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
Paul Dooley	...	UFO Abductee
Linda Kash	...	Mrs. Allan Pearl
Lewis Arquette	...	Clifford Wooley
Matt Keeslar	...	Johnny Savage
Brian Doyle-Murray	...	Red Savage
Miriam Flynn	...	Costume Dresser
Jill Parker-Jones	...	Stage Manager
Margaret Bowman	...	Costume Designer
Paul Benedict	...	Not Guffman (Mr. Roy Loomis)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
James Douglas	...	Theater Attendant (uncredited)
Shane Felux	...	DQ worker / Crowd (uncredited)
Frances Fisher	...	Rita Savage (uncredited)
Jean Fuller	...	Jean (uncredited)
Joseph T. Garrity	...	TV commercial director (uncredited)
Kathy Lamkin	...	Beautiful Dreamer Auditioner (uncredited)
Bob Odenkirk	...	Caped Man at Auditions (uncredited)

Directed by
Christopher Guest

Writing credits (WGA)
Christopher Guest		(written by) &
Eugene Levy		(written by)

Produced by
Karen Murphy	....	producer
Ginger Sledge	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Christopher Guest
Michael McKean
Harry Shearer

Cinematography by
Roberto Schaefer

Film Editing by
Andy Blumenthal

Production Design by
Joseph T. Garrity

Art Direction by
John Frick

Set Decoration by
Jenny C. Patrick

Costume Design by
Julie Carnahan

Makeup Department
Catherine Conrad	....	assistant hair stylist
Catherine Conrad	....	assistant makeup artist
Kelly Nelson	....	hair stylist
Kate Shorter	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Adrienne Gruben	....	post-production supervisor
Sharon Smith Holley	....	post-production supervisor
Helen Pollak	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Phil Hardage	....	second assistant director (as Philip Hardage)
Liz Ryan	....	first assistant director
Courtney Wulfe	....	additional second assistant director

Art Department
Kevin Berve	....	swing gang
Christina Blackledge	....	lead scenic
Rebecca Block	....	art department intern
John V. Burson	....	lead carpenter (as John Burson)
Craig Byrom	....	carpenter
Chuy Carrera	....	swing gang (as Jesus 'Chuy' Carrera)
Raul Carrera	....	swing gang
Mary Catherine Coates	....	art department coordinator
Vicki Dempsey	....	swing gang (as Vicki B. Dempsey)
Sandy Flowers	....	swing gang
Bryant Jackson	....	assistant property master
Michael Kocurek	....	lead man
Joanne Levin	....	property intern
Joe McCusker	....	construction foreman
Sean McKinley	....	art department intern
Darren Patnode	....	swing gang (as C. Darren Patnode)
Mari Phillips	....	buyer
Mari Phillips	....	set dresser
Kym Pykosz	....	scenic artist
Michael Riviere	....	carpenter
Jim Simard	....	construction coordinator (as James Simard)
Byron Scott Thomas	....	property master (as Byron Thomas)
Martha Waters	....	art department production assistant
Glenn Welsch	....	art department intern
Dan Wilson	....	property intern (as Dan V. Wilson)
Kevin Kelly	....	art department (uncredited)

Sound Department
Dana Austin	....	adr recordist (as Dana Porter)
Dave Bergstrom	....	sound engineer
Neil Brody	....	sound re-recording mixer
Terry Burke	....	foley artist
Eric Cheung	....	sound production assistant
Misty Conn	....	boom operator
Yann Delpuech	....	sound effects editor
Robert Deschaine	....	adr mixer (as Bob Deschaine)
James A. Gore	....	foley assistant
Robert Grieve	....	supervising sound editor
Jordan Jannone	....	sound production assistant
Dennis Johnson	....	sound recordist
Darren King	....	dialogue editor
Jennifer Murphy	....	location sound mixer
Rob Nokes	....	post-production sound technical supervisor
Michael O'Farrell	....	adr editor
Gary D. Rogers	....	sound re-recording mixer
Scott Streetman	....	cable person
Scott Streetman	....	sound assistant
Meg Taylor	....	assistant sound editor
Tony Van den Akker	....	foley recordist

