list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Waiting for Guffman on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Waiting_for_Guffman/110600/default.aspx Title: Waiting for Guffman
Year: 1997
Director: Christopher Guest
Plot: The city of Blaine, Missouri is celebrating its sesquicentennial, and what better reason could there be to put on a show? Corky St. Claire (Christopher Guest), current leader of Blaine's community theater group and creator of a stage musical version of Backdraft that led to the unfortunate destruction of the theater, has been commissioned to put together a musical about the city's noble history, "Red, White and Blaine," which stars a variety of the town's theatrical talent. Corky's cast includes Ron and Sheila Albertson (Fred Willard and Catherine O'Hara), a pair of married travel agents that Corky calls "the Lunts of Blaine;" Allan Pearl (Eugene Levy), a dentist who insists that he wasn't the class clown in high school but did sit next to him; Libby Mae Brown (Parker Posey), a sweet young thing who lives for her job at the Dairy Queen; and Clifford Wooley (Lewis Arquette), an "Old Blainian" who makes gun racks from deer hooves. Somehow, Corky has persuaded a major theatrical producer in New York to send a representative to look at the show -- is it possible that "Red, White and Blaine" could be headed to Broadway? Christopher Guest directed and co-wrote this very funny mock-documentary, in addition to playing the flamboyant Corky; Guests's partners from This Is Spinal Tap, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer, helped write the memorable songs for "Red, White and Blaine." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 73
Number of Lists: 46
Number of blog posts: 7
Number of discussion threads: 3
SpoutRating: 4
]]>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:27:57 GMTWaiting for Guffman1997Christopher GuestThe city of Blaine, Missouri is celebrating its sesquicentennial, and what better reason could there be to put on a show? Corky St. Claire (<a href="/players/P____92825/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Christopher Guest</a>), current leader of Blaine's community theater group and creator of a stage musical version of <a href=/films/2152/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Backdraft</a> that led to the unfortunate destruction of the theater, has been commissioned to put together a musical about the city's noble history, "Red, White and Blaine," which stars a variety of the town's theatrical talent. Corky's cast includes Ron and Sheila Albertson (<a href="/players/P____76341/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Fred Willard</a> and <a href="/players/P____53463/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Catherine O'Hara</a>), a pair of married travel agents that Corky calls "the Lunts of Blaine;" Allan Pearl (<a href="/players/P____99559/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Eugene Levy</a>), a dentist who insists that he wasn't the class clown in high school but did sit next to him; Libby Mae Brown (<a href="/players/P___187028/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Parker Posey</a>), a sweet young thing who lives for her job at the Dairy Queen; and Clifford Wooley (<a href="/players/P_____2422/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Lewis Arquette</a>), an "Old Blainian" who makes gun racks from deer hooves. Somehow, Corky has persuaded a major theatrical producer in New York to send a representative to look at the show -- is it possible that "Red, White and Blaine" could be headed to Broadway? <a href="/players/P____92825/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Christopher Guest</a> directed and co-wrote this very funny mock-documentary, in addition to playing the flamboyant Corky; Guests's partners from <a href=/films/34830/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>This Is Spinal Tap</a>, <a href="/players/P___102180/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Michael McKean</a> and <a href="/players/P___111073/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Harry Shearer</a>, helped write the memorable songs for "Red, White and Blaine." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide73Tag Target (>10)46734http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t12643tm8uk.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Waiting_for_Guffman/110600/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_June_15_That_s_So_Gay/625/42732/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 6/19/2009 3:27:57 PM
Body: I feel like these characters might be largely stereotypes, so don't get too upset with me, but these are some of my favorite gay film characters: Uncle Monty in Withnail & I: "I think the carrot infinitely more fascinating than the geranium. The carrot has mystery. Flowers are essentially tarts. Prostitutes for the bees. There is you'll agree a certain je ne ses quoi oh so very special about a firm young carrot." "I mean to have you even if it must be burglary." Corky St. Clair in Waiting for Guffman: "I got off that boat with nothing but my dancers belt and a tube of chapstick" "I love you too pa. You taught me how to be a man. How to wrastle a steer to the ground and apply a fiery brand to his hind-quarters. And yes, how to love a woman. How the smell of her hair can drive a man wild!" And also The Birdcage, which isn't too bad. And is a remake of La Cage Aux Folles which I have never seen.
