NEWS
"Man on the Moon" documentary?
06 Oct 1999 by Michael Fleming
Kaufman CARREYS over
"Man on the Moon" might not be the only feature treatment that centers on the late Andy Kaufman. Universal and Jersey Films logged over 200 hours of behind-the-scenes footage shot by Lynne Margulies, the quirky comic's girlfriend. The result so fascinated Jersey executives that they want to turn it into a documentary in the vein of "Hearts of Darkness," which chronicled the making of "Apocalypse Now."
Jersey execs hope the documentary would capture the spirit of Kaufman, and how Kaufman's spirit captured Carrey -- who stayed in character before and after director Milos Forman shot scenes. "Lynne filmed every second of every day of shooting, and you never saw Jim as Jim," said a source.
While most actors come to the set and head for a trailer bearing their name, Carrey drove on the lot each day as either Kaufman or his alter-ego, the irritating lounge singer Tony Clifton, each of whom had a separate trailer.
Clifton provided more cinematic opportunities: smelling of the salami and limburger cheese he'd rub on his body, Carrey's Clifton was a prankster who put the car of producer-costar Danny DeVito up on blocks, let cockroaches loose in his trailer, and once sealed shut the trailer door. On another occasion, he spied Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone and Paramount executive John Goldwyn lunching and proceeded to serenade the horrified duo, who had no idea it was Carrey and at first tried to confiscate the documentary footage.
Carrey also pretended to be Kaufman-as-Anthony-Perkins-as-Norman-Bates' mother, scaring tourists on a tram in front of the Universal lot landmark Bates Motel set.
The documentary also captured Carrey's well-publicized hospital visit after his tussle with grappler Jerry Lawler, which re-created the latter's feud with Kaufman.
-- News excerpt taken from Yahoo/Variety.
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