Being John Malkovich (1999)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

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:

Portal | Puppeteer | Office | Actor | Bizarre

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 45 wins & 48 nominations

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
Willie Garson	...	Guy in Restaurant
W. Earl Brown	...	First J.M. Inc. Customer
Charlie Sheen	...	Charlie
Gerald Emerick	...	Sad Man in Line
Bill M. Ryusaki	...	Mr. Hiroshi
Carlos Jacott	...	Larry the Agent
Richard Fancy	...	Johnson Heyward
Patti Tippo	...	Malkovich's Mother
Daniel Hansen	...	Boy Malkovich
Gregory Sporleder	...	Drunk at Bar
Mariah O'Brien	...	Girl Creeped Out by Malkovich
Kelly Teacher	...	Emily
Jacqueline Benoît	...	Lester's Friend (as Jacqueline Benoit)
William Buck	...	Lester's Friend (as William N. Buck)
Christine D. Coleman	...	Lester's Friend
Jeanne Diehl	...	Lester's Friend
Audrey Gelfund	...	Lester's Friend (as Audrey Gelfand)
Yetta Ginsburg	...	Lester's Friend
Sylvester Jenkins	...	Lester's Friend
Roy C. Johnson	...	Lester's Friend
Eddie J. Low	...	Lester's Friend
Ralph W. Spaulding	...	Lester's Friend
David Wyler	...	Lester's Friend
Flori Wyler	...	Lester's Friend
Kevin Lee	...	Ballet Dancer
Marlowe Bassett	...	Ballet Dancer
Jennifer Canzoneri	...	Ballet Dancer
Kristie Cordle	...	Ballet Dancer
Denise Dabrowski	...	Ballet Dancer
Kristin D'Andrea	...	Ballet Dancer
Charlene Grimsley	...	Ballet Dancer
Christine Krejer	...	Ballet Dancer
Erica Long	...	Ballet Dancer
Yvonne Montelius	...	Ballet Dancer
Jessica Neuberger	...	Ballet Dancer
Sara Rifkin	...	Ballet Dancer
Elizabeth Rivera	...	Ballet Dancer
Chelsa Sjostrom	...	Ballet Dancer
Pamela Hayden	...	Featured Character Voice (voice)
Jayne Hess	...	Featured Character Voice (voice)
Michelle Madden	...	Featured Character Voice (voice)
Greg O'Neill	...	Featured Character Voice (voice)
Neil Ross	...	Featured Character Voice (voice)
Bill Wittman	...	Featured Character Voice (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lance Bangs	...	Locker Room Bully (uncredited)
Kacee DeMasi	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
Andy Dick	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Eddie L. Fauria	...	Bartender (uncredited)
David Fincher	...	Christopher Bing (uncredited)
Jester Hairston	...	Lester's Friend (uncredited)
Isaac Hanson	...	Himself at Awards Ceremony (archive footage) (uncredited)
Taylor Hanson	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Zac Hanson	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Dustin Hoffman	...	Willy Loman (archive footage) (uncredited)
Victor Isaac	...	Student (uncredited)
Spike Jonze	...	Derek Mantini's Assistant for Emily Dickinson Puppet (uncredited)
James Murray	...	Student puppeteer (uncredited)
Sean Penn	...	Himself (uncredited)
Brad Pitt	...	Himself (uncredited)
Winona Ryder	...	Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Gary Sinise	...	Stage Role (archive footage) (uncredited)
Trevor Lawrence Young	...	Mr. Malkovich Sr. (uncredited)

Directed by
Spike Jonze

Writing credits (WGA)
Charlie Kaufman		(written by)

Produced by
Steve Golin	....	producer
Charlie Kaufman	....	executive producer
Michael Kuhn	....	executive producer
Vincent Landay	....	producer
Sandy Stern	....	producer
Michael Stipe	....	producer

Original Music by
Carter Burwell

Cinematography by
Lance Acord

Film Editing by
Eric Zumbrunnen

Casting by
Justine Baddeley
Kim Davis		(as Kim Davis-Wagner)

