The greatest cult movie ever made, according to Elizabeth Olsen: “It’s just hilarious”
Growing up in the shadow of siblings is never easy, but when those siblings achieve worldwide fame in their teens, it’s a whole different issue, a reality that a young Elizabeth Olsen knows all too well.
As the sister of twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, she could have easily faded into obscurity and become an amusing footnote, but instead went on to become more famous than the duo ever was. Through her appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the younger Olsen became an instantly recognisable figure, to the point where it’s laughable to think of her being overshadowed by anyone.
It’s not just box office-conquering superhero sagas in which she has made her name but also appeared in a number of movies that might be considered ‘cult classics’, with her big-screen debut, Martha Marcy May Marlene fondly remembered by the small group of people who became obsessed when it first came out. There’s also the black comedy Ingrid Goes West, one of the movies that helped put Aubrey Plaza on the map, but when it comes to her own outsider tastes, there’s one film that always comes top of the pile.
When asked by The Film Stage to name her favourite “cult-adored” movie, Olsen name-dropped the 1996 mockumentary Waiting for Guffman, explaining that not only was she a fan of the film, but that she has been one for a very long time.
“It’s the one I know every single line to,” she said, “It’s just hilarious, it’s been one of my favourites since – my friends and I literally would quote it for school plays in sixth grade. That’s how much we loved it. I love that movie so much.”
Released in 1996, Waiting for Guffman tells the story of a fictional stage musical and a local theatre group’s ill-fated attempts to put it on, and is directed by one of the kings of the mockumentary format, the great Christopher Guest, who not only stars as the flamboyant director Corky St Clair but also co-wrote the piece with future Schitt’s Creek star Eugene Levy. The rest of the cast includes Parker Posey, Fred Willard, a young Bob Odenkirk, and the late, great Catherine O’Hara.
After cutting his teeth as an actor in Rob Reiner’s pioneering This Is Spinal Tap, Guest began making his own mockumentaries with Waiting for Guffman, and across his lengthy career, he has tackled all sorts of subjects, from dog training and folk music to sports mascots.
His movies routinely appear in lists of the funniest comedies ever made, and Guffman is no exception, wherein Variety put it on their list of ‘The 100 Best Movies of All Time’ in 2022, calling it the ultimate cult film for a newly liberated generation.
If comedy is your thing, particularly ones disguised as a documentary, and you somehow haven’t seen any of Guest’s movies, then Waiting for Guffman is the perfect place to start; don’t just take my word for it; take that of Scarlet Witch herself.
