Okay... I read an article with thoughts from the director and also Navajo creation myth and may have figured it out. It may or may not make the movie "better" but the movie is supposed to be from a Navajo standpoint.
John character is inspired by the valley to write the creation story of the Navajo in his own absurd way (as indicated by his "psychiatrist"). Why? Because the director said so. No... really... he said nothing is new anymore when it comes to making movies so you have to be bold (paraphrased but whatever).
The director said: "Funnily enough one of them (the Navajo) said to me, 'You are a white guy but this film as I see it is told from our point of view and this is the first time I see a movie told from our standpoint, from how we understand the world.' "
So how DO the Navajo understand the world? They are a barren, ancient land surrounded by high-tech, high-class buildings and people like Malkovich according to the director, whom was accepted by the Navajo pre-filming. Malkovich is the John character's image of how the Navajo see white man.
White man is "rich", "powerful", but white man has no idea what those words actually mean. So Malkovich galavants his "power" for no reason. Just to say he has it. And he's bored with it (hence his going down to the streets to fight or whatever, launching a car, and having several women).
Meanwhile... John character is imagining a Navajo that falls in love with the land and produces the first "child". The creation myth. It seems absolutely absurd in the movie... but it IS an interpretation.
Malkovich (still all in John's idea's of the Navajo/writing) then wants to be forever engraved into history so is "mummified" and reborn to destroy mankind with his arrogance and "power".
John is left to ponder these things about the known world.
This is the best I could do with the information given and it allowed me to put four stars instead of maaaybe 2.... and this is coming from a guy who LOVES 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Well acted... nice visuals (mostly) but the director kind of free-formed and it's obvious and wonky. Could have done with some major story editing which would've been actually minor filming fixes before saying it's done.
Hope this helps one way or another.
John character is inspired by the valley to write the creation story of the Navajo in his own absurd way (as indicated by his "psychiatrist"). Why? Because the director said so. No... really... he said nothing is new anymore when it comes to making movies so you have to be bold (paraphrased but whatever).
The director said: "Funnily enough one of them (the Navajo) said to me, 'You are a white guy but this film as I see it is told from our point of view and this is the first time I see a movie told from our standpoint, from how we understand the world.' "
So how DO the Navajo understand the world? They are a barren, ancient land surrounded by high-tech, high-class buildings and people like Malkovich according to the director, whom was accepted by the Navajo pre-filming. Malkovich is the John character's image of how the Navajo see white man.
White man is "rich", "powerful", but white man has no idea what those words actually mean. So Malkovich galavants his "power" for no reason. Just to say he has it. And he's bored with it (hence his going down to the streets to fight or whatever, launching a car, and having several women).
Meanwhile... John character is imagining a Navajo that falls in love with the land and produces the first "child". The creation myth. It seems absolutely absurd in the movie... but it IS an interpretation.
Malkovich (still all in John's idea's of the Navajo/writing) then wants to be forever engraved into history so is "mummified" and reborn to destroy mankind with his arrogance and "power".
John is left to ponder these things about the known world.
This is the best I could do with the information given and it allowed me to put four stars instead of maaaybe 2.... and this is coming from a guy who LOVES 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Well acted... nice visuals (mostly) but the director kind of free-formed and it's obvious and wonky. Could have done with some major story editing which would've been actually minor filming fixes before saying it's done.
Hope this helps one way or another.