Production Design by
K.K. Barrett

Art Direction by
Peter Andrus

Set Decoration by
Gene Serdena

Costume Design by
Casey Storm

Makeup Department
Lynn Barron	....	makeup artist
David Cox	....	additional hair stylist
Pinky Cunningham	....	wig maker
Debra L. Ferullo	....	makeup artist
Lori Guidroz	....	hair stylist (as Lori Guidrez)
Emanuel Millar	....	hair designer
John Vulich	....	special makeup effects artist
Gucci Westman	....	makeup supervisor
Victoria Wood	....	wig maker
Thomas Floutz	....	special makeup effects artist: crew (uncredited)
Rob Hinderstein	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Matthew Jorgensen	....	special effects makeup artist: Optic Nerve Studios (uncredited)

Production Management
Tim Clawson	....	executive in charge of production
Tim Clawson	....	unit production manager
Gilly Ruben	....	production supervisor
Linda Shamest	....	post-production supervisor (as Linda Rae Shamest)
Sean Wimmer	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark S. Constance	....	second assistant director
Melinda Johnson	....	dga trainee
Thomas Patrick Smith	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Fanée Aaron	....	set designer
Robert W. Anderson	....	set dresser (as Robert Anderson)
Jess Anscott	....	greens foreman
Elisa Bussetti	....	set designer
Allan Davis	....	set dresser
Brian Derfer	....	set dresser
James A. Fleming	....	set dresser
Chris Forster	....	construction coordinator
Scott Head	....	propmaker foreman
Ramiro Hernandez	....	property maker
Philip C. Hurst	....	greens person
Andy Jenkins	....	graphic illustrator
Chiaki Kanda	....	art department production assistant
Ritchie Kremer	....	property master
Michael Leblovic	....	charge painter
Christopher Lee	....	property maker
Chantz McCall	....	property maker
Alistair Milne	....	illustrator
Jose G. Morales	....	construction laborer
Elizabeth Nagle	....	greens person
Ron Patterson	....	assistant property master
Bobby Pollard	....	set dresser
Tom Price	....	construction laborer
Nicholas Radell	....	property maker
Peter A. Ramsey	....	storyboard artist (as Peter Ramsey)
Gary Rizzo	....	lead man
Anders Rundblad	....	property maker
Martin Russell	....	property maker
Grant Samson	....	on-set dresser (as Grant D. Samson)
Andrew Schultz	....	property maker
Abigail Sheiner	....	art department coordinator
Rick Staves	....	set dresser
David M. Steiner	....	paint foreman
Jamie Upham	....	construction foreman
Sloane U'Ren	....	set designer
Scott Williston	....	set painter
Dennis Young	....	greens person
Karen Agresti	....	buyer (uncredited)
Edward Tamayo	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
David W. Alstadter	....	foley mixer (as David Alstadter)
Richard L. Anderson	....	supervising sound editor (as Richard Anderson)
Forrest Brakeman	....	production sound mixer
Joseph A. Brennan	....	sound engineer
Mark Coffey	....	sound transfer
John T. Cucci	....	foley artist
Malcolm Fife	....	special sound designer
Jack Ford	....	sound engineering support
Gary Gegan	....	sound re-recording mixer
Matthew Iadarola	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robin Johnston	....	stage recordist
Ren Klyce	....	special sound designer
Elliott Koretz	....	supervising sound editor
Kevin Kubota	....	utility sound technician
B.J. Lehn	....	additional sound mixer (as B.J. Lehn Jr.)
Linda Lew	....	foley recordist
Mark Lindauer	....	sound engineering support
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist
Nick Peck	....	special sound designer
Curt Schulkey	....	supervising dialogue editor (as Curt Shulkey)
Debbie Spinelli	....	boom operator
Ralph Stuart	....	assistant sound editor
Victoria Lee Thoma-Bowes	....	utility sound technician (as Victoria Thoma-Bowes)
Marvin Walowitz	....	sound effects editor
Robert Zubia	....	stage recordist

Special Effects by
Ryan Arndt	....	special effects technician
John E. Gray	....	special effects coordinator (as John Gray)
John Ziegler	....	special effects foreman
Jason Barnett	....	special effects: Malkovich masks (uncredited)
Ben Chester	....	special effects costumes (uncredited)
Damian Fisher	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Karin Hanson	....	special effects hair (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Mike Davis	....	digital compositor
Bob Engelsiepen	....	digital compositor supervisor
Lori Freitag-Hild	....	Flame artist
Bryan Grill	....	Flame artist
Anthony Mabin	....	Flame artist
Margaux Mackay	....	visual effects producer
Gray Marshall	....	compositor
Gray Marshall	....	visual effects supervisor
Daniel Radford	....	visual effects supervisor
Howard Shur	....	digital still compositor
Robert Small	....	visual effects
Scott Suess	....	digital compositor
Floyd Burks	....	digital scanning and recording: Cinesite (uncredited)
Adam Francis	....	motion control technician (uncredited)

