I guess that the wacky danger of '8mm' just lost out to 'BJM' here, sadly. I was so up for this film when it came out (being an owner of the early Directors Label DVD's from my HMV UK wandering days) but I have to admit I was kind of disappointed to some extent, as it didn't grab me enough to make me really care as much as I had hoped about it, when I saw it in the cinema and then DVD beyond. Of course I appreciated the writing, the directing, the look and concept; as a massive Malkovich fan from 'Dangerous (dandy) Liaisons' with Mr Matrix himself Reeves and other cos play days. Put it this way, this film is not very high up on my rewatch list but it is one of those curios that I throw myself into once in a while, much like 'Eternal Sunshine' and 'Adaption', that define the let's get creative and as quirky as we can without alienating people completely, to make some money, period. Nice breakdown between you all. Pity you can't tear into '8mm' for a whole hour but there we are, such is life. 'Being Nicolas Cage'. Hasn't quite got the same ring to it, has it. I bet he was soooooo envious of Johnny boy at the time
You say "Being Christopher Walken" wouldn't work, but at the time it might have. The Fatboy Slim video works for the reason this does; there's a "random" actor playing himself in an off-beat way. Today, it wouldn't work with actors with those viral cult followings like Bill Murray, Keanu Reeves and Nicolas Cage because we're used to the meta, niche humor and their embracing of it. Being John Malkovich works because for a while he really seems like he didn't sign on to the movie, or in on the joke as you say.
Best movie podcast on TH-cams! Would love to hear you guys tackle Gummo which is an often misunderstood absurdist comedy masterpiece directed by a young and brimming with creativity Harmony Korine. His 2nd film Julien Donkey-Boy is also worth your time.
I disagree with you guys on a lot of things, and sometimes I even find you annoyingly hypercritical or nitpicky, like you go into movies looking for reasons to hate them. Yet I still come back to this channel because you often have interesting insights that I haven’t heard before, even when I don’t agree.
Lots of great insights. I like the point about how this movie and Jonez/Gondry's work set the bar really high for D.I.Y. stuff. Spike's "how did he do that!!?" skate videos are the epitome of that. It's almost like a parody of D.I.Y., the jerk. I think Malkovich was the perfect subject for the film because the audience is like the driver in the film. "You were in that movie! What was it??" The idea that you would desperately want to be this person who you also kinda can't remember is quietly hilarious.
Glad you've covered Adaptation & Being John Malkovich. I like Charlie Kauffman films. They all need to be covered. I can't wait until you do a full Spike Jonze month in the future. I have the entire Spike Jonze bibliography. I have the director volume discussing the shorts, but don't have Gondry and the others in that set.
Gotta disagree regarding Cusack's character. The puppeteer is himself a puppet, a cypher. While all of the characters are empty inside, he provides a both subtle yet obvious metaphor for this through his puppeteering.
The music wasn’t very good, it led the story in a sappy way and compromised what was brave about the film, there’s not a lot of opportunity for Indy rock to work in movies, but it could’ve in this
i prefer the Dark Whimsy of Terry Gilliam (Fear & Loathing, 12 Monkeys, Imaginarium) & the Brutal Intensity of Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem For A Dream, Black Swan)... fax!!!
Terry Gilliam movies gives me anxiety! The only Gilliam movies I like are ''Monty Python and the Holy Grail'' and ''The Adventures of Baron Munchausen'', 'cause the book, which is based on, is one of my favorites of my youth.....but, the 1943 German movie (tho, commissioned and ordered the production byJoseph Goebbels himself, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the UFA film) ''Münchhausen'' is even way better.
That period was amazing : Ghost World , Muholland Drive , Being John Malkovitch .... Rented them ....
I love what a good sport Malkcovich was letting them take the piss out of him to that degree.
