Greetings again from the darkness. It's been more than forty years since cancer took the life of 35-year-old Andy Kaufman, and we still don't know how best to describe him: actor, comedian, illusionist, performance artist, prankster, or something more bizarre. It's like no one knew 'the real Andy', and whether that was his intent or not, that's the feeling we are left with after watching this bio from Alex Braverman.
Despite often stating that he was born on an island in the Caspian Sea, Andy was actually from Long Island, and Braverman describes what was truly a turning point in young Andy's life. He was incredibly close to his grandfather ... theirs was a special relationship. When he died, Andy's parents decided to tell young Andy that the grandfather took a long trip. This feeling of rejection and abandonment changed the boy's personality and perspective. It also formed the structure of his career - misdirection and trickery - a way to mess with reality.
Braverman includes input from many of Andy's contemporaries, friends, and associates. We hear from Danny DeVito, Steve Martin, Robin Williams, Marilu Henner, Laurie Anderson, and Garry Shandling (first name often misspelled as Gary). We also hear from Andy's dad, who confirms the mistake regarding the grandfather's death, Andy's longtime girlfriend, and his friend and writer, Bob Zmuda. We even hear from his college friend who claims to be the 'real Latka', the inspiration for Andy's beloved character in "Taxi".
A treasure trove of archival clips reminds us of some of Andy's most memorable performances, as well as some we've not previously seen. His initial performance at The Improv is complemented by a memory from the club's renowned owner, Bud Friedman. Andy's stint on "The Dating Game" remains stunning, and we even get a clip of his 1975 screen test for SNL ... where on the first episode he did his "Mighty Mouse" bit.
Transcendental Meditation and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi played a role in helping him get clean, and we learn how important his Carnegie Hall appearance was to him. Along the way, there were some baffling moments. His Elvis impersonation. The whole Tony Clifton phase. Reading "The Great Gatsby" on stage. Each of these had their detractors, but it was Andy's wrestling - first with women - and then his confrontation with Jerry Lawler, that had folks wondering if he was slipping from reality.
Andy was often so far "out there", that when he visited a healer in The Philippines, many wondered if his cancer was simply the next prank. Braverman's film drives home Andy's desire to make people laugh AND squirm (one or the other was not enough). He was truly a visionary and performance artist, and the documentary gives him his due.
Opens in theaters on March 28, 2025.
