Man on the Moon: The Shooting Script (Newmarket Shooting Script) (Paperback)

by Scott Alexander (Author), Larry Karaszewski (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
In the successful series format--the official tie-in to the heralded biopic of the late comic genius Andy Kaufman, the popular and controversial star of Taxi, starring Jim Carrey, Courtney Love, and Danny DeVito, from the same team who wrote and directed the award-winning The People vs. Larry Flynt. Known as a "comic's comic," Andy Kaufman built his career on guest appearances on Saturday Night Live and David Letterman, transformed his "foreign man" character into the enormously successful Latka Gravas on the popular TV show Taxi, and then made headline news wrestling any woman who challenged him. His career ended tragically when he died of lung cancer at the age of 35. Today, Andy Kaufman's work is seen constantly on reruns of Taxi and on Comedy Central, and he is a cult figure for an entire generation of comics, from Michael Richards (Seinfeld) to Sinbad. Robin Williams, Steve Martin, and especially, Jim Carrey, have lauded Kaufman as the originator of modern comic sketches. No one on earth could bring Andy Kaufman back to life like the amazing Jim Carrey. In a remarkable performance, Carrey transforms himself into Latka Gravas, Tony Clifton, and many of Kaufman's other personas. Man on the Moon not only captures the genius and madness of Andy Kaufman (and Jim Carrey) for their fans but introduces Kaufman's work to an entire new generation. In the Newmarket Shooting Script Series format, here is the complete shooting script, an introduction and notes by the award-winning screenwriters, movie stills, credits, and an interview with the director. Also appearing in the movie is Danny DeVito as Kaufman's agent, Courtney Love as the comic's girlfriend, the cast of Taxi (Judd Hirsch, Marilu Henner, Christopher Lloyd, and Tony Danza), David Letterman, wrestler Jerry Lawlor, and many, many others. Produced by Jersey Films known for Pulp Fiction, Out of Sight, and Living Out Loud.

About the Author
Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski wrote Ed Wood, for which they were nominated for Best Screenplay by the Writers Guild, and followed with The People vs. Larry Flynt, for which they won the Golden Globe for Best Screenplay as well as a special Writers Guild Award. Milos Forman, two-time Oscar(r) winner, previously directed One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus, Valmont, and The People vs. Larry Flynt.

Product Details

• Paperback: 203 pages
• Publisher: Newmarket Press; 1 edition (May 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557044007
• ISBN-13: 978-1557044006
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #755,767 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, January 13, 2000

By	MrBlond (Maine) - See all my reviews

As an aspiring screenwriter, it's a beautiful thing when two talented writers put out a screenplay for an incredible movie that looks as good as it is. None of that reformatted junk, this is the actual script reproduction. And, as for the content, it couldn't be better. There are parts different from teh movie, which aren't necessarily better, but add more insight to the life of comic genius Andy Kaufman.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This IS a shooting script!, April 1, 2000

By	Justin Gardner (Kansas City) - See all my reviews

WOW! This is a GREAT example of a shooting script, something that was very different before the movie, and was molded into a more "managable" form through shooting and editing.

But is managable a better thing? Scott and Larry are great screenwriters, and crafted a great screenplay here. However, Milos Forman (the director) took the movie and made it into something not as personal as it could have been. Oh well.

But this is why shooting scripts that are actually the original script before any shooting ever took place are important (you hearing this American Beauty?). To show us how a screenplay can change when it goes from paper to celluloid.

Read this screenplay to see what the movie could have been like :)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Puts the film in an entirely different light, April 4, 2001

By	William F. Parrish "Dante_Mosier" (Atlanta) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you've seen the film enoughto be fiarly familiar with it's structure and narrative,this script will be a revelation.As stated in the title,this is a "shooting script",the original version submitted to the producers at the onset of the film's production,before the actors and director started fiddling with it.There are many,many scenes and passages here that greatly clarify the direction of the story and provide crucial motivations and psychological subtexts that you may miss in the completed film.However,scriptwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaczewski provide insight into this in the fantastic forward to the script,in the process giving a fascinating glimse into all the labirynthine exigencies involved in getting an original spark of insiration into the multiplex.They explain the step-by-step process of telling Kaufman's story-what to put in,what to leave out,how to handle certain aspects of his life,shaping the messy,complicated,and open-ended events of his career into something resembling a coherent,three-act drama.Ultimately,they decided-wisely-to treat the film as Andy would have,to let his art and performances define the film,just as they defined his life,and to use a constantly shifting base of perspective to keep the audience on thier toes,a brilliantly executed exercise in what-is-real and what-isn't.If you loved the film,this script provides an essential companion that will give you a new appreciation for it,but even if you're not particularly fond of it,or even Andy Kaufman hiomself,this is still a fascinating look at the creative process,and how it holds up throughout the production of a film.Highly recommended.