Being John Malkovich

Being John Malkovich

Being John Malkovich movie poster
Directed by Spike Jonze
Produced by Steve Golin
Vincent Landay
Sandy Stern
Michael Stipe
Written by Charlie Kaufman
Starring John Cusack
Cameron Diaz
Catherine Keener
Orson Bean
Mary Kay Place
and John Malkovich
Music by Carter Burwell
Cinematography Lance Acord
Editing by Eric Zumbrunnen
Distributed by USA Films (1999-2002)
Universal Pictures (non-U.S. only 1999-2002, worldwide since 2002)
Alliance Films (Canada)
Release date(s) United States:
October 22, 1999
Australia:
December 26, 1999
United Kingdom:
March 17, 2000
New Zealand:
May 18, 2000
Running time 112 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $13 million[1]
Gross revenue $22,863,596 (domestic)[1]

Being John Malkovich is a 1999 American comic fantasy film written by Charlie Kaufman and directed by Spike Jonze.[2] It stars John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener, and John Malkovich, who plays a fictionalized version of himself. The film depicts Craig Schwartz (Cusack), a puppeteer who finds a small portal that leads into the mind of actor John Malkovich (Malkovich).

The plot brings to the forefront several issues in modern philosophy of mind, such as the nature of self and consciousness, the mind-body dichotomy, and sensory perception.

Since its release, the film has become a cult classic.[3]

Contents

Plot

Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) is an unsuccessful, unemployed puppeteer in a forlorn marriage with his pet-obsessed wife Lotte (Cameron Diaz). He gains employment as a file clerk through Dr. Lester (Orson Bean) at LesterCorp, operated out of the strange low-ceilinged offices on Floor 7½ of the Mertin Flemmer Building in New York City. While settling in, he develops a strong attraction to his co-worker Maxine (Catherine Keener) who does not return his affections. While filing paperwork, Schwartz discovers a small door behind a filing cabinet and when he enters it, finds himself in the mind of actor John Malkovich, able to observe and sense whatever Malkovich does for fifteen minutes before he is ejected and dropped into a ditch adjacent to the New Jersey Turnpike. When he reveals the portal to Maxine, they decide to start a business to allow others to experience Malkovich at $200 a head.

When Schwartz explains his new business venture to Lotte, she decides that she must try the portal. Lotte becomes obsessed with the experience, which allows her to live out her transgender desires. While having dinner at Dr. Lester's residence with Schwartz, Lotte finds a room dedicated to Malkovich. One time while Lotte is inside Malkovich, he goes on a date with Maxine. Maxine falls in love with Malkovich (with Lotte inside him), and they continue to see each other in this fashion, including making love to each other. Schwartz, realizing that he has been forsaken by both women, ties up and locks up his wife, while he enters into Malkovich's mind and dates Maxine.

Schwartz, drawing on his background as a puppeteer, discovers that he is able to control Malkovich's actions while in his head, and this causes the actor to become paranoid. After consulting with his friend Charlie Sheen (Charlie Sheen), Malkovich trails Maxine to the Mertin Flemmer building, where he finds out about, and insists upon trying, the portal. He finds himself in a world where everyone looks like him and can only say "Malkovich"; he is quickly ejected and meets Schwartz by the turnpike. Malkovich angrily demands that Schwartz close the portal, but he refuses.

As Schwartz enters Malkovich to prepare for the next date with Maxine, Lotte escapes her bonds and phones Maxine, revealing that it wasn't her making love inside John's body but Schwartz; Maxine however has enjoyed her experience and continues her relationship with Schwartz inside Malkovich. Lotte seeks out Dr. Lester for help. From him, Lotte learns that Dr. Lester is well aware of the portal and has been using it to prolong his life, changing from one dying body to a younger one each time. When the body is "ripe," the portal moves to its next host while in prebirth state. Anyone who manages to enter the portal at the right time when the body becomes "ripe" gets to live on in the body, those who do it too late are trapped within the new body and unable to act. At the present time, the portal is connected to the body of Malkovich, which is getting "ripe" soon. Dr. Lester reveals to Lotte his plan to use Malkovich as a host for himself and several of his friends, to prolong their lives. Offered the chance to join Lester's group, Lotte warns him that Schwartz has become able to control Malkovich and it may be difficult to displace him.