]]>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:27:57 GMTRisseladaWeekly Theme6/19/2009 3:27:57 PMI feel like these characters might be largely stereotypes, so don't get too upset with me, but these are some of my favorite gay film characters: Uncle Monty in Withnail &amp; I: "I think the carrot infinitely more fascinating than the geranium. The carrot has mystery. Flowers are essentially tarts. Prostitutes for the bees. There is you'll agree a certain je ne ses quoi oh so very special about a firm young carrot." "I mean to have you even if it must be burglary." Corky St. Clair in Waiting for Guffman: "I got off that boat with nothing but my dancers belt and a tube of chapstick" "I love you too pa. You taught me how to be a man. How to wrastle a steer to the ground and apply a fiery brand to his hind-quarters. And yes, how to love a woman. How the smell of her hair can drive a man wild!" And also The Birdcage, which isn't too bad. And is a remake of La Cage Aux Folles which I have never seen. http://www.spout.com/blogs/christhilk/archive/2008/8/27/34475.aspx Post By: ChrisThilk
Post To: ChrisThilk Blog
Post Date: 8/27/2008 6:01:14 PM
Body: I always enjoy Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show and A Mighty Wind on a variety of levels. First, there’s the watching of a batch of actors who truly know where their towels are to an extent that they can largely make a movie up as they’re going along. Then there’s the level on which I admire the editing of the footage that was shot into a coherent story. Finally there’s the mental image that follows every scene of the cast breaking each other up and requiring another take to try and play it straight. Of the three Best in Show probably works the best in terms of being an actual movie. The characters are the best developed and it’s played straight for the most part, only rarely diving into overt gags. The other two are filled with more “funny” moments as opposed to letting the humor bubble up from the outrageous situations the characters find themselves in. Still, though, all three are a treat to watch. Plus, watch Christopher Guest through the films and you’ll see how scary good an actor he really is. Originally posted on:Chris Thilk
]]>Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:01:14 GMTChrisThilkChrisThilk Blog8/27/2008 6:01:14 PMI always enjoy Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show and A Mighty Wind on a variety of levels. First, there’s the watching of a batch of actors who truly know where their towels are to an extent that they can largely make a movie up as they’re going along. Then there’s the level on which I admire the editing of the footage that was shot into a coherent story. Finally there’s the mental image that follows every scene of the cast breaking each other up and requiring another take to try and play it straight. Of the three Best in Show probably works the best in terms of being an actual movie. The characters are the best developed and it’s played straight for the most part, only rarely diving into overt gags. The other two are filled with more “funny” moments as opposed to letting the humor bubble up from the outrageous situations the characters find themselves in. Still, though, all three are a treat to watch. Plus, watch Christopher Guest through the films and you’ll see how scary good an actor he really is. Originally posted on:Chris Thilk http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/6/5/30563.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 6/5/2008 3:01:05 PM
Body: Now that we know, courtesy of Stu at Defamer, that Werner Herzog’s remake of Abel Ferrara’s Bad Lieutenant is not so much a remake as it is like a new entry into a franchise, a la the James Bond movies, we at SpoutBlog wonder what other ’90s indie favorites could be continued with similar yet “completely different” installments. I remember back in the day thinking that Clerks should be a franchise, each film focusing on a different crappy job experience, but now that Clerks II has come and gone, that idea will likely never be realized. Of course, the concept of sequels unrelated to the original aren’t new — just look at any sequel title substituting the number 2 (or II) with the word Too. But nevertheless, here’s a few suggestions for other crazy foreign auteurs to take into consideration: Kids - Looking back, Larry Clark’s then-shocking debut is pretty tame. Nowadays you see teens doing worse things on commercial television. So, how about someone makes another Kids movie every decade or so to expose us to the latest generation of teenagers and how appallingly different they are from the previous generation. It would be like Apted’s Up documentaries, except it wouldn’t follow the same people. Slacker - This is Karina’s suggestion, off the top of her head, so I’ll give her credit. She likes the idea of Linklater revisiting the concept behind his monumental indie, but having it set in other cities, a la The Real World. Unlike the premise of the next Real World, though, I’d be much more excited about a Slacker Brooklyn. Leaving Las Vegas - While we’re on the idea of transplanting locations, and because Herzog is setting his Bad Lieutenant in New Orleans rather than New York, let’s mention some films whose remakes sequels next installments could feature title changes depending on their location changes. Leaving Boston might not have the same ring to it, though. What about King of New York redone as King of St. Louis? Of course, Abel Ferrara is already turning King of New York into a franchise with Pericle il Nero, a prequel that isn’t quite a prequel (strange that he would have a problem with Herzog’s film, then). Swingers - This one is easy. Take some hot new subculture/dance craze/music scene and exploit it, so none of the original followers like it anymore and all of the new followers can be labeled posers (no, of course I’m not bitter). Swingers