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Waiting for Guffman

  • 1996
  • 14A
  • 1h 24m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
30K
YOUR RATING
Waiting for Guffman (1996)
Trailer for Waiting for Guffman
Play trailer2:02
1 Video
99+ Photos
Comedy

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.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.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.

  • Director
    • Christopher Guest
  • Writers
    • Christopher Guest
    • Eugene Levy
  • Stars
    • Christopher Guest
    • Fred Willard
    • Catherine O'Hara
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    30K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Christopher Guest
    • Writers
      • Christopher Guest
      • Eugene Levy
    • Stars
      • Christopher Guest
      • Fred Willard
      • Catherine O'Hara
    • 218User reviews
    • 45Critic reviews
    • 71Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 3 nominations

    Videos1

    Waiting for Guffman
    Trailer 2:02
    Watch Waiting for Guffman

    Photos144

    Catherine O'Hara and Fred Willard in Waiting for Guffman (1996)
    Catherine O'Hara and Fred Willard in Waiting for Guffman (1996)
    Parker Posey, Christopher Guest, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, and Fred Willard in Waiting for Guffman (1996)
    Parker Posey, Lewis Arquette, Bob Balaban, Christopher Guest, Catherine O'Hara, Matt Keeslar, Eugene Levy, and Fred Willard in Waiting for Guffman (1996)
    Christopher Guest and Paul Benedict in Waiting for Guffman (1996)
    Bob Balaban and Christopher Guest in Waiting for Guffman (1996)
    Christopher Guest in Waiting for Guffman (1996)
    Christopher Guest in Waiting for Guffman (1996)
    Christopher Guest in Waiting for Guffman (1996)
    Christopher Guest in Waiting for Guffman (1996)
    Parker Posey, Christopher Guest, John Michael Higgins, Eugene Levy, and Michael McKean in Waiting for Guffman (1996)
    Christopher Guest in Waiting for Guffman (1996)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Christopher Guest
    Christopher Guest
    • Corky St. Clair
    Fred Willard
    Fred Willard
    • Ron Albertson
    Catherine O'Hara
    Catherine O'Hara
    • Sheila Albertson
    Parker Posey
    Parker Posey
    • Libby Mae Brown
    Deborah Theaker
    Deborah Theaker
    • Gwen Fabin-Blunt - Councilwoman
    Michael Hitchcock
    Michael Hitchcock
    • Steve Stark - Councilman
    Scott Williamson
    Scott Williamson
    • Tucker Livingston - Councilman
    Larry Miller
    Larry Miller
    • Glenn Welsch - Mayor
    Don Lake
    Don Lake
    • Phil Burgess - Blaine Historian
    David Cross
    David Cross
    • UFO Expert
    Eugene Levy
    Eugene Levy
    • Dr. Allan Pearl
    James McQueen
    James McQueen
    • Singing Auditioner
    • (as Jim McQueen)
    Turk Pipkin
    • Ping Pong Ball Juggler
    Jerry Turman
    Jerry Turman
    • Raging Bull Auditioner
    Bob Balaban
    Bob Balaban
    • Lloyd Miller
    Paul Dooley
    Paul Dooley
    • UFO Abductee
    Linda Kash
    Linda Kash
    • Mrs. Allan Pearl
    Lewis Arquette
    Lewis Arquette
    • Clifford Wooley
    • Director
      • Christopher Guest
    • Writers
      • Christopher Guest
      • Eugene Levy
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When playing Blaine Fabin in "Red, White and Blaine," it becomes necessary for Dr. Pearl (Eugene Levy) to remove his glasses. Unfortunately, Dr. Pearl's glasses corrected his lazy eye problem. Actor Fred Willard was unaware of the gag during shooting, and after delivering the line, "What did your keen and perceptive eyes behold?" to Fabin, he stared at Levy's lazy eye, finally understood why his line was funny, and "was gone for about ten minutes" with laughter.
    • Goofs
      During the last scene in the play, a tuba can be heard playing, but there is no tuba in the orchestra.
    • Quotes

      Corky St. Clair: So what I'm understanding here, correct me if I'm wrong, is that you're not giving me any money, so now I'm left, basically, with nothing. I'm left with zero, in which, what can I do with zero? You know, what can I... I can't do anything with it. I need to... this is my life here we're talking about, we're not just talking about, you know, something else, we're talking about my life, you know? And it's forcing me to do something I don't wanna do: to leave. To go out and just leave and go home and say... make a clean cut here and say "no way, Corky. You're not putting up with these people." And I'll tell you why I can't put up with you people, because you're bastard people. That's what you are, you're just bastard people and I'm going home and I'm gonna... I'm gonna bite my pillow is what I'm gonna do!

    • Crazy credits
      During the end credits, Corky (Christopher Guest) shows us some of the fun memorabilia that he sells in his store.
    • Alternate versions
      There is at least one rough cut of the film in circulation among fans of Guffman. It features an expanded performance of "Red, White and Blaine", including the musical number "This Bulging River", as well as dozens of alternate takes, as well as the exclusion of many scenes in the finished film, which were shot after this first rought cut was made.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: Shadow Conspiracy/Waiting for Guffman/Star Wars: Special Edition/Gridlock'd/Prisoner of the Mountains/Walkabout (1997)
    • Soundtracks
      Lightnin' Strikes
      Words and Music by Lou Christie (as Lou Christy), Twyla Herbert

      Courtesy of Music Corporation of America, Inc. (BMI)

      Performed by James McQueen (uncredited)

    User reviews218

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Pure genius
    Face it, between Best in Show and Waiting for Guffman, Christopher Guest leaves no doubt, that he alone ,is the greatest mockumentary film maker of all-time. Which film is better? Good luck with that one. Even though I have seen both of them in the past, I just watched both of them again. And could watch them, both,again. Just wanted to add my two cents.
    helpful•4
    0
    • islander40
    • May 30, 2021

    Top picks

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 31, 1997 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Warner Bros. (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Christopher Guest Project
    • Filming locations
      • Gaslight Baker Theater, Lockhart, Texas, USA(theatre)
    • Production companies
      • Castle Rock Entertainment
      • Pale Morning Dun
      • All Night Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $4,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,923,982
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $37,990
      • Feb 2, 1997
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,923,982
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 24 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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