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one change to the next that matters, and you don't know in advance how you're going to do it. I'm completely blank before the camera rolls. I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to say." Guest shoots 10-minute-long scenes and allows improvisations to unfold organically. He ends up with almost 60 hours of film, and takes over a year to edit it down to about 90 minutes. A two-hour workprint version of
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At the show's performance, Guffman's seat is seen to be empty, much to the dismay of the cast. Corky reassures them that
Broadway producers always arrive a bit late for the show, and sure enough, a man soon takes Guffman's reserved seat. The show is well received by the audience, whereupon Corky invites the assumed Guffman backstage to talk to the actors.
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After being shown at the
Toronto and Boston film festivals in late 1996, it received a US theatrical release, playing in roughly 50 theaters beginning on January 31, 1997. The only other country it received a theatrical release in was Australia, during September 1997. It had earlier been shown at the
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Corky is also faced with creating his magic on a shoestring budget, at one point quitting the show after storming out of a meeting with the city council, which turns down his request for $ 100,000 to finance the production, but the distraught cast and persuasive city fathers convince Corky to return.
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As in the other mockumentary films created by Guest, the majority of the dialogue is improvised. Matt
Keeslar was the only cast member with no history of doing improvisational acting. Guest compares the process to jazz music: "You know the basic melody and the key changes, but it's how you get from
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When Johnny is forced by his suspicious father to quit the show, Corky takes over his roles, which were clearly intended for a young, masculine actor, playing a lusty young frontiersman, a heartbroken soldier, and a little boy wearing a beanie and shorts. Corky never sheds his dainty demeanor, bowl
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s narrator; Johnny Savage, a handsome and oblivious mechanic, whom Corky goes out of his way to get into the play; and Dr. Allan Pearl, a tragically square dentist determined to discover his inner entertainer. High-school teacher Lloyd Miller is the show's increasingly frustrated musical director.
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The man is actually Roy Loomis, who has come to Blaine to witness the birth of his niece's baby, but he did enjoy the show. Corky then reads a telegram stating that
Guffman's plane was grounded by snowstorms in New York City, meaning that, like the "Godot" being spoofed, the real Guffman never
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based on 55 reviews, with an average rating of 7.80/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "This riotously deadpan mockumentary about aspiring community theater performers never stoops to ridicule oft-ridiculous characters." The film also received a score of 71 out of 100 on
412:
An epilogue shows the fates of the cast: Libby Mae is now living in Sipes, Alabama, where she moved after her father was paroled, and working at the Dairy Queen. Allan and the
Albertsons have pursued their dreams of being entertainers, Ron and Sheila traveling to
313:. As in the other mockumentary films created by Guest, the majority of the dialogue was improvised (based on Guest and Levy's story). Because the film is about the production of a stage musical, it contains several original musical numbers written by Guest,
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coastline. The viewer also learns why the town obtusely refers to itself as "the stool capital of the United States." The music is a series of poorly performed songs such as "Nothing Ever
Happens on Mars", a reference to the town's supposed visit by an
590:. Christopher Guest wanted to put a "Stool capital of the world" sign up over the town, but he was not granted permission to do so. Additional shooting took place in Los Angeles, including the scenes set in Corky St. Clair's apartment.
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as one of "The 100 Best Movies of All Time", saying it was "a comedy as touching as it is hilarious" and "one for the ages", that became "the ultimate cult film for a newly liberated generation".
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gave the film three out of four stars and wrote: "Attention is paid not simply to funny characters and punch lines, but to small nudges at human nature." Maitland McDonagh of
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mannerisms. He supposedly has a wife called Bonnie, whom no one in Blaine has ever met or seen. He uses her to explain his habit of shopping for women's clothing and shoes.
333:, a few residents prepare to put on a community theater production led by eccentric director Corky St. Clair. The show, a musical chronicling the town's history titled
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The program itself is designed to musically retell the history of Blaine, whose founding father was a buffoon incapable of distinguishing the geography of middle
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During opening weekend, the film made $ 37,990. The film earned $ 2.9 million at the US domestic box office, against a production budget of $ 4 million.
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retirement communities. Corky has returned to New York City, where he has opened a
Hollywood-themed novelty shop, which includes such items as
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Cast in the leads are Ron and Sheila
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In the USA, it was released on VHS by Warner Bros. in August 1997, and then on DVD in August 2001. In 2017, it was re-released on
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listed it as one of the best films of the previous year, according to ratings by 40 major critics, including those of
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haircut, lisp, or earring in spite of his historical roles, and his face is pasted with an overkill of
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has circulated among fans, which includes some of the original footage that was edited out.
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employee; Clifford Wooley, a "long time
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1256:"Waiting for Guffman (1996) - Christopher Guest | Releases | AllMovie"
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called it "Priceless". It got two thumbs up on the
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1153:"Dallas Critics Wait for Guffman, Give to the "Whole World""
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730:. The Lone Star Film & Television Awards awarded
842:"Waiting for Guffman (1997) - Financial Information"
16:1996 mockumentary comedy film by Christopher Guest
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1000:"Read EW's 1997 review of 'Waiting for Guffman'"
1132:"A Critical Consensus - The Best Films of 1997"
614:To promote the film, Guest made appearances on
1038:Ebert, Roger; Siskel, Gene (1 February 1997).
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1080:"Waiting For Guffman movie review (1997)"
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1564:Films with screenplays by Eugene Levy
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1118:"The 100 Greatest Movies of All Time"
609:Melbourne International Film Festival
355:Corky has used connections from his "
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536:Scott Williamson as Tucker Livingson
280:, and directed by Guest. The film's
1549:Films directed by Christopher Guest
1210:"356 Years of Nominees and Winners"
586:, a town located 30 miles south of
303:The film's title is a reference to
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1579:English-language independent films
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1019:Travers, Peter (31 January 1997).
