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At a glance
- Condition
- New
- Dimensions
- 6.22 x 1.15 x 9.27 in
- Weight
- 1.25 lb
- Publisher
- G.P. Putnam's Sons
- Publication date
- October 24, 2023
- Language
- English
- Print length
- 352 pages
Description
Once upon a time, if you wanted to know if a movie was worth seeing, you didn’t check out Rotten Tomatoes or IMDB. You asked whether Siskel & Ebert had given it “two thumbs up.” On a cold Saturday afternoon in 1975, two men (who had known each other for eight years before they’d ever exchanged a word) met for lunch in a Chicago pub. Gene Siskel was the film critic for the Chicago Tribune. Roger Ebert had recently won the Pulitzer Prize—the first ever awarded to a film critic—for his work at the Chicago Sun-Times. To say they despised each other was an understatement. When they reluctantly agreed to collaborate on a new movie review show with PBS, there was at least as much sparring off-camera as on. No decision—from which films to cover to who would read the lead review to how to pronounce foreign titles—was made without conflict, but their often-antagonistic partnership (which later transformed into genuine friendship) made for great television. In the years that followed, their signature “Two thumbs up!” would become the most trusted critical brand in Hollywood. In Opposable Thumbs, award-winning editor and film critic Matt Singer eavesdrops on their iconic balcony set, detailing their rise from making a few hundred dollars a week on local Chicago PBS to securing multimillion-dollar contracts for a syndicated series (a move that convinced a young local host named Oprah Winfrey to do the same). Their partnership was cut short when Gene Siskel passed away in February of 1999 after a battle with brain cancer that he’d kept secret from everyone outside his immediate family—including Roger Ebert, who never got to say goodbye to his longtime partner.But their influence on in the way we talk about (and think about) movies continues to this day. Read more
Specs 8
| Publisher | G.P. Putnam's Sons |
|---|---|
| Publication date | October 24, 2023 |
| Language | English |
| Print length | 352 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 0593540158 |
| ISBN-13 | 52 |
| Item Weight | 1.25 pounds |
| Dimensions | 6.22 x 1.15 x 9.27 inches |
No specs match.
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Top Amazon Reviews
Siskel and Ebert taught me how to love movies more than I already did.
Format: Hardcover
Siskel and Ebert taught me how to love movies more than I already did. Saw the show whenever I could. I read as much Roger as I could as well. I loved them. I felt like I knew them. Their approach to film criticism, to each other, to the thing up on the screen…it was all authentic. Passionate. Articulate. This book takes us (briefly) through each guy’s pre “Siskbert” life, how they co-existed in Chicago newspaper world, and how they came together. Then we follow their ascent from PBS to syndication. From local TV to Disney as the most important film critics in America. But I know the ending of this story. And it isn’t happy. Gene Siskel died at 53, from rapidly progressive brain cancer. He told no one, except a few family members. He even called in to do the show from his hospital bed at one point. The end happened so fast that Roger booked a flight immediately hearing how bad it was, but never got to say goodbye. He arrived in time for the funeral instead. Roger battled multiple cancers, first of the thyroid, then the other ones in his salivary glands that destroyed his face. (When he was a kid, lots of kid got radiation treatment for things like tonsillitis. These types of cancer happened a lot for a while). We read about the horrifying experience of his carotid artery rupturing while out of the hospital; we are told how they removed most of his lower face and never spoke again. Yet it didn’t stop him. He wrote more than ever. What a legacy they leave behind, so nicely told by this author Matt Singer. The format of two people just talking about something, with intelligence and passion, was thought to be boring. Hardly telegenic. And these two guys were the least telegenic folks around. Flash forward to current day…now try to find a network/streaming service/podcast/YouTube channel that doesn’t have a show using that same format arguing about politics, sports, pop culture… I loved how they genuinely didn’t like each other. I loved how competitive they were, often in hilariously petty fashion. Like the fracas surrounding who sat next to Letterman or Carson. Who got the best seat in first class. That sort of stuff. One time Ebert got the “better seat” in first class, and Siskel argued about it all the way through the airport, at the gate, down the jetway. Once they got to their seats, Gene suddenly popped over and apologized for his behavior, saying that Roger deserved that seat. All good. Roger wondered what the hell was going on. After a few minutes, he craned his neck up and over to see where Gene was sitting. There he was, grinning from ear to ear, meeting Roger’s curious gaze. Sitting next to Gene, having a perfectly delightful conversation with him, was Cindy Crawford. I loved how they never lost that friction in terms of what they did. They each wanted to beat each other. Intellectually. Creatively. The whole “I’m right and you’re wrong and I’m going to tell you why and then you’ll see” thing. And they were never afraid to share their thoughts about film. Often to the artists themselves. In person. On the Tonight Show, Johnny asked them what movies they currently were enthusiastic about. Roger said, “Well, I can’t recommend Three Amigos…” To Chevy Chase, the previous guest on that show, seated to their right. I loved their practical jokes, mostly by Gene. When Roger got a signed 8x10 from an as-yet-unknown actor, thanking him for a good review, singling out his performance…he had it framed and placed on the wall in their studio. Gene let it sit there for a bit, before showing Roger that the handwriting on the photo bore an uncanny similarity to Siskel’s own. Later, Ebert got a note