Being John Malkovich [1999]

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1999
Running Times: 112 mins
Format: Technicolor 35mm
Ratio: 1.85:1
Sound: Dolby Digital

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Gramercy Pictures / Propaganda Films / Single Cell Pictures
Executive In Charge Of Production: Tim Clawson
Executive Producers: Charlie Kaufman, Michael Kuhn
Producers: Steve Golin, Vincent Landay, Sandy Stern, Michael Stipe
Production Co-Ordinator: Karen Ruth Getchell
Assistant Production Co-Ordinator: Matt DiFranco

SCRIPT
Script: Charlie Kaufman

DIRECTION
Director: Spike Jonze

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Lance Acord
Additional Photographer: Jim Fealy
Camera Operator: Peter Gulla
1st Assistant Camera: Salvatore Coniglio
2nd Assistant Camera: Laura Mae Bobick
Additional Camera Operator: Tony Nakonechnyj
Steadicam Operators: Kirk Gardner, Paul Taylor [uncredited]
Electricians: Doug Houston, Jack M. Guberman, Joseph P. Clem, Ken Longbella, Samantha N. Bahramian
Best Boy Electric: Mark Marchetti
Key Grip: Gino Nix
Grips: Erik Wolford, Mike McGarry
Key Rigging Grip: David González
Best Boy Grip: Keith Markham
Dolly Grip: Joseph Messier
Gaffer: David Burrows
Rigging Gaffer: Brent Bye
Camera Loader: Caitlin Phillips
Camera Production Assistant: Ben Kaller
Colour Timers: Gloria Kaiser, David Orr
Stills: Melissa Moseley
Video Segments By: View Studio Inc
Cameras: Otto Nemenz International Inc
Laboratory: Foto-Kem Laboratory, Burbank, California, USA [dailies]; Technicolor, USA [prints]
Grip and Lighting Equipment: Paskal Lighting

EDITING
Post-Production Supervisors: Linda Rae Shamest, Sean Wimmer
Editor: Eric Zumbrunnen
1st Assistant Editor: Keith Brachmann
Assistant Editors: John M. Vitale, Philip Bartel
Additional Editor: Joe Hutshing
Apprentice Editor: Joseph Butler
Negative Matcher: Theresa Repola Mohammed
Post-Production Executive: Glenn Kiser
AVID Editing System: Whipping Post

MUSIC
Music and Songs: Carter Burwell; Béla Bartók [from Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta: Allegro]; Patrick Hawes [Song of the Soul]; Les Hooper [Prologue]; Kono [One]; Giuseppe Verdi [Pace, pace, mio Dio from La forza del destino]; Nick Peck [Malkovich Malkovich; Malkovich Malkovich Lounge Music]; Barbara L. Jordan, Christopher Rhyne, Eddie Ruperto [Te Quiero]; Tchaikovsky [Swan Lake]; Antonio Vivaldi [Minuetto from Concerto in C major for Oboe, String Orchestra and Basso Continuo]; Dan P. Dean [Just Relaxin']; Eric Zumbrunnen, Chris Sunday, SLYX, Roy Staley [Summer]; Les Hooper [Documantary Music]; Björk [Amphibian]
Music and Songs Performed By: The Cleveland Orchestra [Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta: Allegro; conducted by Christoph von Dohányi]; Les Hooper [Prologue]; Madsaaski Kono [One]; Eva Urbanova and the Prague Symphony Orchestra [Pace, pace, mio Dio from La forza del destino]; Nick Peck [Malkovich Malkovich; Malkovich Malkovich Lounge Music]; Ruperto [Te Quiero]; Boston Symphony Orchestra [Swan Lake; conductor: Seiji Ozawa]; Fibre HevyBrain [Summer]; Les Hooper [Documantary Music]; Björk [Amphibian]
Music Supervisor: Dawn Soler
Conductor / Orchestrator: Carter Burwell
Music Contractor: Sandra Park
Music Copyist: Dean Parker
Music Recorded and Mixed At: Right Track Studio

SOUND
Foley Recorded At: One Step Up
Re-Recorded At: Todd A-O Studios West
Sound Editing: Weddington Productions

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Costume Designer: Casey Storm
Wardrobe Supervisor: Shari Gray
Set Costumers: Anita Brown, Marina Marit
Tailor: David Wallace
On-Set Dresser: Grant D. Samson

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Special Make Up Effects: Optic Nerve Studios

