Daily Dialogue — October 9, 2011

CRAIG: There’s a tiny door in my office, Maxine. It’s a portal and it takes you inside John Malkovich. You see the world through John Malkovich’s eyes. And then after about 15 minutes, you’re spit out into a ditch on the side of the New Jersey Turnpike!

MAXINE: Sounds great! Who the fuck is John Malkovich?

CRAIG: Oh, he’s an actor. He’s one of the great American actors of the 20th century.

MAXINE: Oh yeah? What’s he been in?

CRAIG: Lots of things. That jewel thief movie, for example. He’s very well respected. Anyway, the point is, this is a very odd thing. It’s supernatural, for lack of a better word. I mean, it raises all sorts of philosophical-type questions, you know, about the nature of self. About the existence of a soul. You know, “Am I me”? “Is Malkovich Malkovich”? I had a piece of wood in my hand, Maxine — I don’t have it any more. Where is it? Did it disappear? How could that be?! Is it still in Malkovich’s head? I don’t know! Do you see what a metaphysical can of worms this portal is? I don’t see how I could go on living my life the way I’ve lived it before.

— Craig (John Cusack), Maxine (Catherine Keener), Being John Malkovich, written by Charlie Kaufman

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is great exposition, suggested by Teddy Pasternak. Being John Malkovich suggested by Joe.

Trivia: In the first draft of the script, Lester and his friends weren’t using Malkovich’s portal as a means for extending their lives, but in a plot to take over the world in the name of Satan. Satan was the mysterious ‘Flemmer’ that the Merton-Flemmer building was half named after.

Dailogue On Dialogue: Joe’s thoughts on why this is great exposition: “You get away with so much, I think, if you just make it funny.” That is completely true.

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