Being John Malkovich Group 1: Draft
Maya Abitbol, Brianna De Melo, Crista Javier, Sebastien Sibthorpe 1
Group Blog Entry-First Draft SUBTITLE
Knowing the Inner Self
Being John Malkovich quoted from Imbd.com:
Being John Malkovich (1999)
1h 53m
Director: Spike Jonze
Screenwriter: Charlie Kaufman
Lead Actors: John Horatio Malkovich, Catherine Keener, Cameron Diaz, John Cusack, Orson Bean
Trailer:
Synopsis:
Craig Schwartz, a puppeteer, gets a new job as a file clerk for a company called LesterCorp.
His workplace is located in a building in New York, on the seven and a half floor, with
excessively low ceilings and a bizarre work atmosphere. At LesterCorp, Craig
discovers a miniscule door
behind a filing cabinet,
where he follows a tunnel that leads into the mind of John Malkovich's.
Craig can be in this state for fifteen minutes, until he is thrown into a ditch close to
the New Jersey turnpike. Craig explains his experience to his co-worker, whom he is
attracted to, Maxine, who decides that it would be a smart idea to sell this experience
to others. Lotte, Craig’s wife, also enters the portal where she discovers that she is in fact
transgender because
While she is inside Malkovich's mind, she becomes involved with Maxine. How is this possible? Because Maxine and M. are having a sexual relationship
When Lotte is in M's mind she can experience sex with Maxine through Malk' body as a man. who is having an affair
with Malkovich.
Later, John
Malkovich discovers the portal into his own brain, and demands it to be closed, but
Craig refuses because Craig want to use Malkovic's fame to become a famopus puppeteeer and he
wants Maxine all to himself
His workplace is located in a building in New York, on the seven and a half floor, with
excessively low ceilings and a bizarre work atmosphere. At LesterCorp, Craig
discovers a miniscule door
behind a filing cabinet,
where he follows a tunnel that leads into the mind of John Malkovich's.
Craig can be in this state for fifteen minutes, until he is thrown into a ditch close to
the New Jersey turnpike. Craig explains his experience to his co-worker, whom he is
attracted to, Maxine, who decides that it would be a smart idea to sell this experience
to others. Lotte, Craig’s wife, also enters the portal where she discovers that she is in fact
transgender because
While she is inside Malkovich's mind, she becomes involved with Maxine. How is this possible? Because Maxine and M. are having a sexual relationship
When Lotte is in M's mind she can experience sex with Maxine through Malk' body as a man. who is having an affair
with Malkovich.
Later, John
Malkovich discovers the portal into his own brain, and demands it to be closed, but
Craig refuses because Craig want to use Malkovic's fame to become a famopus puppeteeer and he
wants Maxine all to himself
NEED NICE TRANSITION TO TECHNIQUES--SEE IF THIS WORKS
cinematic techniques that were used in the film are assets to the understanding of the movie. The examples below, such as certain camera angles, editing techniques or sound, lets the viewers also put an emphasis on the situation occurring in the film at that moment
A scene where the camera shot a close-up was when Craig was painting a puppet he made that looks identical to Maxine, the camera moves to Craig's intense and concentrated face. This shot depicts how Craig is putting an immense amount of effort into painting this puppet because of his obsessive love for Maxine. He wants the puppet to be perfect just like the way he sees Maxine, which is proven by the seriousness Craig demonstrates while painting the puppet.
cinematic techniques that were used in the film are assets to the understanding of the movie. The examples below, such as certain camera angles, editing techniques or sound, lets the viewers also put an emphasis on the situation occurring in the film at that moment
A scene where the camera shot a close-up was when Craig was painting a puppet he made that looks identical to Maxine, the camera moves to Craig's intense and concentrated face. This shot depicts how Craig is putting an immense amount of effort into painting this puppet because of his obsessive love for Maxine. He wants the puppet to be perfect just like the way he sees Maxine, which is proven by the seriousness Craig demonstrates while painting the puppet.
Framing (camera angle tilt): MAKE SURE THAT FRAMING AND CAMERA ANGLES ARE IN |
THE SAME CATE|GORY OF TECHNIQU|E
THE SAME CATE|GORY OF TECHNIQU|E
After Lotte escaped from the cage, she called Maxine to explain what Craig had done. Maxine didn’t show very much compassion towards Lotte and didn’t really concern herself with Lotte. Once the phone call ended, Lotte had sunk onto the floor and that is when the camera started the shot from normal standing height, and tilting it down towards the ground where Lotte sat, showing her hurt and defeated. This camera angle made Lotte seem, small, sad, low and deflated, which enforced the emotions that Lotte was feeling in the moment--the hurt she felt from Maxine betraying her and how alone and discouraged she felt, from her husband to being such a jerk.
