Man on the Moon: The Shooting Script

by Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski

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 .

224 pages, Paperback

First published December 8, 1999

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Reviews

[Rani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really love reading the biopic screenplays by these guys. They wrote Ed Wood, Big Eyes, and The People Vs Larry Flint. Their choice of source material and their adaptation of it is always fascinating. I love their introductions. I feel a renewed obsession with Andy Kaufman.

[Brice Fuqua · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contains a number of scenes cut from the film. The best part of the book is the introduction which contains a funny account of the chaotic process in which the script came to be made into a movie.

[Liam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know it's the whole point but... I really just wanted one moment where I could understand him!!