Visual Effects by
Elliott Gamson	....	optical programer

Camera and Electrical Department
David Berryman	....	second assistant camera
Dennis Clay	....	key grip
Ralph Elliott	....	grip
Ray Garcia	....	best boy grip
Edison Jackson	....	electrician
John Lacy	....	electrician (as John Dallas Lacy)
Jon H. Lewis	....	gaffer
Daniel Page McDonough	....	first assistant camera (as Daniel P. McDonough)
Eric Moynier	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Deana Newcomb	....	still photographer
Walter L. Olden	....	rigging gaffer (as Walter Olden)
Kevin Parker	....	grip
Sacha Sarchielli	....	first assistant camera
Todd Smiley	....	best boy electric (as Todd Eden Smiley)
Stan Stanley	....	electrician
Suzanne Tenner	....	still photographer
Tiffany Toby	....	video assist operator
Joseph Vasquez	....	grip (as Joe Vasquez)
Christopher Wiggins	....	second assistant camera (as Christopher K. Wiggins)

Casting Department
Matthew Barry	....	casting associate: Los Angeles
Jo Edna Boldin	....	casting consulting: Texas
Leigh French	....	voice casting
Beth Sepko	....	extras casting
Wendy Slutsky	....	casting consultant: Los Angeles

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lee Hunsaker	....	costumer
David W. King	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Paul Covington	....	assistant editor
Elliott Gamson	....	negative matcher
Patricia Hollander	....	assistant editor
Michael Kolvek	....	color timer
Lucy Maunsell	....	assistant editor
Karen Rasch	....	assistant editor
Lisa Rosen	....	post-production coordinator
Michael Yetter	....	negative cutter (uncredited)

Music Department
Greg Bissonette	....	musician: drums
David Boruff	....	musician: saxophone (as Dave Boruff)
David Cole	....	music mixer
Tony Edwards	....	musician in orchestra: drums, percussion
Jean Fuller	....	musician in orchestra: piano
Joe Godfrey	....	music arranger: Stephen Foster songs
Jerry Goodman	....	musician: violin
Matt Gruber	....	music recordist
Richard Macdowell	....	musician in orchestra: clarinet
Tim Pierce	....	musician: guitar
Johnny Reno	....	musician in orchestra: saxophone
Paul Robertson	....	musician in orchestra: violin
Tracy Rosenkrans	....	musician in orchestra: bass
Jeffrey C.J. Vanston	....	music arranger (as Jeffery 'C.J.' Vanston)
Jeffrey C.J. Vanston	....	music arranger: overture (as Jeffery 'C.J.' Vanston)
Jeffrey C.J. Vanston	....	music producer (as Jeffery 'C.J.' Vanston)
Jeffrey C.J. Vanston	....	musician in orchestra: trumpet, timpani, glockenspiel (as Jeffery 'C.J.' Vanston)
Jeffrey C.J. Vanston	....	musician (as Jeffery 'C.J.' Vanston)

Transportation Department
Ronnie D. Chambers	....	driver (as Ronald Chambers)
Joe Dye	....	driver
Cecil D. Evans	....	transportation captain
Joe Llanes	....	driver
Jerry McKnight	....	transportation coordinator
Doyle Nelson	....	driver
Lonnie Nelson	....	driver
Ronald L. Paschall	....	driver

