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Sneak Previews

Season 5 1980 - 1981
TV-PG

  • 1980-10-02T04:00:00Z on WTTW
  • 29m
  • 19h 21m (40 episodes)
  • United States
  • English
  • Talk Show
Sneak Previews was an American film review show, running for over two decades on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). It was created by WTTW, a PBS affiliate in Chicago, Illinois. It premiered on September 4, 1975 as a monthly local-only show called "OPENING SOON… …at a Theater Near You", and was renamed in 1977 when it became a biweekly show airing nationally on PBS. By 1979, it was a weekly series airing on over 180 stations, and was the highest rated weekly entertainment series in the history of public broadcasting. The show came to an end in 1996 and is no longer aired.

40 episodes

Reviews of "Middle Age Crazy", "Those Lips, Those Eyes", "Ordinary People", and "Willie & Phil". Dogs of the week are "Satan’s Playthings", a.k.a. "Assault", and "The Mountain Men".

Reviews of "Stardust Memories", "Somewhere in Time", "Oh God! Book II", and "Coast to Coast". Dogs of the week are "He Knows You’re Alone" and "Caligula".

Reviews of "Private Benjamin", "Gloria", "Why Would I Lie?", and "Terror Train". Roger defines "The Idiot Plot". Dogs of the week are "Nightmare" and "Bloody Friday".

In this special episode, Gene and Roger take time out to discuss the recent trend of horror films that depict women falling victim to extreme violence, and try to warn viewers away from them. Featured are clips from 1978’s "I Spit on Your Grave" and "Halloween", 1979’s "The Silent Scream" and "When a Stranger Calls", and 1980’s "Friday the 13th", "Don’t Answer the Phone!", and "The Boogey Man". This episode was retitled "Women in Danger" in 2011 when it aired as a "from the vault" episode of "Ebert Presents: At The Movies".

Reviews of "Hopscotch", "It's My Turn", "Loving Couples", "The Elephant Man" and "Motel Hell". Dogs of the week are "Schizoid" and "The Exterminator".

Reviews of "The Awakening", "One Trick Pony", "The Stunt Man" and "The First Deadly Sin". Dogs of the week are "The Day After Halloween" and "Cheerleaders’ Wild Weekend".

Gene and Roger examine changing gender roles in Hollywood movies. Is it a real trend, or does it fall apart under scrutiny?

Reviews of "Fade to Black", "The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith", "The Idolmaker", and "Every Man for Himself". Dogs of the week are "Walk of the Dead" and "Battle Beyond The Stars".

5x09 Times Square/Borderline/Kagemusha

  • 1980-11-27T05:00:00Z29m

Reviews of four films, including "Times Square", "Borderline" and"Kagemusha".

5x10 If We Owned a Movie Theater

  • 1980-12-04T05:00:00Z29m

Gene and Roger discuss recent gems that never got a fair chance at the box office (and one classic that did) for their fantasy movie theater. Recommendations for "The Conversation" (1974), "The Killing of a Chinese Bookie" (1976), "Real Life" (1979), "The Green Wall" (1970), "And Now My Love" (1975), "Happy New Year" (1973), and "Citizen Kane" (1941).

1980-12-11T05:00:00Z

5x11 Movies About Families

5x11 Movies About Families

  • 1980-12-11T05:00:00Z29m

In this special episode, Gene and Roger examine one of the latest trends in movies: films about families.

The Christmas movie season begins, and Gene and Roger have seen the first week of films. Reviews of "Flash Gordon", "Stir Crazy", "Popeye", and "Bye-Bye Brazil". Dogs of the Week are "Alligator" and "If You Don't Stop It… You'll Go Blind!!!".

Four more big Christmas movies. Reviews of "Any Which Way You Can", "The Formula", "Raging Bull", and "Nine to Five". Dogs of the week are "The Immortal Bachelor" and "Mother’s Day".

Reviews of "The Jazz Singer", "Seems Like Old Times", "A Change of Seasons", and "Resurrection". Dogs of the week are "Invincible Devil" and "New Year’s Evil". Also, Gene and Roger give their final recommendations for Christmas movies.

5x15 The Ten Best Films of 1980

  • 1981-01-08T05:00:00Z29m

Gene and Roger each enumerate their top ten films of the past year.

1981-01-15T05:00:00Z

5x16 Dogs of the Year 1980

5x16 Dogs of the Year 1980

  • 1981-01-15T05:00:00Z29m

It's finally Spot the Wonder-Dog's time to shine as the worst widely-released films of the year are publicly shamed. Gene and Roger try to find the general trend. Dog of the year is "I Spit on Your Grave".

5x17 A Look at Independent Films

  • 1981-01-29T05:00:00Z29m

Gene and Roger take look at six low-budget American films made outside of the studio system. Featured are "Return of the Secaucus Seven", "Heartland", "The Whole Shootin’ Match", "The Haunting of M", "Impostors", and "Gal Young Un".