Props:
A prop that WE think is important to highlight, is the piece of wood. Going into the tunnel for the first time, Craig brought along a piece wood with him. Then when he was ejected from the portal, he no longer had the piece of wood, he thought it maybe that it disappeared which is impossible, or it is still in Malkovich’s head. Then at the end of the movie, when Craig finally gives up John Malkovich’s body and is thrown into the ditch, and he has the piece of wood with him. This symbolizes that the piece of wood was staying with Malkovich and never leaving him, similar to Craig and how Craig couldn’t give up Malkovich. Until he did, and when Craig finally gave up Malkovich he got the wood piece back, representing the fact that Craig is finally done with Malkovich.
WRITING NEEDS HELP.
YOU NEED TWO PROPS--MAKE SURE YOU HAVE 2 EXAMPLES FOR EACH TECHNIQUE
Editing (Long take):
At the beginning of the film, when Craig is going to Lester Corp for his interview, he enters the elevator along with another woman. Craig know he must stop at the 7 ½ floor, where the office is located. Once in the elevator, Craig realizes that the floors go from 7 to 8, and there is no 7 ½. The woman in the elevator with Craig, suspects that Craig needs to go to the 7 ½ floor. The woman pressed the 8th floor, and the elevator began to go up one floor at a time, then right after the elevator passed the 7th floor she stopped the elevator and pried the doors open. Throughout the entire elevator trip, the speed of the scene was identical to that of realistic time. This scene was filmed in real time because it emphasized the odd journey to arrive at the office, which foreshadows the odd things that will occur inside the office.
Sound (Internal-diegetic):
When people were invading John’s body they still had their own thoughts. For instance, when Lotte was in Malkovich and she was saying the things she wanted to say to Maxine, we the audience were able to hear those thoughts, and obviously Lotte was too, but nobody else in the film heard those thoughts-- not even John Malkovich. This showed how Lotte wanted to say things to Maxine, but she couldn’t. The same frustration that Lotte felt when she could express herself to Maxine, she would only be able to listen to Maxine and not respond, which is a similarity to the relationship between Maxine and Lotte. Lotte had no say it what happens to their relationship, it was solely Maxine who makes decisions, for example, when Maxine just left Lotte to be with Craig.
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Universal Themes:
1. The first major universal theme presented in this film, is not living one’s true life, to the fullest extent. The main part of the storyline is that the main character’s, Lotte and Craig, are consistently returning to travel into the mind of John Malkovich. This illustrates that these characters are not fulfilled with their current life, and have the need to experience John Malkovich, to try to achieve fulfillment. Lotte even discovers a huge reason why she doesn’t feel satisfied with her life. Once she experience being John Malkovich, she realises that she isn’t even living her life as the gender that feels right for her. As well, once Craig met Maxine, it was evident that for him she had been missing from his life, he even realizes that his wife is not who he truly wants to be with, it is Maxine. To achieve his satisfaction of being with Maxine, he attempts to stay inside John Malkovich’s body. On top of the main scenarios that occur with the main character’s, the film reinforces this theme by showing the lines of people waiting for their chance to experience what it would be like to live as someone else, as John Malkovich. This demonstrates the feelings of most people, the feeling of being unsatisfied with the life that they have. Therefore, to compensate for this dissatisfaction, they try to experience Malkovich’s life, to experience more emotion, more passion, more magnificence, that they don’t experience in their day to day lives.
2. Another major theme is how one identifies themselves. Craig, who is extremely passionate about his puppets, actually leads him to become a sort of puppet himself, by being John Malkovich, then learning to control his thoughts and his body. When he was John Malkovich for those 7 months, and in control of Malkovich, just like he is in control of his puppets. Once Craig is forced into getting out of Malkovich’s body, and he does so, he feels that he lost his sense of self and identity. Another example displayed during the movie, is as mentioned above, Lotte learns that she isn’t in the body she is supposed to be in. Her identity that she has as Lotte is not her true identity, it is not who she really is. Once Lotte goes through the portal, she learns that she doesn’t feel like she should be a woman, she feels that she should be a man, and this is who she wants to identify as. She even explains this complicated situation to her husband, who finds it difficult to accept. This scenario is very relatable, to that of one in real life. In our society identity is a massive part, how we identify ourselves, depicts who we are in all aspects, which isn’t always true. For example, when Lotte is in John Malkovich, she feels like she is in the right body, but she still has her same thoughts that she has as Lotte.
