There have been many efforts to preserve movies and film history but few to record the history of movie reviews. The days when movie critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert would spar over a thumbs up or thumbs down rating may be gone but a new site is making an effort to preserve the duo’s works. The stated goal of SiskelandEbert.org is “to rebuild each of the Siskel and Ebert series as comprehensively as possible. As such, our website serves as a repository for people to donate copies from their Siskel and Ebert collection, expressly for this purpose.”
Apparently, the producers of the duo’s early programs — Opening Soon… At a Theater Near You, Sneak Previews, and Tribune’s version of At the Movies — didn’t save masters of these shows. So, unless collectors or those associated with the programs have private copies, they are gone forever. In addition, now that the final incarnation of Disney’s At the Movies has ended, the house of mouse has taken down their show archives.
