Ishtar (1987)
Average Rating: 3.7/10
Reviews Counted: 30
Fresh: 8 | Rotten: 22
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 1
Fresh: 0 | Rotten: 1
liked it
Average Rating: 2.3/5
User Ratings: 4,849
Movie Info
Considered one of the great box-office turkeys of its decade, Ishtar was an attempt by writer/director Elaine May and stars Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty to do a modern-day road picture in the style of the much-loved Bob Hope and Bing Crosby comedy classics. Beatty is Lyle Rogers, a dimwitted songwriter who befriends and partners with Chuck Clarke (Hoffman), who is only slightly more intelligent but every bit as untalented. Together the duo dreams of becoming a big-time lounge act, but their
May 15, 1987 Wide
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
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Cast
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Warren Beatty
Lyle Rogers -
Dustin Hoffman
Chuck Clarke -
Isabelle Adjani
Shirra Assel -
Charles Grodin
Jim Harrison -
Jack Weston
Marty Freed Talent A... -
Tess Harper
Willa -
Carol Kane
Carol -
Aharon Ipalé
Emir Yousef -
Rose Arrick
Mrs. Clarke -
Bill Bailey
Gen. Westlake -
Ron Berglas
CIA Agent -
Haluk Bilginer
Guerilla Leader -
Arthur Brauss
German Gunrunner -
Warren Clarke
English Gunrunner -
Matt Frewer
CIA Agent -
Julie Garfield
Dorothy -
Bob Girolami
Bartender -
Bruce Gordon
Screamin' Honker -
Stefan Gryff
KGB Agent -
Fijad Hageb
Abdul -
Adam Hussein
Mohamed The Camel Se... -
Alex Hyde-White
CIA Agent -
Alexei Jawdokimov
KGB Agent -
Kamarr
Maitre 'd at Chez Ca... -
Abe Kroll
Mr. Thomopoulos -
David Margulies
Mr. Clarke -
Fred Melamed
Caid of Assari -
Bill Moor
U.S. Consul -
Christine Rose
Siri Darma -
Nadim Sawalha
Rag Shop Owner -
Herb Gardner
Rabbi Pierce -
Stuart M. Abramson
Screamin' Honkers -
J.C. Cutler
Omar -
Aziz Ben Driss
Waiter at Chez Casab... -
John Freudenheim
Screamin Honker -
Ian Gray
Manager of Chez Casa... -
Sumar Khan
IshtariGunrunner -
Bouhaddane Larbi
Taxi Driver -
George Masri
Mohamed The Camel Se... -
Jon Paul Morgan
Djellabah Seller -
Eddy Nedari
Mohamed The Camel Se... -
Mark Ryan
Screamin' Honker -
Phillip Schopper
Waiter -
Edgar Smith
Professor Barnes -
Maati Zaari
Porter -
Neil Zevnik
CIA Agent -
-
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Ishtar Trailer & Photos
All Critics (36) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (8) | Rotten (22) | DVD (1)
The 1980s saw the release of so many truly atrocious films (Xanadu, Stroker Ace, Bolero, Shanghai Surprise, etc.) that it's absurd "Ishtar" became shorthand for the worst of the worst and continues to be blasted by folks who haven't even seen it.
Besides droll supporting work from an excellent Charles Grodin, Ishtar also gets a lot of mileage out of its terrible and terribly funny songs.
If Ishtar has a personal stamp, it's not in what it has to say about Reagan-era militarism, but in what it has to say about collaboration, and how well-meaning people can goose each other to greatness-and folly.
Ishtar is a failure on practically every level from its misguided narrative to its lack of humor to the absence of anything remotely entertaining.
A victim of its own hyped publicity and too harsh criticism, Ishtar is not the worst movie ever made or even a bomb, just a dim-witted silly comedy-thriller (with some good jokes) based on the casting against type of Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman.
The intentionally bad songs and the early scenes in New York City are amusing, but the movie totally falls apart once Beatty and Hoffman arrive in the fictional country of Ishtar.
A failed attempt at doing a modern Bob Hope-Bing Crosby "Road" picture.
Better then you've heard. Paul William's songs are genius.
It's pretty bad, but not as bad as its legend.
The real joke is that everyone involved is still in the movie business.
The model for awful comedies
Yes, it really does live up to the hype of its badness.
better than it's given credit for
Now come one, this movie was not bad.
Audience Reviews for Ishtar
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- Lyle Rogers: It takes a lot of courage to have nothing at your age.
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Latest News on Ishtar
May 11, 2011:
Elaine May to Premiere, Discuss Director's Cut of IshtarIn today's dose of "Wait, What?" news, Elaine May plans to host the premiere of the "Ishtar"...
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