Man on the Moon [Blu-ray]

Overview

Comedian Andy Kaufman gave performances that were bizarre and difficult to categorize, in which he might do or say almost anything: show cartoons, impersonate Elvis Presley, play conga drums while singing children's songs, read aloud from The Great Gatsby, or take the audience out for milk and cookies. Written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski and directed by Milos Forman (the team behind The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)), this biopic takes an in-depth look at Kaufman's life and art, with Jim Carrey as Kaufman, who could (and would) be any number of different people onstage: the quiet and childlike man, the little foreign guy, the overbearing showbiz "professional," the violently obnoxious wrestler, or the world's worst lounge singer. As Kaufman rose from comedy clubs to guest appearances on Saturday Night Live and a spot on the TV sitcom Taxi, his performances became more complex and dangerous -- so much so that when word got out in 1984 that he was suffering from lung cancer, many fans and associates thought it was just another bizarre stunt; the disease took his life later that year. Man on the Moon features Danny De Vito as Kaufman's manager George Shapiro, Courtney Love as his girlfriend Lynne Margulies, Paul Giamatti as his friend Bob Zmuda, and David Letterman, Judd Hirsch, Marilu Henner, Carol Kane, and Christopher Lloyd as themselves.

Product Details

Release Date:	02/22/2022
UPC:	0738329257743
Original Release:	1999
Rating:	R
Source:	Kl Studio Classics
Language:	English
Time:	1:59:00
Sales rank:	2,017

Editorial Reviews

Even those who didn't particularly care for Andy Kaufman will be astounded by Jim Carrey's inspired portrayal of the late comedian in this superb biopic. Kaufman, who infused stand-up comedy with performance art (often to the befuddlement and irritation of his audiences), achieved enduring success as the lovable Latka on Taxi. But, as Man on the Moon reveals, he chafed at the restrictions imposed by formula-bound episodic television, and experimented with bizarre comic stylings. Carrey re-creates Kaufman's signature routines -- and Andy's obnoxious alter ego, nightclub singer Tony Clifton -- with amazing fidelity, and impressive supporting turns are contributed by Courtney Love, Danny De Vito, and Paul Giamatti. Although director Milos Forman (One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest) struggles to capture the essence of Kaufman offstage, he wisely allows Carrey free reign in replicating Andy's most memorable bits, which are largely responsible for making Man on the Moon such a remarkable film.

Barnes & Noble

Another oddball biopic by the writers of Ed Wood (1994) and The People Vs. Larry Flynt (1996), Man on the Moon (1999) attempts to take on the willfully unfathomable Andy Kaufman. Eschewing explanations of a man who blurred all lines between "self" and "performance," director Milos Forman and writers Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski opt instead to simply portray Kaufman's bizarre existence and premature death. Kaufman's singular mode of self-presentation, however, does not always comfortably fit Hollywood bio conventions; still, Jim Carrey's masterful portrayal of Kaufman (with the star reportedly fully immersed in character off as well as onscreen) makes his famous routines come to life, even as the "inner" Kaufman remains a mystery. Paul Giamatti provides strong support as Kaufman's friend, collaborator, and co-conspirator Bob Zmuda, as do Danny De Vito as Kaufman's manager and Courtney Love as Kaufman's girlfriend. Kaufman proved to be as much a niche attraction at the movies as he had been in life; Man on the Moon sputtered at the box office despite Carrey's presence. Though he won a Golden Globe, Carrey was passed over for an Oscar nomination, as he was the year before with The Truman Show.

All Movie Guide - Lucia Bozzola