Best in Show + Every Dog Has His Day: Ilak’s Birthday

Best in Show (2000)
Dir. Christopher Guest
With Jennifer Coolidge, Christopher Guest, John Michael Higgins, Michael Hitchcock, Eugene Levy, Jane Lynch, Michael McKean, Catherine O'Hara, Parker Posey
89min; DCP

Excitement, nerves, whining, and panting bubble up in anticipation of the Mayflower Dog Show, as a cast of eccentric dog-owners traverse the nation for the biggest day of the year. From the warbled southern drawl of Christopher Guest as Harlan Pepper to Catherine O’Hara’s unforgettable physical comedy, Parker Posey’s serious-as-a-knife portrayal of a 2000s yuppie, Jennifer Coolidge as a charmingly vapid gold-digger, and the late, great Fred Willard as a dog show judge who seemingly has never crossed paths with a dog, each performance in Best in Show is turned up to 11. Featuring arguably the funniest dog reaction shot in cinema history in its first five minutes, this largely improvised comedy is the kind of film that does not just suggest but demands repeated viewings. Christopher Guest (Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind) is at his directorial best, amplified by a who’s who of actors extracting gut-busting performances through off-the-cuff delivery and unimaginable line reads.

Preceded by:

Every Dog Has His Day: Ilak’s Birthday (1925)
With Ilak the Wolf Dog, Rin-Tin-Tin, Peter the Great
2min; Digital

Canine actors celebrate Ilak the Wolf Dog’s birthday in this early example of dogs on the silver screen.