wasn’t the first movie to do it; Saturday Night Fever and probably a few ’50s rock ‘n’ roll movies were viewed the same way. I wonder what scene is cool with the alternative kids these days … The Big One - Following the success of Roger and Me, Michael Moore made this documentary in which he attempts to get interviews with other corporate heads. But now his films are mostly political and there’s less attention paid towards companies like General Motors and Nike. Sure, we’ve since seen some worthy substitutes, including The Corporation, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room and Super Size Me, but I’d like Moore to return to his hunting of the villains of capitalism and give up on his pursuit of 9/11 answers. Breaking the Waves - Surely most movie execs were shocked at how unsexy Von Trier’s film was. After all, the story of a crippled man who sends his wife out to sleep with men for his vicarious benefit sounds like an erotic, softcore, Skinamax kind of thing. So, when do we get Breaking the Waves Too, about another crippled man with a much younger, hotter wife (just FYI, I personally have always had a crush on Emily Watson)? And since it will be have to be direct-to-video will it still need to avoid the nauseating shaky cam that made so many people sick in the theater? Sling Blade - Having recently seen Robert Duvall in the 1972 film Tomorrow, I now know that Billy Bob Thornton’s “Karl Childers” is not that unique a character. For the next installment, I’d like to see Karl (well, a character like Karl) and his southern gothic story set in New York City. It would make about as much sense as Bad Lieutenant being set in NOLA. Being John Malkovich - Who hasn’t wanted a franchise in which each installment goes inside the head of a different cult-figure actor? Even if it would ruin the original just a little big, I’d love Being Jeff Goldblum or Being Christopher Walken. The latter would be enormously popular. Kolya - This Oscar-winning foreign film showed us that heartwarming tales of old, curmudgeonly Sean Connery lookalikes who learn to love the young child they’re forced to take care of are universal. But I’d like to see the same plot in other countries besides Czechoslovakia, just to be sure. Waiting for Guffman - Oh wait, Christopher Guest has been continually remaking this movie, only without association. Never mind. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Thu, 05 Jun 2008 19:01:05 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com6/5/2008 3:01:05 PMNow that we know, courtesy of Stu at Defamer, that Werner Herzog’s remake of Abel Ferrara’s Bad Lieutenant is not so much a remake as it is like a new entry into a franchise, a la the James Bond movies, we at SpoutBlog wonder what other ’90s indie favorites could be continued with similar yet “completely different” installments. I remember back in the day thinking that Clerks should be a franchise, each film focusing on a different crappy job experience, but now that Clerks II has come and gone, that idea will likely never be realized. Of course, the concept of sequels unrelated to the original aren’t new — just look at any sequel title substituting the number 2 (or II) with the word Too. But nevertheless, here’s a few suggestions for other crazy foreign auteurs to take into consideration: Kids - Looking back, Larry Clark’s then-shocking debut is pretty tame. Nowadays you see teens doing worse things on commercial television. So, how about someone makes another Kids movie every decade or so to expose us to the latest generation of teenagers and how appallingly different they are from the previous generation. It would be like Apted’s Up documentaries, except it wouldn’t follow the same people. Slacker - This is Karina’s suggestion, off the top of her head, so I’ll give her credit. She likes the idea of Linklater revisiting the concept behind his monumental indie, but having it set in other cities, a la The Real World. Unlike the premise of the next Real World, though, I’d be much more excited about a Slacker Brooklyn. Leaving Las Vegas - While we’re on the idea of transplanting locations, and because Herzog is setting his Bad Lieutenant in New Orleans rather than New York, let’s mention some films whose remakes sequels next installments could feature title changes depending on their location changes. Leaving Boston might not have the same ring to it, though. What about King of New York redone as King of St. Louis? Of course, Abel Ferrara is already turning King of New York into a franchise with Pericle il Nero, a prequel that isn’t quite a prequel (strange that he would have a problem with Herzog’s film, then). Swingers - This one is easy. Take some hot new subculture/dance craze/music scene and exploit it, so none of the original followers like it anymore and all of the new followers can be labeled posers (no, of course I’m not bitter). Swingers wasn’t the first movie to do it; Saturday Night Fever and probably a few ’50s rock ‘n’ roll movies were viewed the same way. I wonder what scene is cool with the alternative kids these days … The Big One - Following the success of Roger and Me, Michael Moore made this documentary in which he attempts to get interviews with other corporate heads. But now his films are mostly political and there’s less attention paid towards companies like General Motors and Nike. Sure, we’ve since seen some worthy substitutes, including The Corporation, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room and Super Size Me, but I’d like Moore to return to his hunting of the villains of capitalism and give up on his pursuit of 9/11 answers. Breaking the Waves - Surely most movie execs were shocked at how unsexy Von Trier’s film was. After all, the story of a crippled man who sends his wife out to sleep with men for his vicarious benefit sounds like an erotic, softcore, Skinamax kind of thing. So, when do we get Breaking the Waves