Ishtar at 30

[metirish]

Interesting read, I have no memory of this movie , at all.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/may/15/ishtar-30th-anniversary-worst-movie-ever-elaine-may


[youtube:27v829eu]8KdQ7Gig770[/youtube:27v829eu]

[Guest Mets Willets Point]

I remember Johnny Carson using "Ishtar" as a punchline for years.

[RealityChuck]

Ishtar was never reviewed fairly, except by Newsday (which gave it a generally positive one) and the Times (which gave it an honorable mention on its ten best list of the year). The film was Extraordinarily expensive for its time, and had little spectacle to show for it, and many of the critics went into it saying "it can't be any good because it was so over budget" (literally; some critics actually said that). It quickly developed a reputation for being an awful film.

In reality, it's a generally good, but uneven film. The first twenty minutes are comedy gold, showing two untalented songwriters who can't see how awful they are. (Paul Williams's songs are hilariously bad.) The film flags a bit when they get to Ishtar, but picks up when they look for the blind camel. The gun auction scene is classic comedy. The ending, though is rushed and very lame, like they had no idea how to end it and just did something to give it an end.

There's a lot to like in the film. It's not great, but it doesn't deserve the reputation it has as one of the worst films ever.

[RealityChuck]

Some of the songs:
Dangerous Business
[youtube:xwzztid2]PiN3SL7SZ-Q[/youtube:xwzztid2]

This what they think about it.
[youtube:xwzztid2]WjU9_bXgD0U[/youtube:xwzztid2]

[Edgy MD]

I agree that pre-release buzz about a production can unfairly poison reviewers against a film.

It can work the other way around, for that matter.