Stunts
Dan Bradley	....	stunt coordinator
Eric Chambers	....	stunts
Jani D. Davis	....	stunts (as Jani Davis)
Robert Elmore	....	stunts (as Bob Elmore)
Ray Lykins	....	stunts
Grant Mathis	....	stunt double: Mr. Malkovich
Bobby Ore	....	stunts
Darrin Prescott	....	stunt rigger
Scott Rogers	....	stunts
Cris Thomas-Palomino	....	stunts (as Cris Palomino)
Lee Waddell	....	stunts
Alexa Sheehan	....	stunt double: John Malkovich (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Samantha Bahramian	....	electrician (as Samantha N. Bahramian)
Laura Mae Bobick	....	second assistant camera
David Burrows	....	gaffer
Brent Bye	....	rigging gaffer
Joseph P. Clem	....	electrician
Sal Coniglio	....	first assistant camera (as Salvatore Coniglio)
Jim Fealy	....	additional photographer
Kirk R. Gardner	....	Steadicam operator (as Kirk Gardner)
David González	....	key rigging grip
Jack M. Guberman	....	electrician
Peter Gulla	....	camera operator
Doug Houston	....	electrician
Ben Kaller	....	camera production assistant
Ken Longbella	....	electrician
Mark Marchetti	....	best boy electric
Keith A. Markham	....	best boy grip (as Keith Markham)
Michael McGarry	....	grip (as Mike McGarry)
Joseph Messier	....	dolly grip
Melissa Moseley	....	still photographer
Anthony G. Nakonechnyj	....	additional camera operator (as Tony Nakonechnyj)
Gino Nix	....	key grip
Caitlin Phillips	....	camera loader
Erik Wolford	....	grip
Dan Hofstad	....	set lighting (uncredited)
Daniel P. Moore	....	video operator: additional photography (uncredited)
Paul Taylor	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Jimi Udel	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Victor Isaac	....	extras casting assistant
Cecily Jordan	....	extras casting (as Cecily T. Jordan)
Michelle Madden	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Anita Louise Brown	....	set costumer (as Anita Brown)
Shari Gray	....	wardrobe supervisor
Marina Marit	....	set costumer
David Wallace	....	tailor

Editorial Department
Phillip J. Bartell	....	assistant editor (as Philip Bartel)
Keith Brachmann	....	first assistant editor
Joseph Butler	....	apprentice editor
Joe Hutshing	....	additional editor
Gloria Kaiser	....	color timer
Glenn Kiser	....	post-production executive
David Orr	....	color timer
Theresa Repola Mohammed	....	negative matcher
Stefan Sonnenfeld	....	colorist: videotape
John M. Vitale	....	assistant editor
Sara Hyoun	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Carter Burwell	....	conductor
Carter Burwell	....	orchestrator
Michael Farrow	....	music scoring engineer
Dean Parker	....	music copyist
Sandra Park	....	music contractor
Adam Milo Smalley	....	music editor
Dawn Soler	....	music supervisor (as Dawn Solér)
Tony Finno	....	music preparation (uncredited)
Christoph von Dohnányi	....	conductor: Bartok excerpt (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Michael 'Crash' Anderson	....	driver (as Michael Anderson)
Greg Bauer	....	driver
Andrew Broomhead	....	driver
Jesse Cartwright	....	driver
Krister C. Johnson	....	transportation co-captain (as Krister Johnson)
Paul Jones	....	driver
Donald B. Martin	....	driver (as Don Martin)
Morgan McGuinness	....	driver
Antonio Molina	....	transportation coordinator
Sean J. Moore	....	driver
Luis Mussenden	....	driver
Griff Ruggles	....	transportation captain
John Simanovich	....	driver
Michael Jon Sparks	....	driver
Buster Videgain	....	driver
Sarah Voigt	....	driver
Rick Womelduff	....	driver

