Revisiting Catherine O'Hara's mockumentary films with director Christopher Guest
Schitt's Creek alum Catherine O'Hara warrants no introduction. A veteran artist who has been active in Hollywood since the 1970s and is known for her ability to sink into a variety of roles across genres, O'Hara is a cinematic institution in herself. One of her most remarkable collaborations has been with actor-director-screenwriter Christopher Guest, known for his mockumentary movies with ensemble casts. Let's explore.
'Best in Show' (2000)
Best in Show also starred O'Hara's Schitt's Creek co-star Eugene Levy, alongside John Michael Higgins, Michael McKean, Michael Hitchcock, Jennifer Coolidge, and Jane Lynch. The film revolves around five dogs and their owners who travel to Philadelphia to partake in the prestigious Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show. O' Hara, paired opposite Levy, played Cookie Fleck, a Florida-based dog parent.
'A Mighty Wind' (2003)
O'Hara and Levy again co-starred in A Mighty Wind. According to IMDb, it "captures the reunion of 1960s folk trio the Folksmen as they prepare for a show...to memorialize a recently deceased concert promoter." Bright Wall/Dark Room wrote, "Levy and O'Hara—a match made in comedy heaven—are [its pulsating heart], portraying a pair of artists who are ill-prepared to function in the real world."
'For Your Consideration' (2006)
For Your Consideration had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2006 and was backed by Warner Independent Pictures, Castle Rock Entertainment, and Shangri-La Entertainment. It follows the cast and crew of Home for Purim, a fictional film about a Jewish family made on a shoestring budget and its aspirations to sweep the prestigious film awards in Hollywood.
'Waiting For Guffman' (1996)
As is the norm with other films by Guest, Waiting For Guffman contained a lot of improvised dialogue and, other than being a mockumentary, was also a musical. The title is a nod to Samuel Beckett's genre-defining absurdist play Waiting For Godot, which was reportedly written between 1948 and 1949. O'Hara essayed Sheila Albertson, a travel agent as well as a theater artist.
