Less Than Zero hit hard because my high school had some very similar students. One night, several of them rented a suite in Beverly Hills and did rails of coke. The dealers brother had a seizure and nearly died. The film doesn’t glamorize drug use any more than what I had witnessed that evening. Kept my distance from those people forever.
Less Than Zero also had a great soundtrack too. All cover songs. The Bangles "Hazy Shade Of Winter" & Slayer "In a Gadda Da Vida", etc....and it was based on a 1985 book by Bret Easton Ellis who later wrote "American Psycho" in 1991 (also made into a film in 2000)
Siskel's take on Less Than Zero is a perfect example why he's a terrible film critic. He goes out his way to find fault in any movie he sees instead of enjoying the movie experience. Went to high school in the 80s, and I can tell you this is a pretty accurate depiction. The cliques, the cool kids, the parties where a drug dealer shows up. Knew some fellow students introduced to drugs and eventually die. All true.
Not all cover songs unless you count The Cult covering AC/DC. The rap stuff I believe was all original. But what was best was the underrated most beautiful score by the genius Thomas Newman, only a second to John Barry. Newmans strings are so potent especially in the end of the film that it just rips your heart out of your chest. How the score never got a release is beyond me. I had to manually rip it off of dvd via Pro-Tools. I got the soundtrack vinyl for xmas from my older brother in 87' as a 13 year old because he knew I instantly loved the film and The Bangles cover. One of my all-time favorite films and getting to see The Lost Boys and this within just a couple of months apart made an enormous impression on me growing up. It didn't glorify drugs for me it was just an impactful film about friendship, love, and death and it struck an emotional chord with me even though I was at such a young age. I was the only one at school raving about such a film. Siskel could be such an idiot. Downey was brilliant.
Siskel totally whiffed on his Less Than Zero review. I LIVED those mid-80's cocaine tainted High School years. It was EXTREMELY accurate and I can relate to most of those characters in the movie because I saw them first hand in many of my friends back in those days.
He didn't say it wasn't accurate, he said the film was glamorizing it. I don't agree with him but I can see why someone would think that. There are many drugs movies out there that are much more critical in their tone towards the culture.
@@zxbc1 Although I lost many friends to cocaine back then I believe that it would be impossible to distance the glamorization of cocaine from the horrid reality of its consequences. Media reports accurately reported its widespread use as a "party" drug for those with disposable income. It reported the deaths. But those who used it were generally living a much better lifestyle than those addicted to heroin or pills. It wasn't until it was weaponized as crack that the less well to do became hooked on a cheaper and more easily distributed drug---and one even more addictive. Then the users became criminals rather than the children of lawyers and doctors---or the lawyers and doctors themselves.
I agree with Ebert on LTZ. Siskel said they glamorized drug addiction. On the contrary, RDJ ends up having to repay his drug debt in about the worst way possible. That helped keep me away from drugs for the last 30 years. I agree with Gene sometimes, but he completely missed the point here.
Shelly Long should've stayed on Cheers, but then again, as much as I love the Diane years, i don't think the show would've lasted much longer with her on it .
Siskel failed to understand that drugs hit (excuse the pun) each addict differently. You have the functional and the dysfunctional, which explained Gertz's and Downey's characters, and that their higher class status changes the outlook of how the functioning played out. It's no Requiem for a Dream, but still this point should be considered.
I honestly don't understand how Less Than Zero glamorizes drugs. Downey's character is shown being exiled by his father, unemployed, forced into prostitution and finally die an early death.
I believe his dislike of the film ran deeper than his limited knowledge of addiction. His own youth was vastly different to 80's teen life in America. He didn't come from priviledge, but a modest, religious household steeped in responsibility and tradition. He was ex military and had no patience for movies depicting the trials and tribulations of highly priviledged characters indulging in harmful, expensive activities that were self-inflicted.
This is one of what would be a guilty pleasure film for me---if I felt shame. But I loved it without reservation. Everyone was great in it and my spirit still soars when I hear its version of Up The Ladder To The Roof!
I thought Gene's reaction to "Made In Heaven" was very sweet. Also, it's fine to like "Less Than Zero" as a movie, but us fans of the book were mightily disappointed--it was a lousy adaptation, not true to the book at all. On the other hand, a truer adaptation of the book would've probably been even MORE depressing, so maybe it all evens out.
Siskel's take on Less Than Zero is a perfect example why he's a terrible film critic. He goes out his way to find fault in any movie he sees instead of enjoying the movie experience. Went to high school in the 80s, and I can tell you this is a pretty accurate depiction. The cliques, the cool kids, the parties where a drug dealer shows up. Knew some fellow students introduced to drugs and eventually die. All true.
I think his own youth experience and stint in the military was vastly different to 80's teen life in America. He had a definite antipathy towards films that showed priviledged people suffering by their own design. Throughout his film reviews I see it again and again as something he had little patience for.
I have always thought that Made In Heaven is an unrecognized gem.
RIP gentleman. You made Chicago great.
That's not exactly an easy task to begin with.
@@doddsino
Not since Burnham. Democrats ruined the Second City.
Really only made it a little less miserable.
MAGA
Less Than Zero hit hard because my high school had some very similar students. One night, several of them rented a suite in Beverly Hills and did rails of coke. The dealers brother had a seizure and nearly died. The film doesn’t glamorize drug use any more than what I had witnessed that evening. Kept my distance from those people forever.