3.Lastly, a theme that was identified in this film was how love and obsession go hand in hand. The romantic relationships in the film provides a clear picture of obsession. For instance, both Craig and Lotte, have such strong feelings for Maxine that they become obsessed. Lotte loves being with Maxine so much, that she constantly wants to be Malkovich, just to be with her. The obsession pushes Lotte so far that she even attempts to murder Maxine, because of the hurt Maxine, a person who she loved and who she thought loved her, caused her. Then Craig’s obsession is just as extravagant, he feels that he is so in love with Maxine, that we would commit terrible actions just to be with her. For example, he attacked his wife, by threatening her with a gun, then forced his wife in an animal cage with a monkey, with her hands tied and her mouth gagged. On top of this, Craig wanted to be with Maxine so badly that he was completely selfish. Craig pretty much kicked John Malkovich out of his own body, and used the vessel to be able to have a romantic relationship with Maxine. This all shows that love can lead to severe obsession, which can also be characterized as insanity.
Connections to Course Material:
1. The first course concept that I will relate to this film is Metaphysics. then describe how weird it is for a portal in someones to exist and explain how ecven in this movie metaphysical questions are raised by the charactersCraig says to Maxine in the 33rd minute of the movie “It’s supernatural for a lack of a better word, “Do you see what a metaphysical can of worms this portal is ?” (33rd minute). I mean it raises all sorts Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy responsible for the study of existence. It is the foundation of worldviews. It answers the question "What is?" It encompasses everything that “exists,” as well as the nature of existence itself. What is real? What is an illusion? Does free will exist? Who is running the show? What is existence? What is? What is reality?” of philosophical type questions you know about the existence of self and the nature of a soul” “Am I me ? Is Malkovich Malkovich?” “(http://www.importanceofphilosophy.com/Metaphysics_Main.html) The portal raises all these DEVELOP MORE WITH MORE EXAMPLES questions.
2. The second course concept WE will relate this movie to is Ethics. “Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct. The field of ethics, along with aesthetics, concerns matters of value, and thus comprises the branch of philosophy called axiology.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethics) USE DEF|INIT|IONS FROM OUR COURSE MATERIAL “The ways in which the characters essentially use each other in order to obtain what they crave. SENTENCE FRAGMENT The ways in which Maxine, Lotte, and Craig treat each other—not to mention John Malkovich—are seemingly heartless, but there is much ardor in one’s longing for the other in their strange triangle of love, as there is much passion in the ruthless choices they make.” (http://philmdiscussions-beingjohnmalkovich.blogspot.com/p/axiology-ethics-what-is-goodjustright.html) NEED TO AHVE QUOTATION MARKS HERE AND SAY SOMETHIN LIKE ACCORDING TO The way in which they all use each other is morally questionable. A person should never be seen as an object for you to use to get something that you want and this is how they portray each other in order to get to Maxine. As well as in a way John Malkovich’s freedom is being taken from him when Craig is controlling him. He loses his freedom when he loses his consciousness and Craig is fully aware of this but because he wants Maxine to love him, he does whatever he wants without thinking of the others he’e affecting which is morally wrong because he is taking away freedom from another human being who deserves the same rights as him. John’s freedom being taken away is shown when Craig first enters the portal and begins watching and controlling John. He isn’t living in privacy anymore, but rather to the public and not the way he wants. He asked Craig to shut the portal down and for nobody to use it anymore and Craig did not respect his wishes either continuing to take away his freedom and in a way dictate his life. THIS CONCEPET IS FINE BUT DONT GET TOO MORALISTIC IN YOUR JUDMENT ABUOT THEIR BEHAVIOR
3. The third course concept I will relate this movie too is Consciousness. “Consciousness is the state or quality of awareness or of being aware of an external object or something within oneself.”(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consciousness) “The theme of puppeteering continues throughout the film as we consider who is really in control, and such a discordant tone in the fate of John Malkovich after his brief glimpse of freedom before being permanently thrown into his, rather disturbing, subconsciousness.” (http://philmdiscussions-beingjohnmalkovich.blogspot.com/p/epistemology-how-do-we-know-what-we.html) AGAIN IF YOU USE OUTSIDE SOURCES WHICH I DISCOURSGED FROM DOING< YOU MUST QUOTE DIRECTLY AND INTRODUCE TH AUTHOR OR SOURCE DIRECTLY IN THE TEXT SO WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE USING SOM|EON|E ELSES INDEASWith these quotes it is apparent how consciousness relates to the movie because for most of the movie John Malkovich does not have control and is not aware of himself and what he is doing because he is being controlled. For example when Craig enters his body, it shows John, almost having a seizure like response, because he is losing control and consciousness as someone is taking over his body. When Craig first started learning how to control John, John would go in and out of consciousness, at first aware he was being taken over but could not do anything about it. This scene demonstrated the concept of consciousness and by looking deeper into the movie, searching for meaning and little details, it is very apparent to see the difference between when John was conscious and when he was not because someone had taken over his consciousness making him no longer aware. John could have been seen as a puppet in this film because Craig had complete control over him.
