Ishtar | 
| Director: Elaine May
Actors: Warren Beatty, Dustin Hoffman, Isabelle Adjani, Charles Grodin, Jack Weston
Studio: Columbia Pictures
List Price: $9.98
Buy Used: $4.55
You Save: $5.43 (54%)
Used (20) Collectible (4) from $4.55
Rating:  107 reviews
Sales Rank: 6908
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: VHS Tape
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 107 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 4.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 6302814146
UPC: 043396608498
EAN: 9786302814149
ASIN: 6302814146
Theatrical Release Date: May 15, 1987
Release Date: June 24, 1994
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
At the time of its release in 1987, this Elaine May production was bandied about as one of the worst films of the decade. It was nominated for three Razzie Awards that year--Worst Picture, Screenplay, Direction--but it still was not the nadir detractors claimed it to be. (Remember, that was the year Norman Mailer's self-indulgence spilled all over the screen in Tough Guys Don't Dance.) If this comedy had been made by unknowns, it would have simply faded into the obscurity it deserves. The fuss came about because May squandered much talent and a ridiculously large budget, rumored to exceed $40 million, returning less than half of that in ticket sales. Two artistically challenged lounge musicians (Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman) are jettisoned out of the States by their agent, who finds them a gig in Morocco. En route, they become pawns in an international power play between the CIA, the mythical emir of Ishtar, and upstarts hoping to overthrow the emir's regime. There are some humorous bits, such as when Hoffman and Beatty so badly perform their horrible ditties that audiences are left appalled. Most of the time however, we are the ones lulled into a near daze by a hokey script and boorish jokes about blind camels. If Abbott and Costello had made this flick, it might have worked. --Rochelle O'Gorman
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| Customer Reviews: Read 102 more reviews...
 You have to have to see this movie at least once, people September 7, 2002
Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota)
23 out of 29 found this review helpful
There is a line in "Ishtar" that neatly sums up the film, both in terms of what ended up on the screen and the behind the scenes story of this legendary bomb: "I got a feeling something went wrong and now I own a blind camel." The line is spoken by Lyle Roger (Warren Beatty) who ends up in a situation where that line makes sense with his partner Chuck Clarke (Dustin Hoffman). Lyle and Chuck are arguably the world's worst lounge singers, and they end up involved in Morocco doing government spy work. But I am not here to convince you to watch "Ishtar" because of the plot, or the performance of the two leading men. You have to check this out for the songs. These songs, mostly written by writer-director Elaine May and Paul Williams, are so bad, so draw-droppingly bad, that you have to sit through this movie at least once in your life. Here are some sample lyrics:Telling the truth can be dangerous business;
Honest and popular don't go hand in hand.
If you admit that you play the accordion,
No one will hire you in a rock 'n' roll band.
But we can sing out hearts out.
And if we're lucky, then no neighbors complain.
Because life is the way we audition for God;
Let us pray that we all get the job. Every time Beatty and Hoffman struggle through singing their songs, or even better, trying to compose their songs, finding the proper inane lyric to match the insipid music, you have to laugh, chuckle, or at least wince in pain. So make at effort to catch this film when you have nothing better to do and then get on with your life.
 Telling the truth can be dangerous business December 19, 2005
T. LeGrand (arizona mountains)
21 out of 22 found this review helpful
Too often, people jump on the bandwagon and say a movie sucks...when they haven't even seen it. I truly suspect that was the case with this, one of my all time favorite movies. When it comes up in conversation, and people moan or say "that was awful," I ask, "Did you actually see it?" And often the answer is "No, but I heard..." Please. This is a brilliant, hilarious movie. It was also one of the first comedies ever to have such a large budget and it came along at a time when the media was first even talking a lot about how big a budget was, in reference to movies. I've always been mystified as to why this movie was so reviled when it's endearing and oh so funny. Not being a particular fan of either Beatty or Hoffman, you just have to give them big mad props for the incredible portrayals in this movie. PLEASE, we need a DVD release for U.S. players...with the goodies and the long, lost musical video included! I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Elaine May a few years after Ishtar came out and she seemed to still be besieged by the naysayers. What a shame...what a bewildering shame. The funniest thing about this movie are the song lyrics and their deadpan, oh-so-serious delivery:
Telling the truth can be dangerous business
honest and popular don't go hand and hand
If you admit you can play the accordian,
no one will hire you for a rock and roll band...
and we'll sing our hearts out...
Indeed. A wonderful movie
Underated Film deserves to be released in the US. October 20, 2005
M. White
20 out of 20 found this review helpful
Ishtar is a very funny, underated film. This film should be released on DVD in NTSC format as soon as possible with lots of extras. I would love to see the music video that was never released, as well as have the soundtrack available separately. Hopefully Elaine May, Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman will do commentary. Please release it in NTSC format soon.
One of my favorites, too... September 13, 2003
Elmsaafir (Japan)
19 out of 22 found this review helpful
This is absolutely one of my favorite comedies. As an amateur (very) musician, I've sat, strumming the same chord over and over, trying to find that one word that fits...and have been as successful as they! I've also done a bit of travelling in Morocco, and the scenes bring back memories of my own intrigues in far off kingdoms. It's awesome...they've GOTTA put it on DVD!!
Don't tell anyone, but I LOVE Ishtar January 22, 1999
14 out of 14 found this review helpful
Ok, so MOST of my friends either refuse to watch the video with me or fall asleep ten minutes into it. A very few of my friends agree that this movie is so far beyond bad that it's terrific. I've seen Ishtar more times than I can remember, and every time I laugh. If you're a little quirky, and if you're willing to take the movie as a song and character showcase (forget the plot!), then you may have found a new favorite movie to torture your loved ones with.I'm not kidding. Imagine if you will Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty singing (badly) these super lines: "I said come look there's a wardrobe of love in my eyes/ Come on in, take a look and see if there's something your size." "Telling the truth is a dangerous business/ Honest and popular don't go hand in hand./ If you admit that you can play the accordion/ No one will hire you in a rock-n-roll band." You live your life and I'll live mine, and mine will always include a copy of Ishtar.
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