Less Than Zero also had a great soundtrack too. All cover songs. The Bangles "Hazy Shade Of Winter" & Slayer "In a Gadda Da Vida", etc....and it was based on a 1985 book by Bret Easton Ellis who later wrote "American Psycho" in 1991 (also made into a film in 2000)
Siskel's take on Less Than Zero is a perfect example why he's a terrible film critic. He goes out his way to find fault in any movie he sees instead of enjoying the movie experience. Went to high school in the 80s, and I can tell you this is a pretty accurate depiction. The cliques, the cool kids, the parties where a drug dealer shows up. Knew some fellow students introduced to drugs and eventually die. All true.
Not all cover songs unless you count The Cult covering AC/DC. The rap stuff I believe was all original. But what was best was the underrated most beautiful score by the genius Thomas Newman, only a second to John Barry. Newmans strings are so potent especially in the end of the film that it just rips your heart out of your chest. How the score never got a release is beyond me. I had to manually rip it off of dvd via Pro-Tools. I got the soundtrack vinyl for xmas from my older brother in 87' as a 13 year old because he knew I instantly loved the film and The Bangles cover. One of my all-time favorite films and getting to see The Lost Boys and this within just a couple of months apart made an enormous impression on me growing up. It didn't glorify drugs for me it was just an impactful film about friendship, love, and death and it struck an emotional chord with me even though I was at such a young age. I was the only one at school raving about such a film. Siskel could be such an idiot. Downey was brilliant.
Made in Heaven 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 inspiring and great music
Siskel totally whiffed on his Less Than Zero review. I LIVED those mid-80's cocaine tainted High School years. It was EXTREMELY accurate and I can relate to most of those characters in the movie because I saw them first hand in many of my friends back in those days.
Yeah, but you didn't stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.
He didn't say it wasn't accurate, he said the film was glamorizing it. I don't agree with him but I can see why someone would think that. There are many drugs movies out there that are much more critical in their tone towards the culture.
Andrew McCarthy was a terrible actor..wooden
@@zxbc1 Although I lost many friends to cocaine back then I believe that it would be impossible to distance the glamorization of cocaine from the horrid reality of its consequences.
Media reports accurately reported its widespread use as a "party" drug for those with disposable income. It reported the deaths. But those who used it were generally living a much better lifestyle than those addicted to heroin or pills.
It wasn't until it was weaponized as crack that the less well to do became hooked on a cheaper and more easily distributed drug---and one even more addictive.
Then the users became criminals rather than the children of lawyers and doctors---or the lawyers and doctors themselves.
Glad you came though it all bro
Poor Shelly Long, her career was never really the same after she left Cheers.
I love Hiding Out! It seems like they just wanted it to be something more serious than it is.
I agree with Ebert on LTZ. Siskel said they glamorized drug addiction. On the contrary, RDJ ends up having to repay his drug debt in about the worst way possible. That helped keep me away from drugs for the last 30 years. I agree with Gene sometimes, but he completely missed the point here.
Wow! Iron Man was strung out on drugs and in debt to Ultron? Where was THAT backstory?
Can you find Ebert and Roeper (2006) Babel
I liked Less than Zero. I thought it was dope....no pun intended 😅
How to say ‘a rock and a roll’ should be in the AFI 100 best lines list.
Shelly Long should've stayed on Cheers, but then again, as much as I love the Diane years, i don't think the show would've lasted much longer with her on it .
Less Than Zero is the quintessential 80's movie, but could use a remake, a new adaption, but Ebert is correct.
Siskel failed to understand that drugs hit (excuse the pun) each addict differently. You have the functional and the dysfunctional, which explained Gertz's and Downey's characters, and that their higher class status changes the outlook of how the functioning played out. It's no Requiem for a Dream, but still this point should be considered.
I honestly don't understand how Less Than Zero glamorizes drugs. Downey's character is shown being exiled by his father, unemployed, forced into prostitution and finally die an early death.
I believe his dislike of the film ran deeper than his limited knowledge of addiction. His own youth was vastly different to 80's teen life in America. He didn't come from priviledge, but a modest, religious household steeped in responsibility and tradition. He was ex military and had no patience for movies depicting the trials and tribulations of highly priviledged characters indulging in harmful, expensive activities that were self-inflicted.
Made in Heaven was covered by the podcast How Did This Get Made some time back. It's a bananas movie. But not bad. Truly an original.
saw it in the dollar cinema..kind of slow
This is one of what would be a guilty pleasure film for me---if I felt shame.
But I loved it without reservation. Everyone was great in it and my spirit still soars when I hear its version of Up The Ladder To The Roof!
Meets his dead "ant"? Strange
I thought Gene's reaction to "Made In Heaven" was very sweet.
Also, it's fine to like "Less Than Zero" as a movie, but us fans of the book were mightily disappointed--it was a lousy adaptation, not true to the book at all.
On the other hand, a truer adaptation of the book would've probably been even MORE depressing, so maybe it all evens out.
Shelley Long is the male equivalent of Selleck... Awful films, good TV
hang on...Night Shift is a great film...
The Money Pit or The Brady Bunch movie?
Siskel's take on Less Than Zero is a perfect example why he's a terrible film critic. He goes out his way to find fault in any movie he sees instead of enjoying the movie experience. Went to high school in the 80s, and I can tell you this is a pretty accurate depiction. The cliques, the cool kids, the parties where a drug dealer shows up. Knew some fellow students introduced to drugs and eventually die. All true.
I think his own youth experience and stint in the military was vastly different to 80's teen life in America. He had a definite antipathy towards films that showed priviledged people suffering by their own design. Throughout his film reviews I see it again and again as something he had little patience for.
Less Than Zero sucks. I wish I had never seen it. Somehow it has a bunch of decent actors but they do a horrible job of acting in it.
Hiding Out is dreadful. Its a bit weird and mostly crappy.
I'd never even heard of it until watching this review - and I know 80's films.
You are wrong. 😁