I guess that the wacky danger of '8mm' just lost out to 'BJM' here, sadly. I was so up for this film when it came out (being an owner of the early Directors Label DVD's from my HMV UK wandering days) but I have to admit I was kind of disappointed to some extent, as it didn't grab me enough to make me really care as much as I had hoped about it, when I saw it in the cinema and then DVD beyond. Of course I appreciated the writing, the directing, the look and concept; as a massive Malkovich fan from 'Dangerous (dandy) Liaisons' with Mr Matrix himself Reeves and other cos play days. Put it this way, this film is not very high up on my rewatch list but it is one of those curios that I throw myself into once in a while, much like 'Eternal Sunshine' and 'Adaption', that define the let's get creative and as quirky as we can without alienating people completely, to make some money, period. Nice breakdown between you all. Pity you can't tear into '8mm' for a whole hour but there we are, such is life. 'Being Nicolas Cage'. Hasn't quite got the same ring to it, has it. I bet he was soooooo envious of Johnny boy at the time
You say "Being Christopher Walken" wouldn't work, but at the time it might have. The Fatboy Slim video works for the reason this does; there's a "random" actor playing himself in an off-beat way. Today, it wouldn't work with actors with those viral cult followings like Bill Murray, Keanu Reeves and Nicolas Cage because we're used to the meta, niche humor and their embracing of it. Being John Malkovich works because for a while he really seems like he didn't sign on to the movie, or in on the joke as you say.
Best movie podcast on TH-cams! Would love to hear you guys tackle Gummo which is an often misunderstood absurdist comedy masterpiece directed by a young and brimming with creativity Harmony Korine. His 2nd film Julien Donkey-Boy is also worth your time.
C’mon guys, not Malcovitch, it’s Gandolfini.
Please review Mike Figgis's Internal Affairs from 1990.
I disagree with you guys on a lot of things, and sometimes I even find you annoyingly hypercritical or nitpicky, like you go into movies looking for reasons to hate them. Yet I still come back to this channel because you often have interesting insights that I haven’t heard before, even when I don’t agree.
Lots of great insights. I like the point about how this movie and Jonez/Gondry's work set the bar really high for D.I.Y. stuff. Spike's "how did he do that!!?" skate videos are the epitome of that. It's almost like a parody of D.I.Y., the jerk.
I think Malkovich was the perfect subject for the film because the audience is like the driver in the film. "You were in that movie! What was it??" The idea that you would desperately want to be this person who you also kinda can't remember is quietly hilarious.
31:10 The Dan Clowes name drop makes sense but I've never thought about it before.
Glad you've covered Adaptation & Being John Malkovich. I like Charlie Kauffman films. They all need to be covered. I can't wait until you do a full Spike Jonze month in the future. I have the entire Spike Jonze bibliography. I have the director volume discussing the shorts, but don't have Gondry and the others in that set.
Gotta disagree regarding Cusack's character. The puppeteer is himself a puppet, a cypher. While all of the characters are empty inside, he provides a both subtle yet obvious metaphor for this through his puppeteering.
Malkovich malkovich malkovich? Malkovich, malkovich malkovich malkovich malkovich. Malkovich!
Malkovich!
@@johnm.withersiv4352 Mal...kovitch?
The music wasn’t very good, it led the story in a sappy way and compromised what was brave about the film, there’s not a lot of opportunity for Indy rock to work in movies, but it could’ve in this
i prefer the Dark Whimsy of Terry Gilliam (Fear & Loathing, 12 Monkeys, Imaginarium) & the Brutal Intensity of Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem For A Dream, Black Swan)... fax!!!
Terry Gilliam movies gives me anxiety! The only Gilliam movies I like are ''Monty Python and the Holy Grail'' and ''The Adventures of Baron Munchausen'', 'cause the book, which is based on, is one of my favorites of my youth.....but, the 1943 German movie (tho, commissioned and ordered the production byJoseph Goebbels himself, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the UFA film) ''Münchhausen'' is even way better.
His fans could be called Malkobitches. Or Malkoholics.
This movie is just ok. I didn't even finish it; so precious. Kaufman is so over-rated.