from an actress saying that she would like to meet the then-single critic in NYC for dinner. Roger stormed over to Gene, asking him if this was one of his pranks. Gene smiled and said nothing. Several years later, the actress ran into Roger and mentioned the fact that he rejected her invitation to dinner, not even bothering to respond. They made fun of each other, on air. Their improvised outbursts could turn uncomfortable in a heartbeat, or so over the top they’d end up laughing. I’m thinking of the whole “Free Willy” argument, which Roger liked and Gene didn’t. When the segment started with Roger saying “Also on the show, we review a film about a boy and his relationship with a whale. I’m Roger Ebert.” “I think I know what the boy feels like. I’m Gene Siskel.” But they did become very close. More so after Roger got married in the early 90’s. Siskel’s daughters were the flower girls. This book allows us peeks into the world of city newspapers, public TV, national syndication, the business of film and film advertising, talk shows and their production, the history of film criticism… …all while telling the story of a really great, wholly improbable, friendship. When the Republicans, led by Bob Dole at the time, were ranting and raving about horror movies and rap music, these guys stood up. Called them out on it. Because their one unbreakable rule was that you can’t comment on anything if you haven’t SEEN it. Ebert said something I find so perfect and succinct, telling the Republicans not to confuse “the inventory with the analysis.” Just because art “contains” something isn’t the same as what it is trying to say about it. Brilliantly put.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2024 by M J Heilbron Jr.
Which movie to watch?
Format: Audiobook
Interesting story of these famous movie reviewers who lasted in television for over 20 years. They have similar history in that they were competitors then eventually colleagues. Too bad they both died of cancer.
Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2026 by Wyoming Bas Bleu
Terrific book covering…Siskel & Ebert.
Format: Hardcover
I didn’t always agree with Siskel and Ebert. They got things wrong on occasion but they sure were fun to watch and listen to. I do have an issue with the subtitle of the book though. They didn’t change the movies-they changed the way people TALKED about the movies. They changed how we engaged each other about the films we love and hate. Their influence still stands in print and on TV. Both men were intelligent, acerbic and traded barbed quips about films so well that one might jot realize that they couldn’t stand each other in the very beginning. Heck, they disliked each other when the first met. It was the competition that did it. Ebert saw Siskel as the rival newspaper’s answer to him and Siskel saw Ebert as a competitor to take down. That did change with time. At first, they were a pair of prima donnas; when Roger got a cushion so that he was at the same height as Siskel on screen (it makes it easier to frame the shot), Siskel had to have one, too. The secret weapon behind-the-scenes was Thea Flaum. The co-producer of the show groomed the pair so that their reviews and quips on screen would flow giving them tips,to make their written reviews translate to the screen. She taught them television even goi g so far as to tell them to get a new wardrobe because, as she noted, the way they dressed on screen looked awful. Without Htea, there would be no Siskel & Ebert. The pilot was a disaster but she knew there was something there and helped them hone their television craft. The irony is that neither was a strange to TV but they were to the idea of a two critic show where they had to interact and tolerate each other. With time, they developed friendship (and they may have disagreed and dislike each other in the beginning but there was mutual respect. Most of the time) and would stand their intellectual ground with each other. This partnership flourished and it became one of PBS’ most popular programs. Later, when theh left and were syndicated, they continued to be popular. This book does a great job covering their childhood, their rivalry, the difficult start of their show, success, the death of Gene Siskel (no how very few knew wbout how truly I’ll he was), the aftermath of the show tin Roger Ebert carrying on with others (though that magic chemistry was gone). It concludes with Roger Elbert’s illness, the show carrying on without him while he recovered and his eventual death. There’s a nice appendix of overlooked films that each man championed over the years. Siskel & Ebert changed the way that we, as audience members, saw the movies. They were a unique pair, brilliant and challenged each other every step of the way. I don’t believe either man would have it any other way.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2023 by Wayne Klein
“A Love Letter to the Balcony, and the Men Who Sat There”
Format: Hardcover
Opposable Thumbs is more than a book about two film critics. It is a book about rivalry, passion, ego, and—most of all—the power of loving movies deeply enough to argue about them on national television every single week. Matt Singer’s account of Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert is filled with admiration, wit, and a rare clarity about who these men really were: not just critics, but cultural icons who brought the art of film discussion into living rooms across America. The writing has rhythm—sometimes sharp, sometimes sentimental, always engaging. It captures their public personas and private contradictions with warmth and honesty. What makes this book shine is not just the chronicle of their often-combative partnership, but the recognition that beneath the bickering was a shared mission: to treat movies seriously, and to make sure audiences did too. It was thumbs up, or thumbs down—but always from the heart. You come away from Opposable Thumbs not just remembering the balcony—but wishing you could sit in it, one more time. Five stars.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2025 by Amazon Customer
Where is thumbkin? Here they are!
