from a park bench. He says the technique of the narrator who knows less than we do dates back to Mark Twain and reminds him especially of Andy Griffith's comedy album, "What It Was, Was Football". He credits the amazing special effects that add Gump to historical footage. Siskel credits the writers, especially their technique of adding a joke at just the right moment. The critics examine the early career of Tom Hanks and then spotlight the fables, such as Splash (1984). Ebert's video recommendation for those who like "Forrest Gump" is Born on the Fourth of July (1989). Siskel's is Being There (1979).

Episode 3

The Shawshank Redemption/Timecop/Terminal Velocity/The New Age/Blue Sky

Sat, Sep 24, 1994

Episode 4

The River Wild/Jason's Lyric/Ed Wood/The Scout/Rapa Nui

Sat, Oct 1, 1994

Episode 5

Only You/Second Best/Pulp Fiction

Sat, Oct 8, 1994

Siskel and Ebert review three new movies, and also look at Quentin Tarantino's directing, writing, and acting filmography so far. Plus, Gene Siskel interviews Robert Redford.

Episode 6

Love Affair/Wes Craven's New Nightmare/Exit to Eden/Hoop Dreams/The Specialist/Little Giants

Sat, Oct 15, 1994

Episode 7

Radioland Murders/I Like It Like That/Bullets Over Broadway/Imaginary Crimes/Clerks

Sat, Oct 22, 1994

Episode 8

The Road to Wellville/Silent Fall/Stargate/The Last Seduction/Vanya on 42nd Street

Sat, Oct 29, 1994

Episode 9

The War/Double Dragon/Mary Shelley's Frankenstein/Oleanna/Drop Squad

Sat, Nov 5, 1994

Episode 10

Interview with the Vampire/Pontiac Moon/The Santa Clause/Heavenly Creatures/Dr. Strangelove

Sat, Nov 12, 1994

Episode 11

Star Trek: Generations/The Swan Princess/Miracle on 34th Street/The Professional/To Live

Sat, Nov 19, 1994

Episode 12

Junior/A Low Down Dirty Shame/The Pagemaster/Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle/Red

Sat, Nov 26, 1994

Episode 13

Cobb/Tom & Viv/Trapped in Paradise/Ladybird, Ladybird/Nostradamus

Sat, Dec 3, 1994

Episode 14

Disclosure/Drop Zone/Nell/The Last Buffalo/Into the Deep/Immortal Beloved

Sat, Dec 10, 1994

Episode 15

Speechless/Dumb and Dumber/Legends of the Fall/Little Women/Death and the Maiden/The Madness of King George

Sat, Dec 17, 1994

Episode 16

I.Q./Ri¢hie Ri¢h/Ready to Wear/Nobody's Fool/Mixed Nuts/The Jungle Book

Sat, Dec 24, 1994

Episode 17

The Best Films of 1994

Sat, Dec 31, 1994

Episode 18

The Worst Films of 1994

Sat, Jan 7, 1995

Siskel and Ebert choose their worst films of 1994. Among the categories is worst comedy, where Ebert chooses Milk Money and Exit to Eden, and films where actors play multiple roles with Being Human (starring Robin Williams in multiple roles), and Trading Mom (starring Sissy Spacek in multiple roles). Other picks include Silent Tongue, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, On Deadly Ground, Rapa Nui, Clifford, Cops and Robbersons, City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold, and Wagons East. Finally they announce their worst films of the year, with both Siskel and Ebert choosing North.

Episode 19

Memo to the Academy - 1995

Sat, Jan 14, 1995

Episode 20

Bad Company/Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog/Murder in the First/Higher Learning/S.F.W./Strawberry and Chocolate

Sat, Jan 21, 1995

Episode 21

Miami Rhapsody/Federal Hill/Before Sunrise/A Man of No Importance/Safe Passage

Sat, Jan 28, 1995

Episode 22

Boys on the Side/Highlander: The Final Dimension/In the Mouth of Madness/The Secret of Roan Inish

Sat, Feb 4, 1995

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review four new films. Also, Ebert reports from the 1995 Sundance Film Festival.

Episode 23

The Quick and the Dead/Shallow Grave/The Jerky Boys: The Movie/Crumb

Sat, Feb 11, 1995

In addition to reviewing four new movies, Siskel and Ebert interview various actors on what they think can improve Hollywood movies.

Episode 24

Just Cause/Billy Madison/The Brady Bunch Movie/Mr. Payback

Sat, Feb 18, 1995

In addition to reviewing four new movies, Siskel and Ebert react to the year's Oscar nominations.