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Visual Effects: Gray Matters FX
Film Scanning and Recording: Cinesite Digital Film Center
Marionettes: Makeup & Effects Laboratories (MEL) Inc; Images in Motion Media Inc
Digital Dailies: Des
Digital Enlargements: Modern Videofilm
Titles and Opticals: Pacific Title / Mirage
Optical Effects Lab: Hollywood Film and Video Inc

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: K.K. Barrett
Graphic / Title Illustrator: Andy Jenkins
Colorist: Videotape: Stefan Sonnenfeld
Sculptor: Ballet Set: Diana Kunce

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Supervisor: Hilary Momberger
Legal Consultants: David Boyle, Paul Green
Additional Legal Services: Wyman, Isaacs, Blumenthal & Lynne
Marionette Designer: Kamela B. Portuges
Marionette Makers: Diane Wooldridge, Lynn Gustafson, Mary Hildebrand Nagler, Rosemary Bock, Sharon Hartman, William P. Ferguson
Ballet Craig Puppet Maker: John Fifer
Marionette Puppeteer: Phillip Huber
Additional Puppeteers: David Alexander, Kamela B. Portuges, Lee Armstrong, Luman Coad, Timothy K. Miller
Animal Co-Ordinator: Greg Lille
Head Animal Trainer: Carol Lille
Animal Trainers: Barbara Gorden, Animal Trainer: Wendy Horton
Behind-The-Scenes Documentarian: Lance Bangs
Choreographer: Tony Maxwell
Choreography for Ballerina: Maxine Mahon
Craft Service: Paul Abraham, Will Roy Gatlin Jr
Office Interns: Kathi Kelly, Victoria Pellman
Office Production Assistants: Christopher Vitale, Misha Rudolph
Set Interns: Colleen Dina, Sunaina Sharma
Key Set Production Assistant: Gregory Smith
Set Production Assistants: Chrissy Phelan, Jennifer Reiss, Sam Spiegel
Production Accountant: Nour Dardari
1st Assistant Accountant: Susan L. Giordano
Payroll Accountant: Barbara D. Calloway
Post-Production Accountants: Jo Anne Swartz, Paul Cafferty
Production Secretary: Smriti Mundhra
Researcher: Michelle Madden
Research And Clearance: Susan Nickerson
Set Medic: Michael Berry
Single Cell Creative Executive: Farley Ziegler
Transportation Co-Ordinator: Antonio Molina
Transportation Captain: Griff Ruggles
Transportation Co-Captain: Krister Johnson
Drivers: Andrew Broomhead, Buster Videgain , Dan Martin, Greg Bauer, Jesse Cartwright, John Simanovich , Luis Mussenden, Michael Anderson, Michael Jon Sparks, Morgan McGuinness, Paul Jones, Rick Womelduff, Sarah Voigt, Sean J. Moore
Unit Publicist: Joe Everett
Associate of Cusack: Anne Devereux
Associate of Golin: Brett Greenstein
Associate of Jonze: Lawrence Garcia
Associate of Malkovich: Shannon Clark
Associate of Vincenzo: Jennifer Pyper
Associate of Golin: Gina Amorosa
Security: C.A.S.T. Security
Security Officers: David Mesa, Mike Freedman
Catering: Let's Do Lunch, Eric Vignando, Joel A. Resendiz, Victor Solorzano

LOCATIONS
Executive Location Manager: Paul Hargrave
Location Manager: Greg Lazzaro
Assistant Location Manager: Kent James Stewart Barber

CASTING
Casting Associate: Michelle Madden
Extras Casting: Cecily T. Jordan
Extras Casting Assistant: Victor Isaac
ADR Group Voices Casting: Loop Troop

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 L. Spencer [woman in elevator]
Mary Kay Place [Floris]
Orson Bean [Dr Lester]
Catherine Keener [Maxine]
K.K. Dodds [Wendy]
Reggie Hayes [Don]
Byrne Piven [Captain Mertin]
Judith Wetzell [tiny woman]
John Malkovich [himself]
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]
James Murray [student puppeteer]
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 Benoit, William N. Buck, Christine D. Coleman, Jeanne Diehl, Audrey Gelfand, Yetta Ginsburg, Sylvester Jenkins, Roy C. Johnson, Eddie J. Low,
Ralph W. Spaulding, David Wyler, Flori Wyler [Lester's friends]
Kevin Lee, Marlowe Bassett, Jennifer Canzoneri, Kristie Cordle, Denise Dabrowski,
Kristin D'Andrea, Charlene Grimsley, Christine Krejer, Erica Long, Yvonne Montelius,
Jessica Neuberger, Sara Rifkin, Elizabeth Rivera, Chelsa Sjostrom [ballet dancers]
Pamela Hayden, Jayne Hess, Michelle Madden, Greg O'Neill, Neil Ross, Bill Wittman [featured characer voices]
Andy Dick [himself]
Philip Glass [himself]
Isaac Hanson [himself]
Jordan Taylor Hanson [himself]
Zac Hanson [himself]
Dustin Hoffman [himself]
Sean Penn [himself]
Michelle Pfeiffer [herself]
Brad Pitt [himself]
Winona Ryder [herself]
Gary Sinise [himself]
Kacee DeMasi [cab driver - uncredited]
David Fincher [Christopher Bing - uncredited]
Jester Hairston [Lester's friend - uncredited]
Spike Jonze [Derek Mantini's assistant for Emily Dickinson puppet - uncredited]

