Man on the Moon (1999)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Milos Forman

Writers (WGA):

Scott Alexander (written by) &
Larry Karaszewski (written by)

Release Date:

22 December 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

"Hello, my name is Andy and this is my poster."

Plot:

A film about the life and career of the eccentric avant-garde comedian, Andy Kaufman.

Plot Keywords:

Comedian | Life | Wrestling | Wrestler | Girlfriend

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

Jim Carrey	...	Andy Kaufman (also as Tony Clifton)
Gerry Becker	...	Stanley Kaufman - Andy's Father
Greyson Erik Pendry	...	Little Michael Kaufman (as Greyson Pendry)
Brittany Colonna	...	Baby Carol Kaufman
Leslie Lyles	...	Janice Kaufman - Andy's Mother
Bobby Boriello	...	Little Andy Kaufman
George Shapiro	...	Mr. Besserman
Danny DeVito	...	George Shapiro
Budd Friedman	...	Himself
Tom Dreesen	...	Wiseass Comic
Thomas Armbruster	...	Improv Piano Player
Pamela Abdy	...	Diane Barnett
Wendy Polland	...	Little Wendy
Cash Oshman	...	Yogi
Matt Price	...	Meditation Student

Also Known As:

Andy Kaufman (USA) (working title)
Der Mondmann (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and brief sexuality/nudity.

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

UK | Germany | Japan | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:AA (Ontario) | Iceland:10 | Iceland:LH (video rating) | Spain:7 | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-8 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | New Zealand:M | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:PG (British Columbia/Manitoba)

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The core cast of "Taxi" (1978) played themselves, with the notable exception of Danny DeVito, who was busy playing George Shapiro, and Tony Danza who did not get along with Andy Kaufman at all. When DeVito was asked who would have played his character Louie if he was playing Shapiro, he suggested that the simplest option was to simply scratch Louie from the movie.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The scene in which Andy and Jerry Lawler appear on "Late Night with David Letterman" (1982) was filmed on the similar, but not identical set of "Late Show with David Letterman" (1993). Also, Letterman is shown wearing glasses, which he did not do on "Late Night."

Quotes:

George Shapiro: You're insane, but you might also be brilliant.

Movie Connections:

Features "Saturday Night Live" (1975)

Soundtrack:

Rose Marie

This is a story about a man who lived and died without being understood.

It is truly sad that we have to wait until a person is dead and gone to give him or her the honor they should have received while alive. Andy Kaufman was a man of many talents, and I saw him only as this funny little man on a TV show called, "Taxi" with a cute accent. Who could not fall in love with that person he was on "Taxi"? He was cute, honest, kind, and funny! Who knew that while we were all at home laughing, he was crying on the inside because that wasn't who he was, nor wanted to be. I went to see this movie about a person who was famous for his "Elvis" personation, and his little record player, doing the "Mighty Mouse" skit on Saturday Night Live, never to forget "Latka" on "Taxi." He was a man of many talents, so many that the world never knew about, so many that only Andy knew who he really was. Jim Carrey allowed us to come into Andy Kaufman's mind, and realize that this grown man lived in another place, another time, an entire other world where Andy was free, and there was peace, and where everyone never grew up, they stayed children playing "pretend" forever.

Jim Carrey put himself into this part, he lived this role... He was Andy Kaufman. Carrey was able to show me a whole new light on this man I thought I knew. This funny man who could make you laugh just by walking on stage. Jim Carrey showed us that who we saw, was not the man we thought we knew. And it took his death to show the world that Andy Kaufman was in fact a human being, who just needed a hug, and a chance at what he did best.

This sadness me to realize that our joy brought this man pain, who we wanted was not who he wanted to be, and I think everyone should be able to live the dream they choose. I never cry at movies, because I am able to pull myself back and remind myself that it is just a movie, and those are just actors. Jim was Andy, and what I saw was too true for me to tell myself, "It's only a movie."

This is a story about a man who lived and died without being understood. I cry for the person Carrey brought us into, the life he showed us that was hidden for too long. No one could have given Andy such a life as Carrey did. This movie is not a normal movie, it is art in the most beautiful form imaginable. To sit in a theater and be at aw... for two hours is amazing! I only wish we had known Andy Kaufman when he was truly alive. Now it is too late, the curtain has gone down...