Being John Malkovich (1999)

Director:

Spike Jonze

Writer (WGA):

Charlie Kaufman (written by)

Release Date:

24 November 1999 (Puerto Rico)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

Ever wanted to be someone else? Now you can.

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Underwater Scene | Actor Playing Himself | No Opening Credits | Soul Transference | Chrysler Building New York

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 45 wins & 48 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Wed. July 9	2:35 PM	SHOW
Sat. July 12	4:30 PM	SHOW

Cast

John Cusack	...	Craig Schwartz
Cameron Diaz	...	Lotte Schwartz
Ned Bellamy	...	Derek Mantini
Eric Weinstein	...	Father at Puppet Show
Madison Lanc	...	Daughter at Puppet Show
Octavia Spencer	...	Woman in Elevator (as Octavia L. Spencer)
Mary Kay Place	...	Floris
Orson Bean	...	Dr. Lester
Catherine Keener	...	Maxine Lund
K.K. Dodds	...	Wendy
Reginald C. Hayes	...	Don (as Reggie Hayes)
Byrne Piven	...	Captain Mertin
Judith Wetzell	...	Tiny Woman
John Malkovich	...	John Horatio Malkovich
Kevin Carroll	...	Cab Driver

Runtime:

112 min | Canada:113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Philippines:R-18 | Brazil:18 | Singapore:R(A) | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Belgium:KT | Canada:14A | Canada:G (Québec) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:15 | Italy:T | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:M | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #36965) | Norway:11 | Iceland:L (original rating) | Iceland:LH (video rating) | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Gramercy Pictures

Trivia:

Orson Bean had a role in the film Innerspace (1987); also about a man taking control of another man's body.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Craig is about to discover the portal, he picks up the dropped file and puts it on the bureau next to him. But in the next shot that file is not there, only those that were there before.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Lotte Schwartz: Craig, honey, it's time for bed.
[fade out and in]
Orrin Hatch the bird: Craig, honey, time to get up, Craig, honey, time to get up, Craig, honey, time to get up, Craig, honey, time to get up,
Craig Schwartz: Lotte...
Lotte Schwartz: I'm sorry. I didn't know Orrin Hatch was out of his cage.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Sideways (2004)

Soundtrack:

Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake

A borderline masterpiece

Movies like "Being John Malkovich" don't come around often. The originality factor in Hollywood productions have been sadly lacking in recent years, but hope should be restored after a film of such dazzling and brilliant creativity like this one is made. Nothing about it seems to be familiar, the ideas conceived and executed are totally off the wall, bursting with energy, and the finished product will leave you totally perplexed, amazed and compelled at every twist and turn. It's a modern fable that unfolds it's story like a game, and uses it's characters like puppets (John Cusak, Cameron Diaz and Cathering Keener are flawless), as they discover a new dimension of themselves after they enter someone else's conscience. "Being John Malkovich" explores the way lives can be totally warped by lust and greed, how the concept of "celebrity" drives ordinary people to extreme lengths, and the unexpected possibilities of accessing things through someone else's body. Some of the film's sequences are mind-blowing, it creates it's own beguiling world of illusion and reality (The scene where Malkovich enters his own mind is a work of sheer genius, rarely have I ever laughed so hard.) Unlike most comedies that never delve into anything intellectual, this film raises a very interesting issue about identity, how even given the opportunity to be someone else, the things you're surrounded by will slowly start you to resemble the ones in the past. "Being John Malkovich" examines this mostly during the end, and unfortunately, it doesn't fully succeed. It becomes too far-out and bleak, and the wicked humour is absent. But, in the long run, this is still an amazing piece of cinema, and should be seen by anyone who thinks films of exceptional quality aren't being made anymore.