Stand-Ins: Larry Gutherie [Bean]; Shawn Driscoll [Cusack]; Lisa Croisette [Diaz]; Lisa Marie Wilkinson [Keener]; Charley Pavlosky [Malkovich]

Struggling puppeteer Craig is forced to take a filing job in Manhattan. There he discovers what seems to be a portal into the head of actor John Malkovich - passing through allows him to spend 15 minutes experiencing whatever Malkovich sees, hears, and feels. When the experience is over, the visitor is then thrown out at the New Jersey Turnpike. Craig teams up with work colleague Maxine to turn the portal into a commercial venture. Before long, other people - including Malkovich himself - discover the secret of the portal...

France
Theatrical Distributor: UPF

Hong Kong
Theatrical Distributor: EDKO Film Ltd

Japan
Theatrical Distributor: Asmik Ace Entertainment

USA
Theatrical Distributor: USA Films / United International Pictures

Argentina
Rating: 13

Australia
Rating: MA

Belgium
Rating: KT

Finland
Rating: K-12

France
Rating: U

Germany
Rating: 12

Hong Kong
Rating: IIB

Italy
Rating: T

Netherlands
Rating: 12

New Zealand
Rating: M

Singapore
Rating: R[A]

Sweden
Rating: 11

Switzerland
Rating: 16

UK
Rating: 15

USA
Rating: R

1999
September
2: Italy - shown at the Venice Film Festival

October
29: USA - limited theatrical release

November
24: Puerto Rico - theatrical release

December
3: Italy - theatrical release
8: France - theatrical release
8: Switzerland [French speaking region] - theatrical release
15: Belgium - theatrical release
26: Australia - theatrical release

2000
January
6: Switzerland [German speaking region] - theatrical release

February
3: Israel - theatrical release
5: Sweden - shown at the Göteborg Film Festival

March
3: Brazil - theatrical release
3: Finland - theatrical release
3: Sweden - theatrical release
16: Argentina - theatrical release
17: UK - theatrical release
23: Hungary - theatrical release
24: Greece - theatrical release
30: Netherlands - theatrical release
31: Iceland - preview screenings

April
13: Czech Republic - theatrical release
14: Norway - theatrical release
15: Hong Kong - shown at the Hong Kong International Film Festival
21: Denmark - theatrical release

May
4: Germany - theatrical release
17: Kuwait - theatrical release
18: New Zealand - theatrical release

June
30: Philippines - shown at the Cinemanila Film Festival

September
23: Japan - theatrical release

October
12: Hong Kong - theatrical release

November
5: Indonesia - shown at the Jakarta International Film Festival

Ever wanted to be someone else? Now you can.

Be All That Someone Else Can Be

Essere John Malkovich - Italian title

SEE ALSO
La Notti di Cabiria [1957]

MAGAZINES

Entertainment Weekly vol.1 no.511 [5 November 1999] p.49 [USA]
review [Enter Laughing [A] by Owen Gleiberman]

Rolling Stone vol.1 no.825 [11 November 1999] pp.145-146 [USA]
review [by Peter Travers]

Sight and Sound vol.9 no.11 [November 1999] p.6 [UK]
illustrated article [The sweet smell of cinema by Nick James]

Variety vol.376 no.3 [6 September 1999] pp.61, 63 [USA]
review [Surreal Lightness of 'Being' by David Rooney]

NEWSPAPERS

Metro 17 March 2000 p.17
illustrated review [by Nina Caplan]

Svenska Dagbladet 3 March 2000
review [by Mild satir med vansinnesskruv by Bo Ludvigsson]

portals; puppets; psychology; actors