Too, about another crippled man with a much younger, hotter wife (just FYI, I personally have always had a crush on Emily Watson)? And since it will be have to be direct-to-video will it still need to avoid the nauseating shaky cam that made so many people sick in the theater? Sling Blade - Having recently seen Robert Duvall in the 1972 film Tomorrow, I now know that Billy Bob Thornton’s “Karl Childers” is not that unique a character. For the next installment, I’d like to see Karl (well, a character like Karl) and his southern gothic story set in New York City. It would make about as much sense as Bad Lieutenant being set in NOLA. Being John Malkovich - Who hasn’t wanted a franchise in which each installment goes inside the head of a different cult-figure actor? Even if it would ruin the original just a little big, I’d love Being Jeff Goldblum or Being Christopher Walken. The latter would be enormously popular. Kolya - This Oscar-winning foreign film showed us that heartwarming tales of old, curmudgeonly Sean Connery lookalikes who learn to love the young child they’re forced to take care of are universal. But I’d like to see the same plot in other countries besides Czechoslovakia, just to be sure. Waiting for Guffman - Oh wait, Christopher Guest has been continually remaking this movie, only without association. Never mind. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/cinemarian/archive/2008/5/13/29004.aspx Post By: CinemaRian
Post To: CinemaRian Blog
Post Date: 5/13/2008 8:12:42 PM
Body: I cannot deny that Waiting for Guffman is a very funny movie. There was one joke, regarding an orchestra that gets way too into a piece of music, that had me laughing uncontrollably. But the movie is oddly ephameral- it's worthwike while watching it, but it kind of dissapears after. It's the first of three mockumentaries by Christopher Guest, most famous for his role as Nigel Tufnel in the greatest mockumentary of them all, This Is Spinal Tap. Using the same techniques as that film, (16mm, improvisions by actors), Guest satirizes small town values. Every year, Blaine, Missouri puts on a musical production, and for this year, the town's 150th aniversay, the town council wants to do something special. Corky St. Clair (Guest), an effeminate former broadway director, writes an original production- a history of the town in music. Although the local pool of talent is lacking to say the least, Corky is enthusastic and puts together a cast. Everyone is energized when the receive word that a famous broadway producer (the Guffman of the title) will be attending. The movie is good example of theater of the absurd, as Guest is mearly content to tell jokes, many of which are very funny. But somehow, I felt that the movie lacked an emotional connection- the comic characters are so weird that we don't really care what happens to them. The actors are great, particularly Eugene Levy (who co-wrote the script) as a tone-deaf dentist and Fred Willard as his usual obnoxious character. I liked this movie, but I think that Guest's next film, Best In Show, is superior. Perhaps that's because I like dogs more than I like theatre, but that's just me. If you want 84 minuets of laughs, give this a rental, but don't expect much more. Waiting for Guffman (1996)
]]>Wed, 14 May 2008 00:12:42 GMTCinemaRianCinemaRian Blog5/13/2008 8:12:42 PMI cannot deny that Waiting for Guffman is a very funny movie. There was one joke, regarding an orchestra that gets way too into a piece of music, that had me laughing uncontrollably. But the movie is oddly ephameral- it's worthwike while watching it, but it kind of dissapears after. It's the first of three mockumentaries by Christopher Guest, most famous for his role as Nigel Tufnel in the greatest mockumentary of them all, This Is Spinal Tap. Using the same techniques as that film, (16mm, improvisions by actors), Guest satirizes small town values. Every year, Blaine, Missouri puts on a musical production, and for this year, the town's 150th aniversay, the town council wants to do something special. Corky St. Clair (Guest), an effeminate former broadway director, writes an original production- a history of the town in music. Although the local pool of talent is lacking to say the least, Corky is enthusastic and puts together a cast. Everyone is energized when the receive word that a famous broadway producer (the Guffman of the title) will be attending. The movie is good example of theater of the absurd, as Guest is mearly content to tell jokes, many of which are very funny. But somehow, I felt that the movie lacked an emotional connection- the comic characters are so weird that we don't really care what happens to them. The actors are great, particularly Eugene Levy (who co-wrote the script) as a tone-deaf dentist and Fred Willard as his usual obnoxious character. I liked this movie, but I think that Guest's next film, Best In Show, is superior. Perhaps that's because I like dogs more than I like theatre, but that's just me. If you want 84 minuets of laughs, give this a rental, but don't expect much more. Waiting for Guffman (1996) http://www.spout.com/blogs/chrismorrell/archive/2008/1/20/24133.aspx Post By: chrismorrell
Post To: chrismorrell Blog
Post Date: 1/20/2008 10:23:24 PM
Body: 'Waiting for Guffman'... the Chris Guest film that i had unaccountably missed seeing up to now , unaccountably, because i AM one of those people who can quote, endlessly from 'This Is Spinal Tap'.. and , of course i love 'Best in Show' and 'A Mighty Wind'... so it's a must for Guest fans...members of the variable ensemble are here ..Catherine O'hara, Eugene Levy, Parker Posey ,Fred Willard..Apart from the beautifully observed , totally 'camped out' Corky,(Guest)...highlight,for me is Parker Posey in pure 'White Trash' gum-chewin mode,with her innapropriately sexy audition,of 'Teachers Pet'...seemingly quite happy , whatever happens!!... "Waiting for Guffman"... .hurrah!!!
