Ishtar: The web site

Some time ago I posted on the injustice done to the movie Ishtar (1987), a comedy starring Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty, and directed by Elaine May. It had an excellent first weekend; near-universal ridicule followed.

Near.

Now I hear from Nathan about the site ishtarthemovie.com, which contains all things Ishtar, including a drive to get the film released on DVD in the USA (it is currently available in a European version not readable by most American DVD players).

You can also join a Yahoo group dedicated to Ishtar.

The movie is about two talentless songwriters (Hoffman and Beatty) who get mixed up in a brewing revolution in the Arab nation Ishtar, with the CIA attempting to keep the current emir in power, and a group of freedom fighters (among them, gorgeous French actress Isabelle Adjani) attempting to overthrow him.

If you read interviews with the principals, you'll find they are still one hundred percent behind the movie, which would be unusual if the movie really was that bad. Hollywood folk do admit their mistakes, once all the dust settles.

You will probably not like this movie if you haven't spent time with your friends singing goofy songs made up on the spot. The songs in this movie sound like that, except that Paul Williams, the writer, worked very hard to get them that bad. I loved them.

Ishtar, by the way, is the Assyrian goddess of sex and sexuality, known in the ancient Middle East in several incarnations, including Inanna (Sumerian) and Astarte (Canaanite). She is widely considered the inspiration for her Greek counterpart Aphrodite, and Isabelle Adjani is widely considered the modern reincarnation of the goddess.

(Isabelle, je t'aime!)

All photos taken from ishtarthemovie.com

Comments

[sarah]

Paul Williams has a website at: http://paulwilliamsconnection.org

[DF]

Thanks for the link. It is incorporated into the post now.

[Jef Leeson]

Hi Pandora!
Was wondering if you've heard about this:

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/waiting-for-ishtar

It's a great companion piece to Ishtar.

[DWF]

Sounds like a winner, Jeff. Sold.