Friday, March 13, 2009

Siskel & Ebert on ‘Quiz Show’

“Quiz Show” is one of those movies which, whenever I stumble across it on cable, I must settle in and watch it for a while. (Other films like that for me: “Pulp Fiction,” “All the President’s Men,” “Bullets Over Broadway”... dang, not many more.)

Gene and Roger thought very highly of “Quiz Show” when it came out 15 years ago.

15 comments:

  1. Haven't seen it since it came out, but LOVED Quiz Show.

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  2. ^ The script should be a textbook for screenwriters.

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  3. Amen, Quiz Show was top notch. Makes me want to go home tonight and rent it.

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  4. Quiz Show used to come on HBO all the time when I was a kid and you're right it is an awesome movie. Might have to add it to my Netflix. And I did have to read/use it in my screenwriting workshops in college lol. that and "Story"!

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  5. I'll have to check it out again. While I found it to be quality work I was actually bored, but that's not unusual for me when Redford is at the helm.

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  6. BOOGIE NIGHTS is one I always fall into if I stumble across it.

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  7. Pulp Fiction is like Porn. I watch it, but I don't want anybody to know I like it.

    All the President's Men and Quiz Show are great talking points when I want to impress white folks.

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  8. And I did have to read/use it in my screenwriting workshops in college lol.

    Cool, Wanda. The characters just pop off the page.

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  9. Bullets Over Broadway? A classic. For me I have to add "Pool Hall Junkies" and "Knock Around guys".

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  10. I like this movie, too. I've got it on tape.

    What's funny is, while first watching it, I remembered an old Happy Days episode, where Richie went on a TV Quiz Show, and they tried to give him the answers, but he purposely failed, because he didn't like cheated. I didn't realize back then that it was based on real events.

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  11. Paul Schofield should have won the Oscar for best supporting actor as the elder Van Doren.

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  12. Two thoughts on a fantastic movie, great script, and wonderful performances, both Oscar-related (and both reasons which revealed to a then-young film fan that the Oscars had little if any validity):

    1. Quiz Show got robbed for Best Picture by the sentimentality and Hanks-love of Forrest Gump. Not even close.

    2. Paul Scofield was robbed of the Best Supporting award. He took what could very easily have been the typical over-the-top pushy father character and gave it nuance and pain that resonates with each watching. It was an incredibly strong category that year, and I don't begrudge Landau anything, but Scofield was amazing.

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  13. Nah, although "Quiz Show" is fantastic, "Forrest Gump" is a helluva movie also. It's insanely watchable, and there's a reason it's basically iconic now. That story and that movie is basically an American classic. Even if "Quiz Show" had won Best Picture, it would have never been as loved or as embraced by the public.

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  14. Mutha-fuck a fuckin' Forrest Gump! Quiz Show is made of WIN :-D

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