]]>Mon, 21 Jan 2008 03:23:24 GMTchrismorrellchrismorrell Blog1/20/2008 10:23:24 PM&#39;Waiting for Guffman&#39;... the Chris Guest film that i had unaccountably missed seeing up to now , unaccountably, because i AM one of those people who can quote, endlessly from &#39;This Is Spinal Tap&#39;.. and , of course i love &#39;Best in Show&#39; and &#39;A Mighty Wind&#39;... so it&#39;s a must for Guest fans...members of the variable ensemble are here ..Catherine O&#39;hara, Eugene Levy, Parker Posey ,Fred Willard..Apart from the beautifully observed , totally &#39;camped out&#39; Corky,(Guest)...highlight,for me is Parker Posey in pure &#39;White Trash&#39; gum-chewin mode,with her innapropriately sexy audition,of &#39;Teachers Pet&#39;...seemingly quite happy , whatever happens!!... &quot;Waiting for Guffman&quot;... .hurrah!!! http://www.spout.com/blogs/pippin06/archive/2007/12/22/23140.aspx Post By: pippin06
Post To: Reel Thoughts
Post Date: 12/22/2007 11:20:16 AM
Body: I had this on my Netflix queue, but I didn't get to it through the natural progression of the queue. I have a friend, one of my closest, for whom this film is one of her absolute favorites. She's a theater-geek and a stage manager in training. Ever since I've known her, she's been like "Waiting for Guffman, Waiting for Guffman, you have to see Waiting for Guffman." I, of course, had never heard of it prior to becoming a theater geek myself and meeting her and hearing everyone talk about it. Because she's one of my closest friends, and because we hang out a lot, we often quote movies in passing. We have common movies, but Waiting for Guffman was always the one she insisted I watch. I insist she watch Bridget Jones' Diary. It's her turn now. Last night, I finally watching Waiting for Guffman. It was my first Christopher Guest-helmed movie too. And it was hilarious.Guest, who directed, also stars as Corky St. Clair, a New York transplant to small town Blaine, Missouri. Of course, he's not-so-ambiguously gay, at least to the viewer, though the small-towners don't seem to notice him playing up every stereotype - although not cruelly, which I was relieved about. Corky is a director and auteur, and for Blaine (the capital of stools and the first town to experience an alien invasion, not Roswell, contrary to public opinion) and its sesquecentennial celebration, Corky pens a musical of epic proportions for its community theater. He casts local talent, a word to be used liberally as talent is relative in Blaine, and then takes it upon himself to contact New York theater companies to advertise his project. One theater company indicates that a Mr. Guffman will be in attendance, and Corky advertises the idea that the musical could be Broadway-bound. In the meantime, the entire story is told through the "mockumentary" format that Guest and his various writing partners (including Michael McKean and Eugene Levy) are famous for. This film is hilarious, but I immediately wondered if people not involved in theater or the entertainment business of some kind would find this film remotely funny? There was quite a bit of inside humor. My absolute favorite character was Bob Balaban's music director, and my favorite scene was the quiet creative argument when the music director fights with Corky over practicing music. That is so true to life, I can attest to it! Granted, it's never quite as funny as in this scene, and never quite to this extreme, but the clash of ego and creative control between director and music director is a reality, even in small town community theater (and larger town community theater).Really, though, the whole cast was priceless and filled with stars who often come onto Guest projects. Mr. Levy himself played dentist Allan Pearl, who was not the class clown but sat next to him, making him ready for his tour de force comedic performance. Fred Willard and Catherine O'Hara played the Albertsons, travel agents who have never been anywhere outside of Blaine (except to Jefferson City for a medical condition), but also the seemingly humble actors who become experts and divas by the time the play is on a roll. Catherine O'Hara was particularly funny when she and the Pearls (Allan's wife in tow) share dinner at a Chinese restaurant, and she gets a little too tipsy on wine. I also loved the quintessential small-town post-80s 80s bangs she was sporting. Parker Posey played a Dairy Queen transplant, the waif in whom Corky sees some inspiration, at least until he finds a hunky auto-mechanic to take on the male lead.The whole movie worked because of its thumb-its-nose satire on small towns, self-delusion, community theater, and theater in general. My only complaint was that this movie was not as laugh-out-loud funny as people had me believe, but it still caused me to chuckle quite a bit. It was also kind of genius in its own right because it is something that non-theater people can still laugh at, can still see in everyday life.In fact, because the film never takes itself too seriously as it is too busy poking fun at these institutions while remaining not cruel in its mocking, I can find very little wrong with it. Mr. Guest is very funny, and I can't wait to watch his other films that I've heard so much about, including Best in Show and a Mighty Wind.I am going to rate this movie a 9 for perfectly entertaining. It's not quite a masterpiece in my eyes (might have been if I were laughing more), but it's really very chuckle-funny and clever. Also, this movie might pass the test. I feel like I should own it because of my theater connection, but I may want to watch it one more time to confirm this. Ultimately, though, I'm glad I finally watched it at all. Waiting for Guffman was worth the wait!