Other crew
Margery Suzanne Anderson	....	intern
Andrea Ariel	....	choreographer
Dave Arkle	....	caricaturist
Mateo Barnstone	....	production assistant (as Mateo S. Barnstone)
Dave Bennett	....	production accountant (as David Bennett)
Thom Buckley	....	intern
Shannon Carey	....	16 mm conformer
Amy Chance	....	production coordinator
Richard Conkling	....	16 mm conformer
John P. Crowley	....	craft service (as Johnny P. Crowley)
Shanti Delsarte	....	assistant production coordinator
Karen Dinitz	....	location assistant
Melanie Armstrong Fletcher	....	intern (as Melanie Armstrong)
Andy Haynes	....	intern
Ted Kantrow	....	caterer: New Orleans
Kelly Kernan	....	production assistant
Warren Long	....	caterer: Austin (as Warren David Long)
Pamela March	....	16 mm conformer
Kate McCarley	....	location manager
Rob McGrath	....	assistant location manager
Mimi N. McGreal	....	production secretary
Barb Moore	....	intern (as Barbara Boyd Moore)
Dianne M. Murphy	....	script supervisor
Robert Murphy	....	intern
Bettina Tendler O'Mara	....	product promotions coordinator (as Bettina O'Mara)
Buz Presock	....	production assistant
Todd Redilla	....	intern
Deborah Ross	....	title designer
Daniel J. Shaw	....	key production assistant
M.K. Shaw	....	assistant accountant
Hilary Wagner	....	post-production accountant
Amy Weiner	....	intern
Rich Feldman	....	production assistant: pre-production, Los Angeles (uncredited)
Kevin Halloran	....	location manager (uncredited)

Thanks
Tom Copeland	....	special thanks
Mardik Martin	....	special thanks
Paul Schrader	....	special thanks
Joyce Sloane	....	special thanks
Elizabeth Summers	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• All Night Productions
• Castle Rock Entertainment
• Pale Morning Dun
• Sony Pictures Classics

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Classics (1996) (USA) (theatrical)
• Turner Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Aatex  aaton camera supplies
• Abel Cine Tech  additional camera equipment
• Colorlab  video dailies
• Deborah Ross Film Design  title design
• Digital Editing Systems Inc.  avid editing systems provided by
• Immaculate Matching  negative matching
• John E. Allen Associates  optical pre-print mastering
• Lacy Street Production Center  sound stages
• Locations Catering - Austin  catering
• Locations Catering - New Orleans  catering
• Olympic Sound Studios  adr recording facility
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Philip Wood and World Travel Partners  travel services
• Sony Pictures Studios  re-recording
• Sound Dogs  sound editing
• Texas Cine Video  grip and lighting equipment
• The Hit Shack  music recording
• The Stock House  stock footage
• The Treehouse, North hollywood, California  music recording
• Wyman, Isaacs, Blumenthal & Lynne  legal services

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:

In an early cut of the film, the musical alone ran forty minutes.

Goofs:

Continuity: The placement of the show posters on Corky's wall.

Quotes:

UFO Expert: I've been coming to this circle for about five years, and measuring it. The diameter and the circumference are constantly changing, but the radius stays the same. Which brings me to the number 5. There are five letters in the word Blaine. Now, if you mix up the letters in the word Blaine, mix 'em around, eventually, you'll come up with Nebali. Nebali. The name of a planet in a galaxy way, way, way...

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

Nothing Ever Happens on Mars

Definitely not to everyone's taste, but a lovely film nonetheless

This is the first of several films that Christopher Guest and his friends have made using a very unusual style. Instead of a clearly defined script, some very talented actors (such as Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Fred Willard and others) took a script idea and improvised throughout. The film was then created using the best bits and I can honestly say that there is nothing like this film. While some of the jokes are very, very dry and occasionally fall flat, there is a subtle charm and wit to the film as you follow a group of 3rd rate local actors who have insane visions of Broadway.

The film is ostensibly about a very local stage production about the founding of some small town. While these sort of pageants have been ubiquitous in small town America, this one is unique because supposedly a guy by the name of Guffman is coming to town and plans two see it. Guffman, it seems, is from Broadway and the cast has the temerity to believe that maybe they'll impress him so much that they'll become major stars. Considering the quality of the acting is well below that of an average high school production, this is very absurd. Yet, although ridiculous, there is a certain something in many of these people that is very likable so there is some depth to the film--you aren't just laughing at yokels who have ridiculous aspirations.

I thoroughly enjoyed the film and think that people who like their humor subtle and perhaps a bit painful will enjoy this film. People who prefer broad comedy probably won't enjoy this very much.