Next episode updates!
Added 2024-07-18 19:11:52 +0000 UTCHey everyone! We’ll be recording our episode on Ishtar very soon. Make sure to leave some comments with your thoughts on the movie for us to read out on the show. In addition to Ishtar, we’ll be covering the three other films directed by Elaine May as well as some of the films she wrote.
For the Patreon show, we decided to go with Gigli. Figured it would be fitting as, much like Ishtar, its failure resulted in the end of a great director’s career.
For Movie Catch-up, we’ll be discussing some old and new stuff, including Beverly Hills Cop 4 as it also relates to Martin Brest.
Comments
I love Elaine May...sad that her carreer got stop by the fail of ishtar
Salvador Pereira
2024-07-21 16:15:10 +0000 UTCI discovered an Ishtar BluRay in the wild at FYE a few months ago
Almost Cult Classics
2024-07-19 17:59:44 +0000 UTCI believe we have everything that you sent so they will be discussed!
Almost Cult Classics
2024-07-19 17:59:06 +0000 UTCI'm glad you're covering her other stuff. Mickey and Nicky is of course great but A New Leaf is laugh out loud funny and so, so cynical!
Brian Kish
2024-07-19 00:44:32 +0000 UTCBest parts of the movie are when they are in New York. Once they get to Morocco, the movie starts to drag. I like the movie. It’s fun which is more than you can say for 90% of movies released today.
Trevor Poe
2024-07-18 23:00:18 +0000 UTCI wonder since I just sent you guys some shit two days ago would it plus the stuff I went before be apart of the aftershow or would it just be the stuff I sent a couple of weeks ago
JokersJuicyAss
2024-07-18 21:38:13 +0000 UTCWhen I first heard about Wikipedia and that tons of useless trivia on everything anyone might be interested in was available there, reliable or not, Ishtar was humorously one of the first things I looked up. It was always a punchline with my older brothers, who are a generation apart from me, but I had never seen it and it sort of became this mystical thing to me. That Martin Scorsese himself claims it's one of his favorite films of all time is very funny, but, I personally find it hilarious how Beatty reportedly was concerned about how the possibility of replacing May as director might affect his image as a champion of women's rights. You gotta love Beatty, man.
Lux Anatis
2024-07-18 21:02:11 +0000 UTCCharles Grodin is awesome that’s all I have to say on Isthar
Luke Gordnier
2024-07-18 20:48:47 +0000 UTCWe meant to watch it when it was on Criterion earlier this year and life got in the way :( Fictional musicians/bands are one of my special interests and I love Paul Williams so this is right up my alley, just haven’t had the chance yet. Can’t wait to hear what you guys think!! Regarding Gigli: I remember Justin Bartha was a bit of a heart-throb in my high school friend group thanks to National Treasure. I can’t imagine he puts forth a very respectful performance here but who knows!!
Mary and Steve
2024-07-18 20:05:50 +0000 UTCGlad to hear you're doing May's other directorial work. I was able to find all of them EXCEPT Ishtar streaming for free. For anyone who's interested, A New Leaf is on Pluto, The Heartbreak Kid is streaming free on YouTube for now, Mikey and Nicky is on HBO, Ishtar isn't even in my county library system, and Gigli is on Prime.
Lux Anatis
2024-07-18 20:01:36 +0000 UTCIshtar is one of those films where the production history makes for a fascinating story compared to the actual film. How they were worried Palestinian freedom fighters would kidnap Dustin Hoffman, why May decided to film in the Morrocan deserts and would take 10 days to flatten dunes for the shoot, the constant feuds on set, David Puttnam sabotaging the release to spite Beatty, it just makes for a fascinating read. As for the film itself, I don't think it's the "worst comedy ever made", but it's certainly one that doesn't do what it's homaging (The Road To films) any justice. The jokes are either too telegraphed or cringy, the plot just sort of meanders along, and I think Beatty and Hoffman should have switched parts (Beatty as the confident one, Hoffman as the neurotic one). Something like The Road to El Dorado is more to my liking, as it features better leads, clever jokes, beautiful animation, and song numbers that I remember far more than what's on offer (Paul Williams is a musical genius, but this was not one of his better outings). Still, this is one of those comedies that's been reassessed as this misunderstood cult classic, with the likes of Scorsese, Tarantino, Edgar Wright, and even Gary Larson (Who would make fun of it in his comics) defending it. Even May, Beatty and Hoffman are proud of it, with Hoffman saying "Ishtar will rise again!" to Beatty at an AFI ceremony.
The One and Rory
2024-07-18 19:38:24 +0000 UTCI've never actually watched Ishtar or Gigli, but seeing their trailers and clips from both movies, it's always amazed me how hard the actors committed to their embarrassing roles.
Nathan Kearney
2024-07-18 19:19:08 +0000 UTC