Format: Kindle
How do you review a book about two reviewers? And the two most famous ones at that. First thing that comes to mind? Part of me wishes I had left it on the digital shelf. To read of how chronically shallow and complain-y these two were *away* from the cameras was a major disappointment. Even outside of the show they always seemed to be throwing jibes on their newsmagazine or talk show appearances. But to learn of some of the more petty actions taken against each other. Dang. Roger never giving an inch when it came even to where Gene could sit or speak or if happened to be funnier; and the dastardly measures Gene would go to poach Roger's interviews to the point of potentially ruining his credibility as a journalist. At the very least, writer Singer keeps things flowing and avoids becoming redundant or lingering on needless technical or personality details. Touched on are their early days at PBS (imagine having to fill 30 *non* commercial minutes every week!), their various beefs with management and each other, and their road to film review riches paved by syndication and national acclaim. The television curve was certainly a fascinating learn-as-you go exercise, the boys going through various frustrating approaches to finally get it right. The years it would seem to require perfecting a shooting and format style that sometimes could take 10 hours to complete per half-hour broadcast. Not to mention a final act of disloyalty by Siskel – even in death. But at least the book forges on after his passing, providing details of Roger’s attempt to keep what they built alive many years after the fact. All the way up until his painfully long-fought demise. And Singer doesn’t just write from a fan’s point of view, as he ultimately had some hand with Ebert in trying to keep the show on life-support during its final days. S&E followers should feel no balcony seat unturned in this perfectly lengthy account, which I’ll give – ah, hell…two thumbs up!
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Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2026 by 80s Boy
Sadly, THE Balcony is Closed...Forever.
Format: Kindle
According to Matt Singers' book there was some commonality between Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. One, each gentleman spent the majority of his career as a print journalist in Chicago. Two, each was passionate about the movies. Three, each was highly competitive in the world of film criticism. Four, both, through happenstance, were part of a cultural phenomenon that to this day has never been successfully replicated. That is where the common ground ends between these two inflexible individuals. Before reading this book, I had hoped that Matt Singer would cover the lives of Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert from beginning to end. He does. I had also hoped that he would give us insight into how Gene and Roger's unlikely two-critic format was created. He does. I had wondered if Mr. Singer might provide us with a sanitized portrait of the two gentlemen out of mutual admiration. He does not. This is a "warts and all" work. The content of this book sort of reads like a movie. The childhoods and entry into film criticism are an "origin" story, much like that in a superhero movie. The perseverance and tenacity of those responsible for looking beyond the shaky premiere of Opening Soon...At A Theater Near You and envisioning the possibility of something greater resembles an adventure story. The underlying theme running through the book, which addresses begrudging admiration, realistic realization of need, and admitted respect for one another is nothing less than a love story. Unlike others who are involved in great things but may not realize it at the time, Gene and Roger were fortunate to know that the cultural phenomenon in which they found themselves was powerful, undeniable, and no matter how you looked at it (happily to be greedy or sadly to be nostalgic), could never exist again, no matter how many attempts were made to the contrary. I loved Sneak Previews and At The Movies and fervently searched for them. Before those shows I watched movies. Once I watched those shows, I absorbed the movies and pulled them apart like Monkey Bread to examine their elements. I fantasized about being a movie critic like Gene and Roger and Mr. Singer's book gave me a behind-the-scenes look into that world. If you feel movie criticism is overrated or unnecessary, then this book may not be your cup of tea. If you love movies and if you enjoyed the shows Gene and Roger were in, I highly recommend this book. May you enjoy it as much as I did.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2025 by Fourlocks
A partial thumbs up
Format: Hardcover
I was a HUGE fan of Siskel and Ebert's shows. I watched them every week, even if they weren't reviewing any films that I had an interest in that week. It was obvious how much they loved film. It was about time that someone wrote a book about them. The good: It tells you just about everything about them. It reveals their personalities. One can tell that it was written by someone who admired them and their shows. The not so good: I did find various typos. The writing style was not spectacular. I didn't like how the author would occasionally go backwards in his timeline of the storytelling. But as Siskel and Ebert would sometimes say, "A partial thumbs up."
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Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2023 by M.J.
Both thumbs...
Format: Kindle
This book did so much for my better understanding of and appreciation for these two brilliant icons. I am not prone to go to movies but I often would only go to see movies that had come under the scrutiny of Roger and Gene. I was in graduate school in NYC 1980-83. With my limited funds I often found myself on the subway seeking out a theater somewhere in the boroughs to see the movies that they had discussed/debated that even in their disagreement would pique my interest so that I had to go see for myself and decide with whom I agreed. As Singer points out Gene and Roger both loved movies and loved discussing them and were committed to fostering people not only seeing but talking about movies. And no one before or since has done it better. Singer also filled out the back stories of the men, the people with whom they worked, the various permutations of "the program" and of their personal relationship. I laughed, cried and "a-ha'd" myself giddily through this quick paced and superbly written book - of which the two marvelous writers themselves would assuredly given 2 thumbs up! Final thought. This is the first book in two years that was edited and proofed by professionals who care about, spelling, grammar and accuracy in writing. Bravo for your care!
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Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2024 by Paul F. Goodman