Reviews of "Scanners", "The Green Room", "The Mirror Crack’d", and "Altered States". Dogs of the week are "First Family" and "Mountain Family Robinson".

Reviews of "The Incredible Shrinking Woman", "Fort Apache, The Bronx", "The Devil and Max Devlin", "Melvin and Howard", and "Hangar 18". Dogs of the week are "The Cauldron of Death" and "11".

Reviews of "Eyewitness", "Tess", "The Competition", and "The Dogs of War". Dogs of the week are "Land of the Minotaur" and "The Last Challenge of the Dragon".

Reviews of "Sunday Lovers", "Falling in Love Again", "My Bloody Valentine", and "The Last Metro". Commentary on the Academy Award nominations. No "dogs" are featured this week.

Reviews of "Tribute", "La Cage aux Folles II", "Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen", "American Pop", and "The Day After Trinity". Dogs of the week are "The Gong Show Movie", and "Dragon on Fire".

1981-03-19T05:00:00Z

5x23 If We Picked the Oscars

5x23 If We Picked the Oscars

  • 1981-03-19T05:00:00Z29m

This year, instead of predicting Academy Award winners, Gene and Roger go through the nominations and pick their choices for "bests", with surprising results.

Reviews of "Back Roads", "All Night Long", "The Postman Always Rings Twice", "Private Eyes", and "Galaxina". This week, Spot the Wonder-Dog brings us the worst nominations for The Academy Awards: Paul Zastupnevich for Costume Design on "When Time Ran Out" and James Crabe for Cinematography on "The Formula".

Reviews of "Thief", "The Final Conflict", "The Trials of Alger Hiss", and "Rockshow". Dogs of the week are "Dirty Tricks" and "Earthbound".

Gene and Roger discuss a troubling new trend in movies, as well as its possible causes.

Reviews of "Nighthawks", "Modern Romance", "Excalibur", "Heaven’s Gate", and the limited re-release of 1927’s silent classic "Napoleon". Dogs of the week are "Sphinx" and "Cheaper to Keep Her".

Reviews of "Hardly Working", "The Howling", "Breaker Morant", "Mon Oncle d’Amerique", and "Caveman".  Dogs of the week are "Goin’ Ape" and the doglike practice of title changes for cash-grabs with "Communion" a.k.a. "Alice Sweet Alice" a.k.a. "Holy Terror".

Reviews of “Lion of the Desert”, “Tell Me a Riddle”, “Windwalker”, and “Friday the 13th Part II”.  Dogs of the week are “Squeeze Play” and “Spaced Out”.

Reviews of “The Four Seasons”, “Bustin’ Loose”, “This is Elvis”, and “Atlantic City”.  Dogs of the week are “Happy Birthday to Me” and scratch & sniff movies via Odorama with “Polyester”.

Reviews of “The Legend of the Lone Ranger”, “Death Hunt”, “Take this Job and Shove It”, and “Outland”.  Dogs of the week are “The Fan” and “The Burning”.

Reviews of “Cheech and Chong’s Nice Dreams”, “High Risk”, “History of the World Part One”, and “Clash of the Titans”.  Dogs of the week are “Final Exam” and “The Hand”.

Reviews of “Cutter’s Way”, “City of Women”, “I Sent a Letter to My Love”, and “Raiders of the Lost Ark”.  Dogs of the week are “Dead & Buried” and “Screamers”.

Reviews of “Stripes”, “Eyes of a Stranger”, “The Cannonball Run”, and “Superman II”.  Dogs of the week are “Bare Knuckles” and “It Came Without Warning”.

Reviews of "Dragonslayer", "The​ ​Great Muppet Caper", "For Your Eyes Only", and "S.O.B.". Dogs of the week are "Maniac" and "Beyond Evil".

1981-07-16T04:00:00Z

5x36 More Guilty Pleasures

5x36 More Guilty Pleasures

  • 1981-07-16T04:00:00Z29m

Once again Gene and Roger defy expectations by each recommending three movies that defy logic. Gene recommends “High Risk (1981)”, “Bugsy Malone (1976)”, and “Private Parts (1972)”, and Roger recommends “Kill and Kill Again (1981)”, “Massacre at Central High (1976)”, and “Invasion of the Bee Girls (1973)”.

Reviews of “On the Right Track”, “Gates of Heaven”, “The Fox and the Hound”, “Escape from New York”, and “Force: Five”.  Dogs of the week are “Dirt” and “Demonoid”.

Reviews of “Arthur”, “Endless Love”, “Zorro, The Gay Blade”, and “Blow Out”.  Dogs of the week are “Blood Beach” and “Super Power”.

Reviews of “Eye of the Needle”, “Wolfen”, “From Mao to Mozart”, and “Tarzan the Ape Man”  Spot the Wonder-Dog has the week off.

Reviews of “Victory”, “Condorman”, “Loulou”, and “Under the Rainbow”.  Dogs of the week are “Terror House” and “Firecracker”.

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