Waiting for Guffman (1996)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Christopher Guest

Writers (WGA):

Christopher Guest (written by) &
Eugene Levy (written by)

Release Date:

31 January 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

There's A Good Reason Some Talent Remains Undiscovered

Plot:

An aspiring director and the marginally-talented amateur cast of a hokey small-town Missouri musical production go overboard when they learn that someone from Broadway will be in attendance.

Plot Keywords:

Missouri | Small Town | Amateur Theater | Dairy Queen | Dentist

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Deborah Theaker	...	Gwen Fabin-Blunt, Councilwoman
Michael Hitchcock	...	Steve Stark, Councilman
Scott Williamson	...	Tucker Livingston, Councilman
Larry Miller	...	Glenn Welsch, Mayor
Don Lake	...	Phil Burgess, Blaine Historian
Christopher Guest	...	Corky St. Clair
Fred Willard	...	Ron Albertson
Catherine O'Hara	...	Sheila Albertson
Parker Posey	...	Libby Mae Brown
David Cross	...	UFO Expert
Eugene Levy	...	Dr. Allan Pearl
James McQueen	...	Singing Auditioner (as Jim McQueen)
Turk Pipkin	...	Ping Pong Ball Juggler
Jerry Turman	...	Raging Bull Auditioner
Bob Balaban	...	Lloyd Miller

Also Known As:

The Christopher Guest Project (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for brief strong language.

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | SDDS

Certification:

UK:15 | Australia:M | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | USA:TV-14 (cable rating) | Canada:14A | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

All Night Productions

Trivia:

The only parts that were actually scripted by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy were the lines in the musical "Red, White and Blaine."

Goofs:

Continuity: After the play is finished, a stagehand comes into the dressing room to hand Corky the message from Mr. Guffman, then leaves the room. When he reads the message to the group, the stagehand is standing in the background over his shoulder. In the following shot when Corky sits down, she is gone again.

Quotes:

Libby Mae Brown: I been workin' here at the D.Q. for about, um... eight months? Seven? I don't know, somethin' like that, it's fun. Just do the cones... make sundaes, make Blizzards, 'n... put stuff on 'em, 'n... see a lot of people come in, a lot of people come to the D.Q... burgers... ice cream... anything, you know? Cokes... just drive in and get a Coke, if you're thirsty.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Gilmore Girls: He's Slippin' 'Em Bread... Dig? (#6.10)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Lightnin' Strikes

Good spoof documentary from Guest

Sometimes dry, sometimes bubbling satire of middle America chronicles Corky Corkoran's (Guest) efforts to put on a spectacle commemorating the town of Blaine's 150th anniversary. Told in "mockumentary" style like most of Guest's films. Corky drafts an odd assortment of local talent to bring his historical revue to life, including the local dentist (Levy) and travel agent couple (O'Hara and Willard). Like "Spinal Tap", this film mercilessly spoofs the "artistic" pretentions of Corky and his cast, but the audience ends up feeling genuine affection for the characters, the provincial backwater of Blaine, and even Corky's awful show with laughable music and acting. Guest's performance, as well as several of the others, is very funny and memorable.

A likeable comedy that some audiences may find too slow... much funnier than his later (and more popular) "Best of Show".