Being John Malkovich

Being John Malkovich

A puppeteer discovers a portal that leads literally into the head of the movie star, John Malkovich.

IMDB rating: 7.8/10Rotten Tomatoes rating: 93% Fresh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UuRFr0GnHM

Cast

John Malkovich

Known for films such as Eragon, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Warm Bodies, RED, and he was Lennie in Of Mice and Men. Last year he came across a man who was bleeding profusely from his neck and applied First Aid until the ambulance arrived. What a hero.

Cast

Known for films such as 2012, 1408, High Fidelity, and many romantic comedies!He is rumoured to be in the next Hunger Games film.I have an old-man crush on him

John Cusack

Cast

Cameron Diaz

Known for films such as Charlie’s Angels, There’s Something About Mary, Shrek, and many others where she does not play the brightest character!Recently announced she will make a sequel to Bad Teacher. I have never seen the first one as it seems insulting to the teaching profession.

Cast

Catherine Keener

Known for films such as The 40 Year Old Virgin, Captain Phillips, Into the Wild, and many independent films. Has worked on many projects with Spike Jonze in her career.

Awards

Won:BAFTA Film Award for Best Screenplay Original and many other Critics’ Choice Awards and Film Festivals

Nominated:Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Director and Best WritingGolden Globe for Best Motion Picture, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture X2, and Best Screenplay Motion Picture

Writer

Charles Stuart "Charlie" Kaufman (born November 19, 1958) is an American screenwriter, producer, director, and lyricist.

Charlie Kaufman - FilmographyYear Title Credit1999 Being John Malkovich Writer and executive producer

2001 Human Nature Writer and producer

2002 Adaptation Writer and executive producer

2002 Confessions of a Dangerous Mind Writer

2004 Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind Writer and executive producer

2008 Synecdoche, New York Writer, director and producer

2011 Kung Fu Panda 2 Script reviser

Plus writing credits for a range of television shows including Ned and Stacey

Reputation

Kaufman is praised for being highly original and imaginative.• Being John Malkovich stars John Malkovich as a fictional version

of himself• Human Nature is mostly told by flashbacks• Adaptation tells the story of Kaufman himself, trying to write the

film itself and to understand the book from which it is adapted with the help of his twin brother fictional twin brother

• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind mainly takes place in the mind of the main character while his memory is erased

• Synecdoche, New York focuses on a theatre director who blurs the line between reality and his production

Director

Spike Jonze (born Adam Spiegel; October 22, 1969) is an American director, producer, screenwriter and actor, whose work includes music videos, commercials, film and television.

Spike Jonze - FilmographyYear Title Credit

1997 Free Tibet Cinematographer

1999 Being John Malkovich Director

2000 Jackass (TV) Creator and executive producer

2001 Human Nature Producer

2002 Adaptation Director

2002 Jackass: The Movie Producer and actor

2006 Jackass: Number Two Producer and actor

2006 The Fall Producer and actor

2008 Synecdoche, New York Producer

2008 Heavy Metal in Baghdad Producer

Year Title Credit

2009 Where the Wild Things Are Director and co-writer

2009 The 1 Second Film Producer and actor

2009 Jackass 3D Producer and actor

2010 Higglety Pigglety Pop! Or There Must Be More to Life

Producer and actor

2013 Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa Producer and writer

2013 Her Director and writer

Reputation

Jonze is renowned for the many music videos he has directed. Artists he has worked with include Sonic Youth, R.E.M., Bjork, Daft Punk, Puff Daddy, The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Arcade Fire and many more.• Buddy Holly by Weezerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kemivUKb4f4• Sabotage by Beastie Boyshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5rRZdiu1UE• Praise You by Fat Boy Slimhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruAi4VBoBSM

Why John Malkovich?

I don't know... I thought it was funny. It's hard to explain, but I thought it was funny, but not jokey. Because [John Malkovich] is a serious actor, he is a great actor, but there is something odd about him and there is something behind his eyes that you can't see. And I thought that was a good person for this.And then I think his name is perfect for the title... when we trying to get the movie made... we didn't know if John was going to do it and Spike [Jonze] and I sort of tried to make a list of other possibilities and there are lots of good actors but nobody's name sounded good in the title... so... it was important for that reason.

- Kaufman in an interview with Charlie Rose

Was John Malkovich keen?

Not to begin with. Apparently Malkovich liked the script but did not think he would suit the lead role and offered to produce the film with a different title actor. Kaufman refused and continued to approach Malkovich about is periodically. After many years Malkovich was eventually worn down and agreed to star.

Jonze revealed in a September 2013 interview that this was Malkovich's attitude after filming commenced:Either the movie's a bomb and it's got not only my name above the title but my name in the title, so I'm fucked that way; or it does well and I'm just forever associated with this character.

Did Kaufman consider anyone else?

No! Many people approached Kaufman to make the film if he altered the script for a different actor. Kaufman refused each time. He wanted Malkovich.

After Jonze agreed to direct the film, he put the script to Propaganda Films, which agreed to produce the film in partnership with production company Single Cell Pictures.

Single Cell producers pitched the film to numerous studios, including New Line Cinema, who dropped the project after the chairman asked: "Why the fuck can't it be Being Tom Cruise?".