As it celebrates its 25th anniversary, Hasitha Fernando looks at the story behind Being John Malkovich…

In a year filled with such mind-blowingly brilliant efforts such as Fight Club, The Matrix, The Sixth Sense, American Beauty, The Green Mile and Eyes Wide Shut the fact that a film as wildly original and thought provoking as Being John Malkovich came out speaks volumes about the state of the film industry of that era. As it celebrates its 25th anniversary we look back at what went on behind-the-scenes during the making of this stunningly ambitious drama which explores complex themes regarding identity, relationship and the subconscious mind…

The basic premise originated as a story about a man who falls in love

Over the course of two decades Charlie Kaufman has fashioned some of the most thought-provoking and intriguing stories Hollywood has had to offer with efforts like Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Synecdoche, New York. With an Academy Award, three BAFTAs, two Independent Spirit Awards and a WGA Award to his name its not surprising that Kaufman is one of the most celebrated screenwriters of our generation. The idea for Being John Malkovich originated simply as “a story about a man who falls in love with someone who is not his wife,” and this was an amalgamation of two stories he developed simultaneously. The reason for this was his prior experience in television usually involved collaborating with another creative. However, when crafting the spec script for Being John Malkovich he had to go about it alone. So, he ended up collaborating with himself when writing the screenplay for the movie leading to the creation of two stories which was then combined to one.

Francis Ford Coppola played an integral role at the outset of production 

After completing his spec script in 1994 Kaufman shared the effort with production companies and film studio execs but they all turned it down. But the writer’s fortunes turned when he sent the screenplay to none other than Francis Ford Coppola who was thoroughly impressed with what he read. He then passed it on to his daughter’s then boyfriend Spike Jonze who instantly became keenly interested in what Kaufman had done. Prior to helming Being John Malkovich, Jonze was mostly involved in directing music videos for the likes of Fatboy Slim, Daft Punk, Beastie Boys, Weezer and Kanye West, but Jonze was also looking to break into feature film at that time and Kaufman’s script inspired him to do the needful. Jonze then took the script over to Propaganda Films, which agreed to bankroll the project in partnership with Single Cell Pictures.

Making Cameron Diaz look ‘homely’ proved to be a challenge 

After making her feature film debut in the Jim Carrey comedy The Mask, Cameron Diaz quickly shot up to fame and became one of the most in-demand actresses of the 1990s, with critically lauded efforts such as My Best Friend’s Wedding, There’s Something About Mary and Any Given Sunday under her belt. When it came to Being John Malkovich the make-up artist Gucci Westman had the insurmountable challenge of altering the actress’s smouldering good looks in order to make her look “homely” and virtually unrecognizable. Westman’s hard work certainly paid off when members of the crew themselves were unable to recognize her when she was in her character’s make-up and simple garb.

John Malkovich was hesitant about playing himself in the movie 

One of the most prolific actors of his generation, John Malkovich, started his career off in the theater before moving on to a successful stint in feature film. He has received two Academy Awards nominations for Best Supporting Actor for 1984’s Places in the Heart and 1993’s In the Line of Fire and contributed to many critically lauded movies including The Killing Fields, Empire of the Sun, Dangerous Liaisons, Con Air, Shadow of the Vampire and Ripley’s Game. When Malkovich was approached to play a fictional version of himself in Being John Malkovich, the veteran actor vehemently refused as he felt another performer would fit the role better. But neither Jonze nor Kaufman had a backup actor in mind to play the character in the off chance Malkovich didn’t come on board. But fortunately for both, the actor eventually joined the project and played a fictitious version of himself in the film. Malkovich later claimed that he approached the character of “John Malkovich” just as he would do any role in a movie, and that the only detail that corresponds to his real-life self would be the character’s wardrobe.

John Cusack’s involvement was quite by accident 

Through his effortless charm and well-timed humor John Cusack dominated the movie scene across multiple genres churning out memorable flicks like Bullets Over Broadway, Grosse Pointe Blank, High Fidelity and Runaway Jury, from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. Being John Malkovich was one of the rare occasions where Cusack took on a more risky venture and that was mirrored by what he told his agent when he asked the guy to present him with the “craziest, most unproduceable script” the chap could ever find. When he was handed Kaufman’s script Cusack was very impressed by what he read and advised his agent to follow the project’s progress and get him an audition, and unsurprisingly the talented actor landed the gig.

Catherine Keener intensely disliked her role in the film 

Catherine Keener has mostly portrayed melancholic and eccentric women in her movies but have been able to garner much praise and accolades for her contributions in independent films. When Keener was cast in Being John Malkovich she had an intense dislike towards her character Maxine and therefore was unable to relate to her on any level whatsoever. During an interview with The New York Times Keener revealed, “I wasn’t who I saw for the part of Maxine. She was sexy and bold, and I didn’t really like her”. But the talented actress certainly must have done something right as she received her first Academy Award nomination for it, the following year.

The flick is littered with some truly hilarious cameos 

Throughout the runtime of Being John Malkovich the movie is littered with some truly amazing and hilarious cameos. The film’s director Spike Jonze makes a cameo appearance as puppeteer Derek Mantini’s assistant. Brad Pitt makes a small cameo as a star in the documentary of Malkovich’s career and Sean Penn appears as himself being an ardent admirer of Malkovich’s puppetry skills. David Fincher, Winona Ryder and the band members of Hanson are others who make appearances during the movie.

Critical acclaim, awards glory and cult status 

Made on a budget of $13 million Being John Malkovich went on to make $23.1 million at the worldwide box-office by the conclusion of its theatrical run. Although its box-office run was not its strongest aspect the movie received high-praise from film critics the world over when it debuted. As of writing, the effort boasts an approval rating of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 136 reviews with an average rating of 8.2/10. The acclaimed film critic Roger Ebert awarded the movie four out of four stars, saying: “What an endlessly inventive movie this is! Charlie Kaufman, the writer of Being John Malkovich, supplies a dazzling stream of inventions, twists, and wicked paradoxes. And the director, Spike Jonze, doesn’t pounce on each one like fresh prey, but unveils it slyly, as if there’s more where that came from… 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”. Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly too showered admiration on what Jonze and Kaufman had crafted calling it, “the most excitingly original movie of the year”.

Being John Malkovich ended up appearing in multiple end-of-the-year critic lists and received three nominations at the Academy Awards the following year for Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress and Best Director. The effort ended up receiving nominations at the BAFTAs and Golden Globes in the same categories and saw Kaufman winning a BAFTA Award for his wildly original screenplay. Throught the passage of time the inherent brilliance of film has been extensively discussed and debated by both audiences and film critics alike. The movie explores the concepts of identity and perspective, through its highly original premise where we see multiple characters experience things through the eyes of another. The story also taps into the inherent insecurities we all possess as individuals with regard to physical appearance, social status and other metrics that society deems necessary to achieve success. Because of the aforementioned reasons Being John Malkovich remains a timeless classic that will continue to provoke and beguile viewers with its cerebral storytelling and engrossing performances.

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