In the waning months of the 20th century, a remarkable little film from a pair of unknown filmmakers arrived in US cinemas, and it became a bona fide sensation. That was BEING JOHN MALKOVICH (1999), written by Charlie Kaufman and directed by Spike Jonze, starring John Cusack, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener, and of course, John Malkovich. It was a formative film experience for your hosts, and twenty years later Bill and Renan revisit it for you today. Among the topics discussed: the film's reception at the time and how it looks now that the novelty has worn off; was 1999 the greatest year in cinema history, and what happened to indie films after?; how great art becomes problematic faves; what comes after after postmodern irony?; how it compares to Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine, and other Kaufman-Jonze work; plus, Bill's very much not good Orson Bean story and the BJM / Get Out fan theory that might yet prove to be true.
Episode links:
Being John Malkovich on IMDb Being John Malkovich on Wikipedia Roger Ebert review of BJM in 1999 Variety review of BJM in 1999 Film Comment review / essay in 1999 Scott Tobias DVD review of BJM in 2012 "16 heady facts" about BJM from Mental Floss Vulture's Cameron Tung on BJM and celebrity obsession Amy Nicholson on 1999 being the greatest year in cinema THR: Charlie Kaufman on struggling to get films made Variety: Charlie Kaufman's upcoming Netflix series John Malkovich "blowjob" quote in Rolling Stone Jordan Peele on the BJM / Get Out theory The Script Lab on BJM / Get Out theory Interiors on the 7 1/2 floor Being Charlie KaufmanShow links:
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