Post by galacticgirrrl on Dec 11, 2022 4:48:28 GMT
Waiting for Ishtar (2017)
A love letter to the most understood film of all time
Directed by John Mitchell, 46m
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With appearances by: Charles Grodin, Carol Kane, Paul Williams, and a host of others.
waitingforishtar.com
A film for dreamers and all those who love Ishtar (1987), libraries, VHS tapes, best friend road trips, The Drowsy Chaperone, New York City, Anne of Green Gables, Hollywood tittle tattle, mystery, music and all things funny and clever.
I had no idea it had been finished but it was well worth the wait and not just because I am in it. John Mitchell and Jonathan Crombie have made a truly funny and touching documentary that is a real treat. I would have preferred to have been left on the cutting room floor quite frankly. I may need therapy to deal with deep-seated issues over not getting braces as a child.
"Charming, funny and oddly life affirming" - Jennifer Whalen (Baroness von Sketch Show)
In 2006, writer/director John Mitchell had a conversation with friends about guilty pleasures, when he confessed to loving the Elaine May comedy, "Ishtar", starring Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman, Mitchell was accused of "mocking the conversation". None of the others had seen "Ishtar", and it occurred to Mitchell that perhaps what most people thought they knew about the film came from negative media reaction at the time. Soon after, Mitchell tried to borrow "Ishtar" from his local library, only to discover he was #34 on a waiting list of 47 people lining up for the library's single VHS copy. Realizing it could take eight and a half months to get the film, Mitchell wondered who else would be willing to wait that long, or longer, for the famous flop. With the help of a friend and a borrowed handycam, Mitchell set off on a quest to track down and interview one of the others, Waiting For Ishtar. —John Mitchell
Hopefully the vimeo link will work outside of Canada.
And if you are into conspiracy theories, you will find this recent update from the filmmaker of great interest to put it mildly:
FACEBOOK note from John Mitchell (July 13, 2021)
Hugely disappointing news. I had been approached by a company in the UK - Powerhouse Films - to have "Waiting For Ishtar" included as a bonus feature in their upcoming Blu-ray release of "Ishtar".
This would have been the ultimate collector's edition, with restored versions of the original and the director's cut, plus an absolute treasure trove of features. After all the work was completed, Sony/Columbia demanded that all the bonus features be edited or removed entirely, and the booklet rewritten to fit their ideas. Rather than put out a compromised package, the company decided to cancel the release. I think they did the right thing.
In a sense the story of "Ishtar" continues, with the studio continuing to get in its own way. I'm not sure who else they thought was going to propose such a loving and comprehensive tribute to this mostly forgotten gem?! Maddening.
If you are so inclined, please check out the www.powerhousefilms.co.uk/ catalogue. They've got some great films and were a joy to work with! Also, you can still see all the goodies from the cancelled release.
Given this latest news, I have decided it is time to release the documentary on my Youtube Channel.
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A love letter to the most understood film of all time
Directed by John Mitchell, 46m
waitingforishtar.com
A film for dreamers and all those who love Ishtar (1987), libraries, VHS tapes, best friend road trips, The Drowsy Chaperone, New York City, Anne of Green Gables, Hollywood tittle tattle, mystery, music and all things funny and clever.
I had no idea it had been finished but it was well worth the wait and not just because I am in it. John Mitchell and Jonathan Crombie have made a truly funny and touching documentary that is a real treat. I would have preferred to have been left on the cutting room floor quite frankly. I may need therapy to deal with deep-seated issues over not getting braces as a child.
"Charming, funny and oddly life affirming" - Jennifer Whalen (Baroness von Sketch Show)
In 2006, writer/director John Mitchell had a conversation with friends about guilty pleasures, when he confessed to loving the Elaine May comedy, "Ishtar", starring Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman, Mitchell was accused of "mocking the conversation". None of the others had seen "Ishtar", and it occurred to Mitchell that perhaps what most people thought they knew about the film came from negative media reaction at the time. Soon after, Mitchell tried to borrow "Ishtar" from his local library, only to discover he was #34 on a waiting list of 47 people lining up for the library's single VHS copy. Realizing it could take eight and a half months to get the film, Mitchell wondered who else would be willing to wait that long, or longer, for the famous flop. With the help of a friend and a borrowed handycam, Mitchell set off on a quest to track down and interview one of the others, Waiting For Ishtar. —John Mitchell
Hopefully the vimeo link will work outside of Canada.
And if you are into conspiracy theories, you will find this recent update from the filmmaker of great interest to put it mildly:
FACEBOOK note from John Mitchell (July 13, 2021)
Hugely disappointing news. I had been approached by a company in the UK - Powerhouse Films - to have "Waiting For Ishtar" included as a bonus feature in their upcoming Blu-ray release of "Ishtar".
This would have been the ultimate collector's edition, with restored versions of the original and the director's cut, plus an absolute treasure trove of features. After all the work was completed, Sony/Columbia demanded that all the bonus features be edited or removed entirely, and the booklet rewritten to fit their ideas. Rather than put out a compromised package, the company decided to cancel the release. I think they did the right thing.
In a sense the story of "Ishtar" continues, with the studio continuing to get in its own way. I'm not sure who else they thought was going to propose such a loving and comprehensive tribute to this mostly forgotten gem?! Maddening.
If you are so inclined, please check out the www.powerhousefilms.co.uk/ catalogue. They've got some great films and were a joy to work with! Also, you can still see all the goodies from the cancelled release.
Given this latest news, I have decided it is time to release the documentary on my Youtube Channel.