Taglines: “Hello, my name is Andy and this is my poster.”
Man on the Moon is a biographical movie on the late comedian Andy Kaufman. Kaufman, along with his role on Taxi (1978), was famous for being the self-declared Intergender Wrestling Champion of the world. After beating women time and time again, Jerry Lawler (who plays himself in the movie), a professional wrestler, got tired of seeing all of this and decided to challenge Kaufman to a match.
In most of the matches the two had, Lawler prevailed with the piledriver, which is a move by spiking an opponent head-first into the mat. One of the most famous moments in this feud was in the early 80s when Kaufman threw coffee on Lawler on Late Night with David Letterman (1982), got into fisticuffs with Lawler, and proceeded to sue NBC.
Man on the Moon is a 1999 American biographical comedy-drama film about the late American entertainer Andy Kaufman, starring Jim Carrey as Kaufman. The film was directed by Miloš Forman and also features Danny DeVito, Courtney Love, and Paul Giamatti.
The story traces Kaufman’s steps from childhood through the comedy clubs and television appearances that made him famous, including his memorable appearances on Saturday Night Live, Late Night with David Letterman, Fridays, and his role as Latka Gravas on the Taxi sitcom, which was popular for viewers but disruptive for Kaufman’s co-stars. The film pays particular attention to the various inside jokes, scams, put-ons, and happenings for which Kaufman was famous, most significantly his long-running feud with wrestler Jerry “The King” Lawler and his portrayal of the bawdy lounge singer Tony Clifton.
Although the film itself was unsuccessful commercially and received mixed reviews, Carrey received critical acclaim for his performance and won a Golden Globe, his second win in a row after receiving an award for The Truman Show. He was nominated in the Musical/Comedy category for Man on the Moon, and remarked in his acceptance speech that he thought the film was a drama at heart.
Man on the Moon (1999)
Directed by: Miloš Forman
Starring: Jim Carrey, Danny DeVito, Gerry Becker, Brittany Colonna, Greyson Erik Pendry, Leslie Lyles, George Shapiro, Budd Friedman, Pamela Abdy, Wendy Polland
Screenplay by: Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski
Production Design by: Patrizia von Brandenstein
Cinematography by: Anastas N. Michos
Film Editing by: Adam Boome, Lynzee Klingman, Christopher Tellefsen
Costume Design by: Jeffrey Kurland
Set Decoration by: Maria Nay
Art Direction by: James F. Truesdale
Music by: R.E.M.
MPAA Rating: R for language and brief sexuality / nudity.
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Release Date: December 22, 1999
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