877:Richard Grant (January 10, 2004).
863:Guest, Christopher, Levy, Eugene.
636:received a 91% approval rating on
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359:" past to invite Mort Guffman, a
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386:Central to the film are Corky's
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1544:Sony Pictures Classics films
1509:1990s English-language films
1469:The Wizard of Oz Focus Group
1324:AFI Catalog of Feature Films
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1539:American mockumentary films
935:, September 26, 1997, p. 55
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1395:Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman
1049:Star Wars: Special Edition
381:unidentified flying object
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1237:Landau, Jennifer (2014).
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1504:1990s mockumentary films
1134:. Sfgate.com. 1998-01-04
666:. In his review for the
399:stage rouge and eyeliner
357:off-off-off-off-Broadway
879:"Nowt so queer as folk"
738:American Film Institute
721:San Francisco Chronicle
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1514:1996 independent films
1435:For Your Consideration
630:during February 1997.
582:The movie was shot in
451:The Remains of the Day
363:producer, to critique
284:includes Guest, Levy,
172:Sony Pictures Classics
1529:Films set in Missouri
1100:"Waiting For Guffman"
1021:"Waiting for Guffman"
973:"Waiting for Guffman"
946:"Waiting for Guffman"
602:Release and reception
527:as Mayor Glenn Welsch
365:Red, White and Blaine
346:Red, White and Blaine
335:Red, White and Blaine
1574:1990s American films
1005:Entertainment Weekly
884:The Guardian Weekend
689:Accolades and legacy
651:Entertainment Weekly
442:My Dinner with Andre
196:Boston Film Festival
1534:Films shot in Texas
1403:Waiting for Guffman
1331:Waiting for Guffman
1318:Waiting for Guffman
1307:Waiting for Guffman
1296:Waiting for Guffman
1285:Waiting for Guffman
1274:Waiting for Guffman
1241:. Rosen Publishing.
1159:. February 18, 1998
1120:. 21 December 2022.
1045:Waiting for Guffman
911:"Christopher Guest"
865:Waiting for Guffman
799:Waiting for Guffman
732:Waiting for Guffman
701:Waiting for Guffman
648:Owen Gleiberman of
634:Waiting for Guffman
611:on August 4, 1997.
596:Waiting for Guffman
542:as Gwen Fabin-Blunt
485:as Sheila Albertson
265:is a 1996 American
262:Waiting for Guffman
254:$ 2.9 million (USA)
22:Waiting for Guffman
1524:Films about actors
1462:Morton & Hayes
1301:TCM Movie Database
715:The New York Times
693:In December 2022,
513:Brian Doyle-Murray
497:as Clifford Wooley
491:as Libby Mae Brown
473:as Dr. Allan Pearl
467:as Corky St. Clair
139:Christopher Guest
1569:1996 comedy films
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1372:Christopher Guest
1191:on March 13, 2011
1085:Chicago Sun-Times
1041:Shadow Conspiracy
913:. Charlierose.com
867:commentary, 2001.
783:Christopher Guest
773:Christopher Guest
727:Los Angeles Times
669:Chicago Sun-Times
519:Michael Hitchcock
465:Christopher Guest
310:Waiting for Godot
274:Christopher Guest
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1419:Best in Show
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267:mockumentary
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218:Running time
109:Fred Willard
104:Parker Posey
91:Matt Keeslar
65:Karen Murphy
1476:Family Tree
1104:TVGuide.com
984:27 December
846:The Numbers
789:(nominated)
787:Eugene Levy
775:(nominated)
765:(nominated)
747:– Nominated
674:Roger Ebert
564:Paul Dooley
546:David Cross
501:Bob Balaban
471:Eugene Levy
415:Los Angeles
342:Dairy Queen
294:Bob Balaban
278:Eugene Levy
272:written by
270:comedy film
246:$ 4 million
209: (Wide)
95:Eugene Levy
83:Bob Balaban
61:Produced by
55:Eugene Levy
39:Directed by
1499:1996 films
1493:Categories
1454:Television
1222:25 October
1195:2012-08-30
1163:25 October
1138:2021-09-08
1053:Gridlock'd
978:Metacritic
917:2021-02-02
823:References
811:Home video
795:Jane Lynch
724:, and the
643:Metacritic
624:talk show
578:Production
552:Linda Kash
434:bobblehead
419:California
251:Box office
222:84 minutes
205:1997-01-31
190:1996-08-21
153:Production
49:Written by
1157:IndieWire
1061:Walkabout
431:Brat Pack
409:arrives.
374:from the
128:Edited by
33:DVD cover
1312:AllMovie
1290:AllMovie
889:Archived
793:Actress
679:TV Guide
620:and the
531:Don Lake
372:Missouri
361:Broadway
331:Missouri
307:'s play
235:Language
136:Music by
71:Starring
1443:Mascots
1321:at the
1299:at the
932:The Age
817:Blu-ray
699:listed
696:Variety
376:Pacific
238:English
227:Country
203: (
188: (
155:company
1479:(2013)
1465:(1991)
1446:(2016)
1438:(2006)
1430:(2003)
1422:(2000)
1414:(1998)
1406:(1996)
1398:(1993)
1390:(1989)
718:, the
709:SFGate
588:Austin
448:, and
317:, and
243:Budget
194: (
1379:Films
1213:(PDF)
1189:(PDF)
1182:(PDF)
627:Later
437:dolls
349:'
1279:IMDb
1224:2022
1165:2022
986:2011
959:2020
897:2019
458:Cast
423:Jews
325:Plot
296:and
276:and
1334:at
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622:NBC
425:in
391:gay
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