]]>Sat, 22 Dec 2007 16:20:16 GMTpippin06Reel Thoughts12/22/2007 11:20:16 AMI had this on my Netflix queue, but I didn&#39;t get to it through the natural progression of the queue. I have a friend, one of my closest, for whom this film is one of her absolute favorites. She&#39;s a theater-geek and a stage manager in training. Ever since I&#39;ve known her, she&#39;s been like &quot;Waiting for Guffman, Waiting for Guffman, you have to see Waiting for Guffman.&quot; I, of course, had never heard of it prior to becoming a theater geek myself and meeting her and hearing everyone talk about it. Because she&#39;s one of my closest friends, and because we hang out a lot, we often quote movies in passing. We have common movies, but Waiting for Guffman was always the one she insisted I watch. I insist she watch Bridget Jones&#39; Diary. It&#39;s her turn now. Last night, I finally watching Waiting for Guffman. It was my first Christopher Guest-helmed movie too. And it was hilarious.Guest, who directed, also stars as Corky St. Clair, a New York transplant to small town Blaine, Missouri. Of course, he&#39;s not-so-ambiguously gay, at least to the viewer, though the small-towners don&#39;t seem to notice him playing up every stereotype - although not cruelly, which I was relieved about. Corky is a director and auteur, and for Blaine (the capital of stools and the first town to experience an alien invasion, not Roswell, contrary to public opinion) and its sesquecentennial celebration, Corky pens a musical of epic proportions for its community theater. He casts local talent, a word to be used liberally as talent is relative in Blaine, and then takes it upon himself to contact New York theater companies to advertise his project. One theater company indicates that a Mr. Guffman will be in attendance, and Corky advertises the idea that the musical could be Broadway-bound. In the meantime, the entire story is told through the &quot;mockumentary&quot; format that Guest and his various writing partners (including Michael McKean and Eugene Levy) are famous for. This film is hilarious, but I immediately wondered if people not involved in theater or the entertainment business of some kind would find this film remotely funny? There was quite a bit of inside humor. My absolute favorite character was Bob Balaban&#39;s music director, and my favorite scene was the quiet creative argument when the music director fights with Corky over practicing music. That is so true to life, I can attest to it! Granted, it&#39;s never quite as funny as in this scene, and never quite to this extreme, but the clash of ego and creative control between director and music director is a reality, even in small town community theater (and larger town community theater).Really, though, the whole cast was priceless and filled with stars who often come onto Guest projects. Mr. Levy himself played dentist Allan Pearl, who was not the class clown but sat next to him, making him ready for his tour de force comedic performance. Fred Willard and Catherine O&#39;Hara played the Albertsons, travel agents who have never been anywhere outside of Blaine (except to Jefferson City for a medical condition), but also the seemingly humble actors who become experts and divas by the time the play is on a roll. Catherine O&#39;Hara was particularly funny when she and the Pearls (Allan&#39;s wife in tow) share dinner at a Chinese restaurant, and she gets a little too tipsy on wine. I also loved the quintessential small-town post-80s 80s bangs she was sporting. Parker Posey played a Dairy Queen transplant, the waif in whom Corky sees some inspiration, at least until he finds a hunky auto-mechanic to take on the male lead.The whole movie worked because of its thumb-its-nose satire on small towns, self-delusion, community theater, and theater in general. My only complaint was that this movie was not as laugh-out-loud funny as people had me believe, but it still caused me to chuckle quite a bit. It was also kind of genius in its own right because it is something that non-theater people can still laugh at, can still see in everyday life.In fact, because the film never takes itself too seriously as it is too busy poking fun at these institutions while remaining not cruel in its mocking, I can find very little wrong with it. Mr. Guest is very funny, and I can&#39;t wait to watch his other films that I&#39;ve heard so much about, including Best in Show and a Mighty Wind.I am going to rate this movie a 9 for perfectly entertaining. It&#39;s not quite a masterpiece in my eyes (might have been if I were laughing more), but it&#39;s really very chuckle-funny and clever. Also, this movie might pass the test. I feel like I should own it because of my theater connection, but I may want to watch it one more time to confirm this. Ultimately, though, I&#39;m glad I finally watched it at all. Waiting for Guffman was worth the wait! http://www.spout.com/groups/FRESH/Re_Fay_Grimm/75/9322/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: FRESH
Post Date: 5/25/2007 12:03:00 PM
Body: [quote user="divinemsjunebug"] I just read the details and they both look like really good movies, I've never heard of either of them before and I am a major Parker Posey fan. Especially from Best in Show and Waiting for Guffman and Scream 3, she is just the best. I am definately going to have to see both of these films. Thanks for mentioning them! June[/quote]They are very different types of movies from the ones you mentioned. And I know not everyone will enjoy them, but I sincerely hope you do!