Episode 25

Exotica/Heavyweights/The Wild Bunch/Once Were Warriors

Sat, Feb 25, 1995

Episode 26

Roommates/Muriel's Wedding/Hideaway/The Good Old Boys/Citizen X

Sat, Mar 4, 1995

Episode 27

Outbreak/Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh/Bye Bye Love/Losing Isaiah/Farinelli

Sat, Mar 18, 1995

Episode 28

Dolores Claiborne/Funny Bones/Major Payne/Circle of Friends/Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill

Sat, Mar 25, 1995

Episode 29

Rob Roy/Tommy Boy/Jefferson in Paris/Bulletproof Heart/Priest

Sat, Apr 1, 1995

Episode 30

In Pursuit of Honor/Nina Takes a Lover/The Many Adventures of Diecast/When the Bough Breaks

Sat, Apr 8, 1995

Episode 31

Kiss of Death/Jury Duty/Stuart Saves His Family/The Basketball Diaries/The Pebble and the Penguin

Sat, Apr 22, 1995

Episode 32

A Pyromaniac's Love Story/While You Were Sleeping/Destiny Turns on the Radio/New Jersey Drive/Underneath

Sat, Apr 29, 1995

Episode 33

French Kiss/My Family/Panther/Village of the Damned/Picture Bride

Sat, May 6, 1995

Episode 34

Crimson Tide/A Little Princess/The Perez Family/The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill/Swimming with Sharks

Sat, May 13, 1995

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review Crimson Tide (1995), A Little Princess (1995), The Perez Family (1995), The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain (1995) and Swimming with Sharks (1994).

Episode 35

The Bridges of Madison County/Die Hard with a Vengeance/Forget Paris/Titanica/Little Odessa

Sat, May 20, 1995

Episode 36

Casper/Mad Love/Braveheart/Johnny Mnemonic/A Pure Formality

Sat, May 27, 1995

Episode 37

Pulp Faction: The Tarantino Generation

Sat, Jun 3, 1995

In this special episode, Siskel and Ebert examine whether Quentin Tarantino, director of "Reservoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction", is a lasting director or just the flavor-of-the-month. Gene Siskel also interviews Samuel L. Jackson.

Episode 38

Congo/The Glass Shield/Pocahontas/Fluke

Sat, Jun 10, 1995

In addition to review four new movies, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert criticize Bob Dole's attack on Hollywood movies.

Episode 39

Batman Forever/The Incredibly True Adventure of 2 Girls in Love/Smoke/Safe

Sat, Jun 17, 1995

The critics gave a split vote on Batman Forever-Gene Siskel gave a thumbs up for good characters in a forgettable script. They gave two thumbs up for the rest of the films: The Incredibly True Adventure of 2 Girls in Love and Smoke and Safe. They then recommended renting Little Women (1994) on VHS.

Episode 40

Siskel and Ebert Family Values

Sat, Jun 24, 1995

In this special episode, Siskel and Ebert highlight ten family-friendly films in the wake of criticisms against offensive content in Hollywood movies.

Episode 41

Apollo 13/Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie/Judge Dredd/Wigstock: The Movie/Belle De Jour

Sat, Jul 1, 1995

Episode 42

First Knight/Party Girl/Species/Batman: Mask of the Phantasm/Il Postino

Sat, Jul 8, 1995

Episode 43

Nine Months/The Indian in the Cupboard/Under Siege 2/Kids/Gross Fatigue

Sat, Jul 15, 1995

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review five new movies. Neither critic likes Nine Months (1995), the predictable comedy with Hugh Grant, although they disagree on what they dislike about it. Ebert especially disagrees with Siskel that the recent scandal involving Grant has any relevance to the picture. A split vote on The Indian in the Cupboard (1995): Siskel found it to be an engaging fantasy film for kids; Ebert found it creepy. Both critics enjoyed Steven Seagal's new action picture, Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995). Mindless, they say, but fun. Their next film, Kids (1995), is the harrowing drama about aimless and self-destructive teenagers that is so real it feels like a documentary. Two thumbs up. Last is the French comedy, Dead Tired (1994), about the perils of celebrity. Siskel enjoyed it; Ebert didn't. For the Video Pick of the Week, Ebert chooses "The Cavalcade of MGM Stars," a laser disc release of 34 classic short subjects.

Episode 44

Clueless/An Awfully Big Adventure/Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home/Living in Oblivion/Bandit Queen

Sat, Jul 22, 1995

Episode 45

Waterworld/Operation Dumbo Drop/The Net/Babe/Country Life

Sat, Jul 29, 1995

Episode 46

Something to Talk About/Unzipped/Virtuosity/A Walk in the Clouds/The Brothers McMullen/Double Happiness

Sat, Aug 5, 1995

Episode 47

Villains: So Bad, They're Good

Sat, Aug 12, 1995

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert examine movie villains. Siskel begins by spotlighting some recent movie villains, who are often more sophisticated and charming than the heroes. Ebert takes a look at the entire history of movie villains from The Great Train Robbery (1903) to Chinatown (1974). Next, Ebert looks at how political correctness influences who the villains are. The American Indians, the Japanese, the Vietnamese and the Russians have always been safe villains, but that has changed or is changing. Eternal villains include Nazis, Arabs, political assassins and, safest of all, those of unspecific nationality. What makes a good villain? They should be intelligent, well-mannered and enjoy being evil. Charming, funny and weird are also good qualities. The critics also discuss antiheroes, who provide a means of questioning who the bad guys really are. Women villains were once ugly (e.g. Lotte Lenya in From Russia with Love (1963)); now they're bombshells like Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct (1992). Siskel's favorite villain: HAL-9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968); Ebert's is Harry Lime from The Third Man (1949).

Episode 48

Desperado/Dangerous Minds/Mortal Kombat/Beyond Rangoon/Lord of Illusions/The Tuskegee Airmen

Sat, Aug 26, 1995