While out on a date with Maxine, Schwartz decides to remain in Malkovich indefinitely. He spends the next eight months in Malkovich's body and through his control of the body, turns Malkovich into a world-famous puppeteer, revitalizing the art of puppetry. Malkovich also gets married to Maxine during this period of time. Eventually, their relationship becomes more distant. Maxine learns that she is pregnant. As the time when Malkovich's body turns ripe and the portal finds its next host draws near, Dr. Lester and his friends capture Maxine and demand of Schwartz that he leave Malkovich's body, threatening to kill Maxine if he doesn't cooperate. Schwartz refuses. Lotte, deciding that the plan's not going to work, attempts to kill Maxine, the two fall together into the portal into Malkovich's shame-ridden subconscious and end up being ejected next to the turnpike. Maxine then reveals to Lotte that she conceived when Lotte was inside Malkovich's body. The two proceed to fall in love.

Eventually, Schwartz decides to leave Malkovich's body voluntarily, hoping to win Maxine back. Malkovich finds he briefly has control of himself before Dr. Lester and his friends enter the portal, just before the portal moves on to the next host. After Schwartz discovers that Lotte and Maxine have fallen for each other, he uses the portal again in an attempt to become Malkovich and make Maxine love him again, but finds himself in the next host which happens to be Emily, the baby of Maxine. Unable to leave her, Schwartz ends up watching Maxine and Lotte live happily ever after through the eyes of the child

Cast

Cameos

Spike Jonze makes a cameo appearance as Derek Mantini's assistant. Brad Pitt also has a half-second-long cameo, as a miffed star in the documentary on Malkovich's career. He seems to be on the verge of saying something before the shot ends. Sean Penn also appears in the film as a fan of Malkovich's puppeteer work. Film director David Fincher makes an uncredited appearance as Christopher Bing in the American Arts & Culture pseudo documentary on John Malkovich. Winona Ryder, Andy Dick, and the members of Hanson can be seen in the audience of a Malkovich puppet show.[4] All of the members of the band Phantom Planet provided voice work as Malkovich ran through a dark tunnel. Kirk Moulin appears as Malkovich's main photo double in the restaurant scene.

Development

Screenwiter Charlie Kaufman sent the screenplay to Francis Ford Coppola after he wrote it. Coppola liked it very much and showed it to his daughter's husband, Spike Jonze. Jonze liked the screenplay so much that he approached Kaufman about directing the film. He became the film's director.[5]

Jonze claimed in an interview that when he was shopping the screenplay around Hollywood, at least one unspecified producer asked if he could possibly rewrite the film as "Being Tom Cruise". John Malkovich was approached about this film several times and loved the script, but he and his production crew felt that another actor would fit the role better. Malkovich offered to help produce the film, and aid Spike Jonze in any way, but refused to star in it. Eventually after a couple of years Malkovich's will was worn down and he agreed to star in the film.[5]

There were some changes in the script's history. In the first draft of the script, Lester and his friends weren't using Malkovich's portal as a means for extending their lives, but in a plot to take over the world in the name of Satan. Satan was the mysterious 'Flemmer' that the Merton-Flemmer building was half named after. The original script also originally had Kevin Bacon in place of Charlie Sheen, as Malkovich's actor friend.[5]

Reception

The film received nearly unanimous and largely glowing positive reviews from critics with a 92% "Certified fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes[6] and ranked 441st on Empire magazine's 2008 list of the 500 greatest movies of all time.[7] The film was widely praised for its originality, both in terms of the script, which won Kaufman the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay, and Jonze's direction. Kaufman's blending of fact and outrageous fiction was a theme continued in his next film with Jonze, Adaptation., which was nominated for four Oscars in 2003, winning one.[8]