]]>Fri, 25 May 2007 16:03:00 GMTRisseladaFRESH5/25/2007 12:03:00 PM[quote user="divinemsjunebug"] I just read the details and they both look like really good movies, I&#39;ve never heard of either of them before and I am a major Parker Posey fan. Especially from Best in Show and Waiting for Guffman and Scream 3, she is just the best. I am definately going to have to see both of these films. Thanks for mentioning them! June[/quote]They are very different types of movies from the ones you mentioned. And I know not everyone will enjoy them, but I sincerely hope you do! http://www.spout.com/groups/PulpFiction1975/Re_Jigsaw_Dialogue/66/8506/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: PulpFiction1975
Post Date: 5/10/2007 12:45:39 PM
Body: Heh, remember that guy in the audition in Waiting for Guffman who reads the dialogue from Raging Bull? I'd like to hear him read anything that was originally obscene and passionate.I would like to hear the actors Ed Wynn and John Fiedler switching off reading excerpts from the novel Naked Lunch or maybe some something from Hunter S. Thompson.
]]>Thu, 10 May 2007 16:45:39 GMTRisseladaPulpFiction19755/10/2007 12:45:39 PMHeh, remember that guy in the audition in Waiting for Guffman who reads the dialogue from Raging Bull? I&#39;d like to hear him read anything that was originally obscene and passionate.I would like to hear the actors Ed Wynn and John Fiedler switching off reading excerpts from the novel Naked Lunch or maybe some something from Hunter S. Thompson. http://www.spout.com/blogs/benjohnskinner/archive/2007/4/17/7194.aspx Post By: benjohnskinner
Post To: benjohnskinner Blog
Post Date: 4/17/2007 4:59:00 PM
Body: There are some lines from books or from movies or from music that spread through the popular consciousness so completely that you don't even have to have read the book or seen the movie to know them.  The first line of A Tale of Two Cities, the first few bars of Beethoven's Fifth, half the lines in Casablanca...  Somehow I've managed to get this far through life without having seen This is Spinal Tap, yet I already knew about Nigel Tufnel and turning the amps up to 11.   I was expecting to see the band wandering around lost back-stage and that the drummers would all meet an untimely fate.It's a shame actually, because I do think this detracts somewhat from the film.  I had a similar feeling when I did finally get to see Casablanca a few months back... I couldn't help but sit there counting off the well-known exchanges and waiting for the next one to turn up.  Also, I've probably come to Spinal Tap a bit backwards.  I initially stumbled across the 'mockumentary' films of Christopher Guest - Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, etc., and fell in love with them.  They'd passed me by in the cinema so I caught up with all of them on DVD and have been showing them off to anyone who'll sit still long enough (most of my friends had never seen them either).  Anyway, I eventually realised the connection to Spinal Tap (Christopher Guest co-wrote and co-stars in TiST, although it was directed not by him but by Rob Reiner) and got round to watching it this evening.  For the few who don't know, This is Spinal Tap is a mockumentary following the fortunes of the eponymous rock band fronted by Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer.  Rob Reiner, playing the documentary film-maker, follows this dimwitted, egotistical trio on their tour of America as gradually their fans desert them, their record label rejects them and internal rivalries begin to tear them apart.  The film is full of gags, both subtle and not-so-subtle, and just a little pathos, affectionately skewering the cookie-cutter Eighties rock group.Christopher Guest has managed to surround himself with a group of versatile and very funny actors - much of the cast here carries over to Guest's later films - and his writing is silly and clever and believable.  This is Spinal Tap is great fun, but actually I didn't think it was the best of his movies.  I don't know if it was the deja vu of knowing many of the lines ahead of time, or perhaps the addition of Rob Reiner to the mix (as director and co-star), but I didn't find the film as completely engaging as Best in Show or Waiting for Guffman.  These later Guest films don't put a foot wrong, every member of the cast is on top form, whereas in Spinal Tap there are a few weak links.  McKean's girlfriend, the band's manager and the more peripheral band members are not particularly funny and occasionally the film loses momentum.  I'll certainly recommend Spinal Tap to people, but I'll suggest watching it first before moving on to Guest's later films, which are even better.
