Chris Guest shmoozes about improvisation

[dunskie]

I so look forward to anything Mr. Guest puts out. There is ,without a doubt, nobody as good as him, and his gang, at what he does. He was so ahead of his time with Spinal Tap(with Rob Reiner), and people are still catching up. "A Mighty Wind" is, in my opinion, a masterpiece.

[hawaiidispenser]

Charlie Rose seems to be interrupting a bit too much here. I'm getting into the rhythm of Guest's answer, then Rose steps in to ask what Guest was just about to explain anyway.

[Djstereos2]

Spinal tap is awesome. Best in show it awesome. A mighty wind is awesome. Waiting for guffman is awesome. PERIOD.

[clipsryan]

@Djstereos2 Greatest improvised films and to be honest, the greatest comedies ever made.

[majetn]

I meant to say, though, despite the awkwardness of the interview clips, I think Guest is hilarious. :-D

[majetn]

All these interview clips are so awkward, but I sympathize with Christopher Guest. I think most of the awkwardness and perhaps appearance of insecurity or "full of shit"-ness described in the comments is mostly a result of the awkward/strange questions that Charlie Rose keeps asking him. I've been in interview situations like this before where I feel like everything coming out of my mouth sounds like this.

[JadeForMercury]

corky st. clair.

[SirHatchporch]

Guest is not an a-hole, he's just very shy and private. (Most of the celebrities I admire are.) His personality is also very serious, dry and deadpan. In fact Eugene Levy has described him as being "an emotional desert." I think all of these things point to why Guest is so adept at taking on other personas. He studies, listens and watches.

[batrama310]

@SirHatchporch I've noticed that too...some of the comedians I think are funny tend to be serious, quiet and usually keep to themselves (just like their childhood) and they're very observant. 

[sirvidia]

if he was more concise he wouldn't get fed up with ppl not listening closely enough

[highlikeafly]

@godfreyih Say What? I imagine Charlie does hit the sauce from time to time, and he does look overwhelmingly tired more often than not, but he's an incredible interviewer with truly interesting insights and flexible questions that manage to reach the "inerds" of his guests. He's amazingly intelligent without being pretentious, and naturally and honestly curious....that's why he's had such a long, successful career. And, oh yeah, C. Guest is a Genius. Capital G.

[godfreyih]

Charlie Rose is utterly appalling; how does anyone so perpetually plastered manage to maintain a tv career?

[cosmicarbiteroftaste]

'A Mighty Wind' is the 'Spinal Tap' of folk. Not as LOL funny but worth digging out.

[pretorious700]

@cosmicarbiteroftaste It's way more subtle(A Mighty Wind), because rock music is much easier to lampoon.

[Jitpring]

CG is the 5th Baron Haden-Guest. Look in Wiki.

[ryanfoley123]

This is hard to watch. I don't know if it's Guest or Rose or Both, but there is just too much animosity to this interview.

[golfdog42]

uh, live and let live fellas.......

[avth76]

anyone who can stay married to jamie lee curtis is awesome.....*L*

I love his movies!! he's very talented.

[blondie1159]

Go Nigel Go!!!!

[ledwatch]

Guest is a genius

[RevAlex]

Charlie Rose is SOOOO pretentious. I guess Christopher Guest is too, but I prefer him.

[alteredlame666]

30% full of shit/ 20% insecure/ 50% talent.

Nothing new.

[guidedbyalan]

Are you talking about Guest?

[alteredlame666]

That's right. I like him well enough, but my comment is very accurate, judging from all that could be known of him, without actually knowing him.

He's rude, snarky, unwilling to work with anyone outside of his circle; unwilling to challenge himself, doesn't always look in your eyes when taking to you, is always searching for a glib answer. He is, by any honest interpretation, insecure and full of shit.

That says nothing about his talent, he is certainly that.

[kenrben]

alteredlame, you sound like an ex-wife of his. does he snore all through the night and always leave the goddamn toilet seat up as well? What are his innermost repressed desires and fears Dr. Freud? LOL your comment is 100% judgemental

[alteredlame666]

"judging from all that could be known of him, without actually knowing him"

I didn't have to think about it for more than a second. Anyone who has seen a handful his interviews knows this. So, it is not a judgement at all; an observation, rather.

I am glad that you make yourself LOL like a 12 year old.

I stated an obvious fact; not psychoanalysis.

[cutelilram]

Christopher Guest is shy, that has been said about him by his closest friends. However, to say that he is unwilling to work with anyone outside his circle is not true. Some examples include Mrs. Henderson Presents, A Night At The Museum 2, and his directing commercials including one with Lance Armstrong. Plus, what is so wrong with wanting to work with your friends? And any fan of his knows that he has little love for interviewing. He's not rude. He just has no patience for dumb questions.

[alteredlame666]

Look, man, I am not going to sit on here and have an arguement about this. It's just going to go nowhere.

Being shy has nothing to do with being an asshole to people.

[MyQuesnel]

@cutelilram What he started was brilliant, every mocdoc...priceless. I cant imagine his next film without this cast. I love him!!!

[cosmicarbiteroftaste]

@kenrben I'm guessing he sacked alteredlame666

[l33tpwnzord]

lol. Do you know him at all?

The dude is just incredibly cerebral ... and incredibly critical. This is why he is so good. This is why he makes good movies.

[bigcyhutch]

By YOUR interpretation. Which means...hmmm....what? Really? What is your background? Have you ever done improvisation? Are you an actor? CG is who he is. Just observe. Enjoy. And maybe have some respect. Just an observation.

[treetwobears]

Awesome post. Thanks for sharing. I really appreciate Guest's model for film making.