Why puppets? | Being John Malkovich Part 3

Why puppets? | Being John Malkovich Part 3

From Watch The Film With Us by Cheryl Mok and Lara Bulger

March 26, 2026 · 34 min · Season 1 · Episode 300

About this episode

The episode discusses the symbolism of puppets and the concept of being a 'puppet master' in the film 'Being John Malkovich'.

Send us Fan Mail Why did Charlie Kaufman choose to make the main character a puppet master? We chat about how puppets and the idea of being a “puppet master” is used throughout the story to symbolise power imbalances and identity. Let us know what you think and chat with us on X: https://twitter.com/WTF_WithUs Theme Music Credit: Ultra Lights by Stefan Kartenberg (c) copyright 2020 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/fil...

People in this episode

Hosts: Cheryl Mok, Lara Bulger

Topics covered

  • puppets
  • identity
  • power imbalances
  • film analysis
  • symbolism

Keywords

  • puppet master
  • Charlie Kaufman
  • Being John Malkovich
  • symbolism
  • power dynamics

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Being John Malkovich

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