Ishtar (1987)

[Povidone]

Based on a bizarre, out of the blue recommendation from my brother I decided to give this a go. Given its legendary status in the pantheon of cinematic failures I was surprised at how enjoyable it was. For the most part...

Of course there's the culturally dicey stuff which seems rum even for the time, white actors playing arabic characters (for shame Fred Melamed), everything to do with Isabelle Adjani's character (her tits are basically used as a punchline on more than one occasion). No shortage of bad decisions.

Hooooowever: Paul Williams and Elaine May deserve everlasting laudation for an absolute masterclass in bad songwriting. Sublimely, transcendentally, embarassingly awful, cringe inducing lyricism worthy of McGonagall, delivered with gusto by Hoffman and Beatty. The whole film could have been them just plying their trade around new york bars and I would have been happy. But then we'd miss out on Charles Grodin's sardonic CIA agent and the 'climax' of the film with the unlikely heroes shooting at helicopters in the desert, which I found quite amusing. Special mention for cameo appearances from Max Headroom and a young Carole Kane.

More entertaining than a lot of actually good films, you should watch Ishtar (1987) and tell me what you think. Yes YOU!

[Sebastian Cobb]

I watched it a while back. I didn't think it was terrible but also didn't think it was great, probably up there with Top Secret, maybe.

My favourite bit was when there were different spies, Arab, Russian and Americans all dressed up as each other, and it descended into farce.

[Dusty Substance]

It's been quite a while since watching (25-ish years) but I watched it off the back of Hudson Hawk which I loved and thought "Well, if everyone's saying it's the new Ishtar, it's about time I actually gave Ishtar a try!".

The thing that stood out the most about Ishtar was how terrific the opening 30 minutes or so were - Once the two of them go to the Middle East then things took a dip, but Beatty and Hoffman had excellent chemistry and I loved how the two of them had sort of swapped personas - Beatty played the guy who had trouble getting women and Hoffman was the super confident ladies' man.

It doesn't come as a surprise that certain elements haven't aged that well but, yeah, it's 35 years old so it's to be expected.

May I ask where you watched it, Povidone? AFAIK it didn't get a DVD release. Streaming or "other"?

[Povidone]

Ahem..."other"

Though a quick google search turns up a few second hand region 2 DVDs knocking about and also this which is the kind of stupid shit I would probably buy with if I had more booze and money to hand.

I'll have to ask my brother where he saw it as he lives in New Zealand and as far as I know generally doesn't 'obtain' these things in the same way as me. Not even sure he knows how.

We were both basically in agreement with you though that everything before they go off to Morocco is the strongest stuff in the movie. Though like Sebastian Cobb I found the farce in the medina with various agencies trailing them pretty amusing. Also the final scene with them playing to a room full of coerced soldiers is pretty good and a decent payoff to the whole thing.

[Sebastian Cobb]

It was on Mubi for some time but I don't think it's there now, but that would suggest there are license-able copies for streaming services as well as it kicking about on the torrents.

[Keebleman]

Gary Larson drew this cartoon before he had ever seen the film.

https://imgur.com/gallery/50sOTAK

When he finally got around to watching it he gave a public apology as he was delighted/dismayed at how much he enjoyed it.

[Keebleman]

I've never seen it, but on release it had immediate punchbag status for critics otherwise scared to have too strong a reaction to a film (eg Barry Norman).

But I have seen Elaine May's first film as director, A New Leaf, and that is terrific.  Too long and with many elements that don't come off, but always enjoyable and distinctive.  Her directorial career wasn't exactly purring along prior to Ishtar so it didn't take much to derail it completely, but it is still a shame that she never developed a real oeuvre of her own. 

[Dusty Substance]

Ahem..."other"

Though a quick google search turns up a few second hand region 2 DVDs knocking about and also this which is the kind of stupid shit I would probably buy with if I had more booze and money to hand.

Ah, cheers. Nice to know it's out there on R2 but would love to see Arrow or some similar company give it a proper re-mastered prestige edition with some docs and interviews. Doubt whether Hoffman or Beatty would be interested but surely Elaine May has some things to say about it - She never directed again. Apparently Tarantino's a big champion of Ishtar, bet he'd be up for talking about it.

As for the T-shirt,  I don't wear T-shirts but  that's actually really awesome! Sixteen quid's not much - Treat yourself!

[zomgmouse]

Ishtar is really really funny

[Chedney Honks]

Ah, cheers. Nice to know it's out there on R2 but would love to see Arrow or some similar company give it a proper re-mastered prestige edition with some docs and interviews.

Indicator were due to release it this year, they'd prepped a typically comprehensive Limited Edition which is still on their site, marked as Sold Out. I think it was pulled like a month before release.

https://www.powerhousefilms.co.uk/products/ishtar-le

Here's their announcement:



A real shame as it sounds entertaining.

[Keebleman]

According to Wikipedia, Elaine May, pre-pandemic, was gearing up to direct her first movie since Ishtar!  What the status of the project is at the moment I don't know, but it shouldn't be written off.  Clint Eastwood is still directing movies at 90 plus.  The similarly aged Richard Donner was all set to make Lethal Weapon 5 until he, well, died.  So the era of the nonagenarian filmmaker is well and truly upon us.

And it's only a few years since she won rave reviews on Broadway, and got a Tony to boot.

[zomgmouse]

NEW ELAINE MAY YES GET IN

[Shaky]

I watched it a while back. I didn't think it was terrible but also didn't think it was great, probably up there with Top Secret, maybe.

Strange comparison - and Top Secret is great!