John Malkovich            John Cusack  

stars of Being John Malkovich

Part 3: in which we get deep in to Image, and find out if Schwartz (Cusack's character bears Cranky's surname) is really a funny name . . .

CrankyCritic: One of the papers said you have a gift for self-mockery
John Malkovich: Well, you do too. When you get made fun of you have a defense and I don't really have a defense. It's the way I am. It's not pretty. That's it. I can't do anymore. I think I'm not aware of people's perceptions of "John Malkovich" at all. I'm not sure I know what it means but I am aware of myself and why I could be so incredibly irritating [laughs] And, so what? So's everybody else. I could mock other people who deserve it more than me. They just don't admit it and they can't take it. I wasn't raised like that. I can take it. I've been mocked every day of my life. I don't care.
John Cusack: When John says acting is like a portal to someone else, yes, it's that but it's obviously a portal into yourself. A version of you that could be that. So not only are you seeing through someone else but you're also using your imagination or part of your Self to...
John Malkovich: See how they see
John Cusack: You dig up that part of you and when you're doing that you can't make fun of yourself. You're pretty limited in what you can do
John Malkovich: mm-hmm
John Cusack: Because then you're on the defensive. You're one of those movie star people who just go and do a certain thing; if they're making fun of themselves, it's in a calculated way. You just gotta expose yourself and get run over
John Malkovich: [big laugh] It doesn't hurt!
John Cusack: I remember I was doing Bullets Over Broadway. That character is one of those pseudo-intellectual guys, and I'm not. In the beginning I was holding on to something and then I realized, waitaminute, I'm doing a Woody Allen movie. I play the fool. He plays the fool. Everybody plays the fool. When you give into that, it's fun. 'Cuz no one gets out of here without playing the fool.

CrankyCritic: Gee, actors take themselves too seriously . . .?
John Cusack: I think a hundred percent of most of 'em do.
John Malkovich: If they're mentally ill. I don't have the figures on that but it's in the ninetieth percentile. (He was joking. It's that dry humor thing -- cs) You do let go. It's like going into a lake or a swimming pool. Once you're in, the water is fine. If you sit there looking at it, it makes your toes cold and your testicles shrivel. Just go in and shut up and paddle around. The great writers, I think, aren't afraid to say we are ridiculous
John Cusack: Humans can be ridiculous. And what is the universal thing about that? Are we too vain? Do we lust too much? Are we insecure? Everybody has that. I think you can certainly be serious about the content of what you do
John Malkovich: If it's worthy of being serious about
John Cusack: Well you can try hard.
John Malkovich: Yeah

CrankyCritic: Cusack talked about piles of drek on his desks. Is there somewhere in either of your careers a role where you really felt good about the work that you did; a role you would like to say to the audience "please go back and take another look at this?"
John Cusack: No. The thing I feel most is that we shot a good film. I know it was there because I was there, looking at the other actors and it got lost in the cut. That's the overriding kind of great frustration. You put all that work into it and there are three phases: You have to write the script; You have to shoot it; You have to edit it, and if any one of the phases gets screwed up, the movie doesn't work. There are so many movies where you feel "God, we did two thirds of the work, man, why didn't you close it?" It's brutal work. You just have to keep chiseling away at it, fine tune the scenes. It's brutal, relentless work, editing a film. That's why there aren't that many good films.
Cranky Critic: And that's the reason you take on more than just acting?
John Cusack: Yeah. I think that and I've just gotten...
John Malkovich: But you're not afraid of the work.
John Cusack: Well, yeah. 'Cuz you've got to bust your ass right up to that point anyway. And I also had a desire to tell stories and be more involved in other areas.
Cranky Critic: Malkovich, will you direct?
John Malkovich: Yes, I'm about to direct "The Dancer Upstairs," next year.
Cranky Critic: Your first film?
John Malkovich: Of name, yes. Though if you had been on certain sets (Cusack starts to laugh). I did two two fashion films for my friend Bella Freud in London.

Cranky Critic: So. Finally. Cuasck, is "Schwartz" an inherently funny name?
John Cusack: Yeah, I think so. The s-c-h combo. ssshhh--waaaa
Cranky Critic: Gee. Thanks.

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