In 1999, Man on the Moon became one of Jim Carrey's most overlooked dramatic masterpieces in his entire career. At the time the movie was coming together, the film was dogged by rumors that the actor was going way too method, causing quite a scene with those he was working with. Sure enough, those rumors seem to be proving true, thanks to hours of footage that are finally seeing the light of day in the new documentary Jim and Andy: The Great Beyond. Take a look for yourself in the film's trailer, below.
A project that made its big debut at this year's Venice Film Festival, Jim and Andy: The Great Beyond covers the heady days of Jim Carrey's career as a comedic powerhouse, and his steps into attempting to become a dramatic actor. Right from the off, Carrey's recounting of just how far he went suggests that something mystical happened when he found out he was playing Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon. In particular, the actor claims that Kaufman's spirit came to him the moment he got the gig, and never left until the film was completed.
It's an experience that even the eccentric Jim Carrey seems to look back on with more than just a tinge of regret, albeit he credits Andy as the sole driver of the experience that's shown in Jim and Andy: The Great Beyond. You can see just how crazy it gets in all of footage that is shown in the film's trailer, as Jim / Andy's behavior is on clear display for all to see. This comes from extensive behind-the-scenes material shot to promote the film, but has been barred from release by Universal Pictures up until this point. The reasoning couldn't be any clearer than what Carrey says in the trailer:
Universal didn't want the footage we took behind the scenes to surface, so that people wouldn't think I was an asshole.
Following that remark is footage of Man on the Moon director Milos Forman pleading with "Andy" to stop goofing around and work with him, which is one of the most upsetting moments in the trailer to Jim and Andy: The Great Beyond. While Jim Carrey has always been an undoubtedly smart man, capable of walking the lines between comedy and drama, as well as reality and absurdity, it looks like the making of Man on the Moon blurred lines on all fronts to the point where it brought out some of the actor's worst behavior, but also some of his best work.
Almost 20 years have passed since Man on the Moon's release, and now Jim and Andy: The Great Beyond is ready to tell the true story behind the arduous, yet ultimately rewarding process of bringing Andy Kaufman's story to the big screen. Not only does this trailer look like it'll make a perfect companion to the Milos Forman biopic, it also looks like a fantastic viewing experience for anyone interested in the actor's process, as well as look into the psyche of Jim Carrey himself.
Jim and Andy: The Great Beyond premieres on November 17th, exclusively through Netflix. You can see what else is coming down the line in the streaming giant's line-up through our 2017 Netflix Premiere Schedule.