Other crew
Paul Abraham	....	craft service
David Alexander	....	additional puppeteer
Gina Amoroso	....	associate: Mr. Golin
Lee Armstrong	....	additional puppeteer
Lance Bangs	....	behind-the-scenes documentarian
Kent James Stewart Barber	....	assistant location manager
Michael Berry	....	set medic
Rosemary Bock	....	marionette maker
David Boyle	....	legal consultant
Michael Brosilow	....	photo supplier
Nancy Burch	....	computer supplier
Paul Cafferty	....	post-production accountant
Barbara Calloway	....	payroll accountant (as Barbara D. Calloway)
Shannon Clark	....	associate: Mr. Malkovich
Luman Coad	....	additional puppeteer
Lisa Croisette	....	stand-in: Ms. Diaz
Nour Dardari	....	production accountant
Anne Devereux	....	associate: Mr. Cusack
Matt DiFranco	....	assistant production coordinator (as Matt Difranco)
Colleen Dina	....	set intern
Shawn Driscoll	....	stand-in: Mr. Cusack
Lisa Ebright	....	photo supplier
Joe Everett	....	unit publicist
William P. Ferguson	....	marionette maker
John R. Fifer	....	puppet maker: ballet Craig (as John Fifer)
Mike Freedman	....	security officer
Lawrence Garcia	....	associate: Spike
Will Gatlin	....	craft service (as Will Roy Gatlin Jr.)
Karen Ruth Getchell	....	production coordinator
Susan Giordano	....	first assistant accountant (as Susan L. Giordano)
Barbara Gordon	....	animal trainer
Timothy Greenfield-Sanders	....	photo supplier
Paul Green	....	legal consultant
Brett Greenstein	....	associate: Mr. Golin
Lynn Gustafson	....	marionette maker
Larry Gutherie	....	stand-in: Mr. Bean
Paul Hargrave	....	executive location manager: Propaganda Films
Sharon Hartman	....	marionette maker
Wendy Horton	....	animal trainer
Phillip Huber	....	marionette puppeteer
Andy Jenkins	....	title designer
Kathi Kelly	....	office intern
Diana Kunce	....	sculptor: ballet set
Brigitte Lacombe	....	photo supplier
Greg Lazzaro	....	key location manager
Carol Lille	....	head animal trainer
Greg Lille	....	animal coordinator
Michelle Madden	....	researcher
Maxine Mahon	....	choreographer: ballerina
Becky Malkovich	....	photo supplier
Joe Anne Malkovich	....	photo supplier
Tony Maxwell	....	choreographer
David Mesa	....	security officer
Timothy K. Miller	....	additional puppeteer
Hilary Momberger	....	script supervisor
Smriti Mundhra	....	production secretary
Mary Hildebrand Nagler	....	marionette maker
Susan Nickerson	....	research and clearance
Charley Pavlosky	....	stand-in: Mr. Malkovich
Victoria Pellman	....	office intern
Chrissy Phelan	....	set production assistant
Kamela B. Portuges	....	additional puppeteer
Kamela B. Portuges	....	marionette designer
Jennifer Pyper	....	associate: Vincenzo
Betty Radice	....	translator: The Letters of Abelard and Heloise
Jennifer Reiss	....	set production assistant
Joel A. Resendiz	....	caterer
Lloyd Rice	....	production assistant
Misha Rudolph	....	office production assistant
Sunaina Sharma	....	set intern
Gregory J. Smith	....	key set production assistant (as Gregory Smith)
Victor Solorzano	....	caterer
Sam Spiegel	....	set production assistant
Jo Anne Swartz	....	post-production accountant
Eric Vignando	....	caterer
Christopher Vitale	....	office production assistant
Lisa Marie Wilkinson	....	stand-in: Ms. Keener
Diane Wooldridge	....	marionette maker
Farley Ziegler	....	creative executive: Single Cell
Cristiana Caimmi	....	publicist (uncredited)
Jack E. Herman	....	extras set coordinator (uncredited)
Christopher Neil	....	rehearsal advisor (uncredited)
Lowell Northrop	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Michael Sellers	....	production assistant: second unit, New York (uncredited)
Shea Varge	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Leanne Amos	....	thanks
Susan Applegate	....	thanks
Andrea Borrero	....	thanks
Adam Budzins	....	thanks
Tom Burrows	....	thanks
Andy Dick	....	acknowledgment
Stephen Dickstein	....	thanks
Jon Timothy Evans	....	thanks
Dan Field	....	thanks
David Fincher	....	thanks (as Fincher)
Ray Gillon	....	thanks
Philip Glass	....	acknowledgment
Jon Graff	....	thanks
Isaac Hanson	....	acknowledgment (as Hanson)
Taylor Hanson	....	acknowledgment (as Hanson)
Zac Hanson	....	acknowledgment (as Hanson)
Steve Harrow	....	thanks
Paul Hastings	....	thanks
Evan Hecox	....	thanks
Dustin Hoffman	....	acknowledgment
Greg Kozikowski	....	thanks
Carolyn Kulett	....	thanks
Alain Lévy	....	thanks
Geoff McFetridge	....	thanks
Patrick O'Neill	....	thanks
Sean Penn	....	acknowledgment
Michelle Pfeiffer	....	acknowledgment
Brad Pitt	....	acknowledgment
Deannie Pruss	....	thanks
Daniel Radford	....	in memory of
John Ross	....	thanks
Nancy Ross	....	thanks
D. Russell	....	thanks
Robin Ruzan	....	thanks
Winona Ryder	....	acknowledgment
Greg Shewchuk	....	thanks
Gary Sinise	....	acknowledgment
Jim Tauber	....	thanks
Mark Van Horn	....	thanks
Sly West	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Gramercy Pictures (I)
• Propaganda Films
• Single Cell Pictures