]]>Tue, 17 Apr 2007 20:59:00 GMTbenjohnskinnerbenjohnskinner Blog4/17/2007 4:59:00 PMThere are some lines from books or from movies or from music that spread through the popular consciousness so completely that you don&#39;t even have to have read the book or seen the movie to know them.  The first line of A Tale of Two Cities, the first few bars of Beethoven&#39;s Fifth, half the lines in Casablanca...  Somehow I&#39;ve managed to get this far through life without having seen This is Spinal Tap, yet I already knew about Nigel Tufnel and turning the amps up to 11.   I was expecting to see the band wandering around lost back-stage and that the drummers would all meet an untimely fate.It&#39;s a shame actually, because I do think this detracts somewhat from the film.  I had a similar feeling when I did finally get to see Casablanca a few months back... I couldn&#39;t help but sit there counting off the well-known exchanges and waiting for the next one to turn up.  Also, I&#39;ve probably come to Spinal Tap a bit backwards.  I initially stumbled across the &#39;mockumentary&#39; films of Christopher Guest - Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, etc., and fell in love with them.  They&#39;d passed me by in the cinema so I caught up with all of them on DVD and have been showing them off to anyone who&#39;ll sit still long enough (most of my friends had never seen them either).  Anyway, I eventually realised the connection to Spinal Tap (Christopher Guest co-wrote and co-stars in TiST, although it was directed not by him but by Rob Reiner) and got round to watching it this evening.  For the few who don&#39;t know, This is Spinal Tap is a mockumentary following the fortunes of the eponymous rock band fronted by Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer.  Rob Reiner, playing the documentary film-maker, follows this dimwitted, egotistical trio on their tour of America as gradually their fans desert them, their record label rejects them and internal rivalries begin to tear them apart.  The film is full of gags, both subtle and not-so-subtle, and just a little pathos, affectionately skewering the cookie-cutter Eighties rock group.Christopher Guest has managed to surround himself with a group of versatile and very funny actors - much of the cast here carries over to Guest&#39;s later films - and his writing is silly and clever and believable.  This is Spinal Tap is great fun, but actually I didn&#39;t think it was the best of his movies.  I don&#39;t know if it was the deja vu of knowing many of the lines ahead of time, or perhaps the addition of Rob Reiner to the mix (as director and co-star), but I didn&#39;t find the film as completely engaging as Best in Show or Waiting for Guffman.  These later Guest films don&#39;t put a foot wrong, every member of the cast is on top form, whereas in Spinal Tap there are a few weak links.  McKean&#39;s girlfriend, the band&#39;s manager and the more peripheral band members are not particularly funny and occasionally the film loses momentum.  I&#39;ll certainly recommend Spinal Tap to people, but I&#39;ll suggest watching it first before moving on to Guest&#39;s later films, which are even better. http://www.spout.com/blogs/hairylime/archive/2007/3/1/5884.aspx Post By: HairyLime
Post To: HairyLime Blog
Post Date: 3/1/2007 9:24:00 AM
Body: Watched this one the other night (probably should have watched it on Sunday, before the oscars, it would have made Nicole Kidman's face all that funnier).Not quite as side splittingly funny as his previous three films. This one abandons the 'mockumentary' format and tries for... well, I suppose 'mockudrama' would be a way to describe it. Interviews are still a big portion of the show, although it is frequently the interviewers who are the focus of the parody a lot of the time.Catherine O'Hara is brilliant as usual, and undergoes the most depressingly familiar transformation, from hard working underappreciated thespian uncomfortable with the 'fame' part of the actor's life, to absolute publicity hag, botoxed and tucked beyond recognition. Fred Willard is cluelessly hilarious as usual, and the usual gang of regulars have their moments (I love all the older characters confusing references to that mysterious thing called the 'internet'). Ricky Gervais joins the improv troupe in this one, and I was thinking he would be a great addition to the team, but his scenes kind of fall flat for some reason.Overall, not quite as satisfying as Mighty Wind, Best in Show or Waiting for Guffman. I hate to pigeonhole the director, but this group of improvisational talents seem to shine better in the documentary format, the characters seemed to be much more 'real' despite their quirks, where in this format, the acting seemed much more forced and caricatureish. Still, funnier than a lot of the crap out there that passes for comedy.
]]>Thu, 01 Mar 2007 14:24:00 GMTHairyLimeHairyLime Blog3/1/2007 9:24:00 AMWatched this one the other night (probably should have watched it on Sunday, before the oscars, it would have made Nicole Kidman&#39;s face all that funnier).Not quite as side splittingly funny as his previous three films. This one abandons the &#39;mockumentary&#39; format and tries for... well, I suppose &#39;mockudrama&#39; would be a way to describe it. Interviews are still a big portion of the show, although it is frequently the interviewers who are the focus of the parody a lot of the time.Catherine O&#39;Hara is brilliant as usual, and undergoes the most depressingly familiar transformation, from hard working underappreciated thespian uncomfortable with the &#39;fame&#39; part of the actor&#39;s life, to absolute publicity hag, botoxed and tucked beyond recognition. Fred Willard is cluelessly hilarious as usual, and the usual gang of regulars have their moments (I love all the older characters confusing references to that mysterious thing called the &#39;internet&#39;). Ricky Gervais joins the improv troupe in this one, and I was thinking he would be a great addition to the team, but his scenes kind of fall flat for some reason.Overall, not quite as satisfying as Mighty Wind, Best in Show or Waiting for Guffman. I hate to pigeonhole the director, but this group of improvisational talents seem to shine better in the documentary format, the characters seemed to be much more &#39;real&#39; despite their quirks, where in this format, the acting seemed much more forced and caricatureish. Still, funnier than a lot of the crap out there that passes for comedy. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/funny/MemberTagFilms.aspxfunny
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