Here's a wonderful report on MAN ON THE MOON, Milos Forman's latest biopic, which he seems to be the modern master of. Probably the most disturbing part of this project is that a site that was exclusively dedicated to covering this project was allegedly shut down via legal action by the production. Kinda odd don't ya think that a film by the maker of PEOPLE VS LARRY FLYNT would then seek to close someone down. But hey... whatever floats their boats... right? Of course it's sad when something like that happens with a great project. I've heard from people that have read the script that this film isn't an 'ok' film, but a great one. We'll have to wait and see...
Listen, I've got a friend who's an extra on "Man On The Moon", the new Jim Carrey/Milos Forman film on the life of Andy Kaufman. Today's shooting featured Carrey doing Kaufman's first perfomance at the Improv in 1975.
According to my friend (let's call her Simone), Carrey's performance is _DEAD ON_ Kaufman; he's got Andy's look down from head to toe, bug-eye facial expressions and all. Simone said it was like watching Val Kilmer play Jim Morrison. She said Carrey is excellent.
She went on to tell me that Carrey did Kaufman's awkward Latka-voice stand-up all day. Lots of the typical "thank you very much", Archie Bunker, Ed Sullivan, and a really bad Jimmy Carter (intentionally, of course). Simone and the 70's clad audience (she said the Forman crew was super-anal about the 70s look) was instructed to act confused and baffled by this bizarre comedian, unsure of whether or not he was being serious.
At one point Carrey/Kaufman was doing the schtick, and a particular joke that got a non-reaction from the audience prompted him to look very mean at the audience and say "You are all VERY FUCKING RUDE!", throw down his mic and storm off the stage, all of course in Kaufman style. No one was sure if Carrey was pissed or not, but he was apparently 'in-character' all day.
They shoot the Elvis impersonation tomorrow.
Mr Bungle