Distributors

• USA Films (1999) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1999-2000) (non-USA) (theatrical)
• Asmik Ace Entertainment (2000) (Japan) (theatrical)
• EDKO Film (2000) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1999-2000) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures France (UPF) (1999) (France) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Universal Video (200?) (France) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Gray Matter FX (special visual effects)
• Makeup Effects Laboratories (marionettes creation)
• Optic Nerve Studios (special makeup effects)

Other Companies

• ABC News Video Source  archival footage courtesy of
• American Zoetrope  thanks
• Astralwerks  soundtrack released by
• C.A.S.T. Security  security
• Cameo Film Library  archival footage courtesy of
• Castle Hill Productions  excerpt from "Death of a Salesman" courtesy of
• Cinesite  film scanning and recording
• Columbia Pictures  excerpt from "In the Line of Fire" courtesy of
• Company 3  videotape coloring
• D.E.S.  digital dailies
• Epstein, Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz & Weinstein  legal services
• Fast Images  archival footage courtesy of
• FotoKem Film and Video  dailies
• Globe Photos  thanks
• Hollywood Film & Video  optical effects lab
• Images in Motion, Media  marionettes constructed by
• Intergraph  computers supplied by
• Kodak  film stock
• Let's do Lunch  catering
• Loop Troop  ADR group voice casting
• Mit Out Sound  sound post-production
• Modern VideoFilm  digital enlargements
• Music Television (MTV)  Music Video Awards courtesy of
• New Yorker Magazine, The  used with permission
• One Step Up  foley recorded at
• Otto Nemenz International  camera equipment provided by
• Pacific Title/Mirage  titles and opticals
• Paskal Lighting  grip and lighting equipment provided by
• Phantom Planet  thanks
• Playbill  Playbill courtesy of
• Polygram Filmed Entertainment  excerpt from "Portrait of a Lady" courtesy of
• Reuters  archive photos
• Right Track Recording  music recorded and mixed at
• Technicolor  laboratory services: color and prints
• Time Magazine  People Weekly Magazine logo and trademark courtesy of
• Todd-AO Studios (West)  re-recorded at
• Tony Urbano Productions  thanks
• Variety  Variety logo courtesy of
• View Studio Inc.  video segments by
• Warner Bros. Pictures  excerpt from "Dangerous Liaisons" courtesy of
• Weddington Productions  sound editing
• Whipping Post  AVID editing system
• Wide World Photos  thanks
• Wyman, Isaacs, Blumenthal & Lynne  additional legal services

MPAA:

Rated R for language and sexuality.

Runtime:

112 min | Canada:113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:R(A) | Portugal:M/16 | Philippines:R-18 | Brazil:18 | 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 (I)

Trivia:

Writer / director Spike 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".

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Just after the first time Lotte falls out of the portal onto the side of the New Jersey Turnpike, a palm tree is visible in the distance over Craig's shoulder.

