Comparing with the Critics – 1976 – Introduction

In the 1970s, when Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert’s show was called Opening Soon…at a Theater Near You and then Sneak Previews, there were no separate episodes for the year’s best and worst movies. Instead, one episode would show Ebert and Siskel devoting most of their time to talking about the best films of a given year. In the last few minutes of that episode, Siskel and Ebert would briefly mention some of their choices for the year’s worst titles. The first episode of any iteration of Ebert and Siskel’s show premiered in late November, 1975. That made 1976 the first year to receive a year-end episode of the best and worst movies. This is an interesting coincidence, as Network became the first movie I reviewed for my Comparing with the Critics series. For worst of 1976, I didn’t have many films to choose from due to the episode’s limited selection. But after seeing which pictures Siskel and Ebert selected, I chose Gable and Lombard as the Worst of 1976. As I already said in this introduction, I reviewed Network. That movie was picked as the Best of 1976.

Comparing with the Critics banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. TV show title cards created by WTTW National Productions, WTTW, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), Lifetime Television, Tribune Entertainment, Buena Vista Television, and Disney-ABC Domestic Television

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