Quality of the film:
The movie “Being John Malkovich” is an absurd film which makes you question some of the most intrinsic beliefs of religion. WHAT?
The complex plot with many different twists makes the movie worth watching. The details hidden all over the movie, such as … are things you only notice on the second re-watch.
Originally, WE graded the film a 3 out of 5 because some parts of the acting seemed poorly done, and the character seems stutery and fake. Upon thinking about the plot of the movie, the acting becomes much more intentional and well done. During the scene where Malkovich is recording his voice for practicing, (44) he sounds robotic and dull, exactly the opposite of what an actor should sound like, unless they were playing a robot. Later on in the movie where the fan is speaking to him at the restaurant, he speaks like a sullen boy who has no care for his own will. (46)
The film is good because it allows for both watching methods: passive and active. The main plot is simple, The themes behind the movie, such as not living one's life to the fullest extent
The main protagonist, Craig Schwartz, is a very engaging character, making realistic, but very hateable decisions. The scene where his wife is convincing him to not get in her way of her actualization as a man is despicable. He tries to convince her “it's just a phase,” to which she responds: “don’t get in the way of my actualization as a man.” (43:10 - 43:30) OTHER MEMBERAS OF THE GROUP NEED TO WEIGH IN ON THIS BECUSE THERE ARE MANY QUESTIONABLE ASSERTIONS BEIN|G MADE
The film techniques are great and add depth to the characters and action. The angle of the shot where the people fall from the sky upon leaving Malkovich world makes it seem like they just popped out after a leisurely stroll. The props are few and far between, but there is emphasis on the ones that are used, such as the phone that is used to call to set up the meetings, the portal to get into Malkovich's mind, the puppets.
Questions Based on the Themes:
1.Do you think Dr. Lester had the right to start studying John Malkovich and living inside of his head without his consent?
2. Would you want to live forever?
3. If you had to be in someone else’s body for 15 minutes who would it be and why?
Web Links and Description on the Themes and Content:
In the article “Can humans live forever”, specialist discuss that we may have a chance to “live digitally” forever.
Another article called “In Theory, Humans could Now live Forever”, they explain how we do so by being the 105 years old.
Bibliography:
“Being John Malkovich.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 9 Mar. 2019, . en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Being_John_Malkovich.
“Consciousness.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Mar. 2019, . en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consciousness.
Epistemology-How Do We Know What We Think We Know? , philmdiscussions-beingjohnmalkovich.blogspot.com/p/epistemology-how-do-we-know- , what-we.html.
“Metaphysics.” Metaphysics, Jeff Landauer and Joseph Rowlands, . www.importanceofphilosophy.com/Metaphysics_Main.html.
Monroe, Boaz. “Axiology: Ethics- What Is Good/Just/Right?” Axiology: Ethics- What Is . Good/Just/Right?,philmdiscussions-beingjohnmalkovich.blogspot.com/p/axi . ology-ethics-what-is-goodjustright.html.
Monroe, Boaz. “Epistemology-How Do We Know What We Think We Know?”
Trailers, Movieclips Classic, director. YouTube. YouTube, YouTube, 9 Jan. 2012, . www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UuRFr0GnHM&t=52s.
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