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:

Features "American Playhouse: True West" (1984)

Soundtrack:

One

One of the most unique, imaginative movies ever made. **** out of ****

BEING JOHN MALKOVICH (1999) ****

Starring: John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Orson Bean, Catherine Keener, John Malkovich, and Charlie Sheen Director: Spike Jonze Running Time: 113 minutes Rated R (for sexuality and language)

By Blake French:

It is not every day that I use words in my movie reviews such as unique, creative, inventive, imaginative, original, fresh, mesmerizing, and unmatched. Under the circumstances of "Being John Malkovich," a wonderfully hilarious presentation of an incomprehensible idea, I find myself using every one of those phrases and then some more being deserved. Everything about it is labyrinthine, intriguing, and very funny. It is one of the years best films, and should be well presented come Academy Award time.

"Being John Malkovich" details the relationship between Craig and Lotte Schwartz. They basically live an old fashioned life in a small apartment with a miniature zoo of pets and a puppet factory inside. Lotte is a typical, unattractive homemaker while Craig holds that unusual occupation of being a professional puppeteer. Desperately searching for employment, Craig soon visits a business for an interview as a filer when he discovers for some odd reason the construction of the office floor is all but several feet tall, forcing all employees to bend over backwards just to walk around.

One of those employees is named Maxine, a highly seductive co-worker of Craig's. When he asks her out for a beer one night, Craig experiences lustful thoughts about her, and nearly begins an affair as his seemingly loving wife wonders around her happy little apartment all by herself.

As you can see, the household isn't exactly a joyful situation. All things change, from blossoming sexual confusion to inner self-esteem, when Craig uncovers a small door behind a filing cabinet in his office. It is tucked away, hidden acutely well in a dark corner, which is found mysteriously by accident when Craig droops a paper behind the cabinet. After Craig explores this deep miniature, seemingly endless hallway, he discovers this secret door leads to the brain of actor John Malkovich for fifteen minutes, then spits you out along the roadside afterwards.

Wow, sounds like "Alice in Wonderland," doesn't it...well, sort of. Craig first tells his co-worker about his discovery, who continues to think he's nuts. Then, after explaining and showing this portal to his wife, who is hysterical, Maxine begins to believe Craig, and concoct a devilish idea. To sell tickets allowing a pedestrian to enter the mind of a famous celebrity. The tagline: Ever wanted to be someone else? Now you can.

It is very intriguing how the narrative point of view is juggled between Craig and then Lotte after the problem is introduced and then solved: the couples dead-end lives are lifted in glory. This creates a second conflict moving us smoothly into the second act. Perfect internal problems are created with the two female leads; Lotte and Maxine find themselves physically attracted to each other in unbelievable character twists. The two end up having a femininity sexual relationship while one is entrapped in the mind of Malkovich, and the other experiences the actual Malkovich. It is a beautifully crafted structure, with act breaks so clear and complications so faultless it is no wonder while this is such an effective picture.

Also first rate here are the performances. Although the film offers strange types of roles for these actors to indulge themselves in, they do a wonderfully energetic job. Cameron Diaz is flawlessly cast as Craig's sexually and mentally uncoordinated wife, and delivers us a comically riotous character. John Cusack as Craig himself is superior and believable as a down on his luck puppeteer, and possesses a perfect blend of humor and unpredictable qualities with his character. Also quite good here, John Malkovich, who has much more of a difficult role than one would think. He has some hard scenes where Craig controls him while inside his mind, which requires great skill to perform.

However, better than any performance, and more amazing then any flawless characters or plot, is the concept of a human being thinking up such an absurd idea as the imagination behind the beauty of "Being John Malkovich." With such a penetrating, magical atmosphere to it, it is kind of a shame that the filmmakers created this film in the form of a black comedy instead of something more harrowing. Although comedy is simply the most logical choice to categorize this type of film, wouldn't it have been interesting to see this movie as a drama, or perhaps as a spiritual awakening picture.

Regardless, the film still has an oddly powerful message to it, which I will not, nor do I ever directly reveal in any of my reviews. You see, since different individuals come from different backgrounds, and thus see things differently. It is because of this that I do not allow my personal take on a message persuade another filmgoer whose idea of a moral may be much different than my own. But I will say that "Being John Malkovich" might not overtake the box office, but for appreciative movie patrons, this one is sure to be treasured for a long time to come.

Brought to you by Gramercy Pictures.