Critic Roger Ebert's review was four out of four stars. His comments of praise included: "Rare is the movie where the last half hour surprises you just as much as the first, and in ways you're not expecting. The movie has ideas enough for half a dozen films, but Jonze and his cast handle them so surely that we never feel hard-pressed; we're enchanted by one development after the next" and he also felt that "Either Being John Malkovich gets nominated for best picture, or the members of the Academy need portals into their brains."[9] Other top critic Peter Rainer commented "Dazzlingly singular movies aren't often this much fun" in his review,[10] and Owen Gleiberman boldly stated that he felt it was "The most excitingly original movie of the year."[11]

John Malkovich's performance as himself in Being John Malkovich is ranked #90 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.[12]

Box office

With a domestic total gross of $22,863,596, the film ultimately made well above its reported $13 million production budget.[1]

Awards

The film was nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Director, Best Supporting Actress (Catherine Keener) and Best Original Screenplay.[13]

It was also was nominated for:

Soundtrack

Being John Malkovich / Soundtrack
Soundtrack by Various artists
Released 1999
Genre Electronic, Jazz, Rock
Producer Various
Professional reviews
Track listing[14]

All tracks by Carter Burwell except as noted.

  1. "Amphibian (Mark Bell Mix)" by Björk – 2:47
  2. "Malkovich Masterpiece Remix" written by Spike Jonze, performed by John Malkovich – 2:22
  3. "Puppet Love" – 2:02
  4. "Momentary Introspection" – 1:07
  5. "You Should Know" – 0:34
  6. "Craig Plots" – 3:40
  7. "Malkovich Shrine" – 0:45
  8. "Embarcation" – 1:46
  9. "Subcon Chase" – 2:03
  10. "The Truth" – 1:21
  11. "Love On The Phone" – 0:46
  12. "To Lester's" – 0:26
  13. "Maxine Kidnapped" – 1:15
  14. "To Be John M" – 1:59
  15. "Craig's Overture" – 1:00
  16. "Allegro From Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste, SZ106" by Béla Bartók – 7:21
  17. "Carter Explains Scene 71 To The Orchestra" – 0:29
  18. "Lotte Makes Love" – 1:28
  19. "Monkey Memories" – 1:32
  20. "Future Vessel" – 3:40
  21. "Amphibian (Film Mix)" by Björk – 4:37

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Being John Malkovich (1999)". Box Office Mojo. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=beingjohnmalkovich.htm. Retrieved September 7, 2009. 
  2. ↑ New York Times Review Retrieved March 19, 2009
  3. ↑ https://enzian.wufoo.com/forms/m7x2s9/
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120601/fullcredits#cast
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120601/trivia
  6. ↑ "Being John Malkovich (1999)". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/being_john_malkovich/. Retrieved September 7, 2009. 
  7. ↑ http://www.empireonline.com/500/11.asp
  8. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0442109/awards
  9. ↑ Ebert, Roger (October 29, 1999). "Being John Malkovich Review". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on September 7, 2009. http://www.webcitation.org/5jbGZWQI4. Retrieved September 7, 2009. 
  10. ↑ Get Outta My Face
  11. ↑ http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/being_john_malkovich/comments.php?reviewid=125041
  12. ↑ http://www.filmsite.org/100characters.html
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 13.8 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120601/awards
  14. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Various-Being-John-Malkovich-Soundtrack/release/852965

External links

Films directed by Spike Jonze
Films
Being John Malkovich (1999) · Adaptation. (2002) · Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
Documentaries
Amarillo by Morning (1998)
Short films
How They Get There (1997) · Torrance Rises (1999) · We Were Once a Fairytale (2009) · I'm Here (2010)
Skateboarding films
Rubbish Heap (1989) · Video Days (1991) · Mouse (1997) · The Chocolate Tour (1999) · Yeah Right! (2003) · Hot Chocolate (2004) · Krooked Chronicles (2006) · Fully Flared (2007) · Final Flare (2008)