But now, almost a hundred or so years later, humanity has figured out how to watch a movie and the way to decipher the image as it’s projected on a screen. The language of cinema has been mapped out like a McDonalds happy meal and it hasn’t changed in a very long time.

Until now.

You see, I wear glasses. So every time I’ve ever gone to a movie theater and tried to wear those cheap, shitty paper glasses in an attempt to watch something in 3D, I’ve always left the theater disappointed and unconvinced. Each time the experience has left me a bit more soured on the so called “future of cinema” and I never, ever expected to see something with actual depth on a movie screen.

But about a week ago I went to Universal Studios to watch “Beowulf” in one of the areas IMAX 3D theaters. While watching the movie I sat in stunned silence as “Beowulf” did something magical. For the first time in my life I actually saw an image in 3D and it looked incredible. I saw depth on the screen. I saw images that I could not believe. And I absolutely saw the future of cinema and its name is IMAX 3D.

I’ll make this as clear as I can. If you live anywhere near an IMAX theater that will be showing “Beowulf” in 3D, you owe it to yourself to go see this movie. It’s absolutely incredible and something that you have to see with your own eyes. And since IMAX always rotates their movies every few weeks, you probably only have till “I Am Legend” comes out to see “Beowulf” in this amazing way.

Seriously, go see this movie in IMAX 3D. Whatever price they charge for a ticket is absolutely worth it. And what makes me even more excited is realizing that each time they make a movie in 3D it’s only going to get better and better. The future of movie going is about to arrive, and I so recommend buying a ticket.

Anyway, I recently got to participate in some roundtable interviews with a few of the people in “Beowulf” and the one below is with John Malkovich. During the interview all the usual stuff comes up and if you’re a fan of this great actor you’ll dig it.

As usual, you can either read the transcript below or download the audio as an MP3 by clicking here.

“Beowulf” hits theaters this Friday.

Question: Is that one of your own outfits that you’re wearing today? You’ve got a clothing line don’t you?

John Malkovich: I did.  I don’t anymore.

Q: I could never find it.

John Malkovich: You and everyone else. 

Q: This was kind of amazing because we do recognize you in this movie even under the wig and the whatever.  What did you see about this character?  Is he the villain of the piece outside of the monster?

John Malkovich: No, I don’t think so.  He’s just the sort of council to King Hrothgar and he tries to do his job I think.  I think they all have—they’re all fairly flawed people in this and as far as the look goes they showed me sort of what it was going to be before and everything and that seemed good but I haven’t seen it yet.  I’ll see it Monday.

Q: So you don’t know how much of a Richard the III look he’s got?

John Malkovich: Mm-mm. 

Q: The other thing I thought was when he has this like bit when he’s yelling at Beowulf when he shows up and gives him that big kind of speech, I thought of Bette Davis.  I mean you were just sitting there ripping…

John Malkovich: That’s lovely.

Q: …ripping him to pieces.

Q: Wait a minute.  I’m not agreeing with that one.

John Malkovich: No, no no.

Q: I thought if I closed my eyes here it would be like I’d would be hearing one of Bette Davis’s tirades. 

John Malkovich: Yeah, we may have to remake one of those films with myself as Bette.  Nobody would be as delighted as I am.

Q: So I mean, we saw in that first battle he goes into the water to hide from Grendel and yet he’s speaking to Beowulf.  Where was that all coming from do you think?

As if Beowulf is the coward?

John Malkovich: Well, probably that’s what I would assume.  There’s probably been a number of studies on that that’s generally probably what bullies do when confronted I imagine.

Q: John, did you read this story again to refresh your memory?

John Malkovich: I didn’t.  I had read it in high school.  I mean we studied it for weeks, but normally I find it depends on what your sort of job definition is. Normally I don’t’ find it terrifically helpful because unless the script is merely a kind of blueprint for something, I don’t find it very helpful because then you have 20 people coming saying why isn’t this in here and I had a long scene where I take a bath etc.  I wouldn’t want that if I were directing.  I mean, those decisions have already been made for you for the most part.  Obviously it depends because if there’s room for play then I’d have a different response but if there isn’t that much room for play and if the script is a more or less recognized entity then I wouldn’t really see the point.

Q: What do you think of all the role women, originally of course in the story doesn’t have any women around Beowulf and I mean, of course, the role that Angelina plays it almost doesn’t exist. We were discussing this with several members of the press which is like they put women either the whore or the very gentle one who at the end is mourning her husband next to the mistress.  And you know, they keep on doing those stereotypes and I just wanted your opinion about that.

John Malkovich: I’m not sure I would say that mourning the husband next to the mistress yet is a stereotype, certainly not in the Anglo-Saxon world.  I don’t think we’ve quite achieved that state of grace, but well, there’s a great history in literature of the woman being the kind of siren call and that’s ancient.  I don’t think it’s particularly at all a new invention.  I mean, hence words like muse or siren which is all pretty much they’re all assumed to be female as is a mother or wife.  I think they made a very good script out of it which I can’t imagine is terrifically easy having been involved with some degree of literary adaptations myself.  It’s never as easy as you think it’s going to be when you buy the option it seems.

Q: You said you didn’t see him necessarily as the villain, that they’re all kind of flawed creatures here.  Do you feel though in your career lately people have been sort of typecasting you as being the bad guy?

John Malkovich: Only the media, meaning this year… I play a pastor in Clint Eastwood’s new film with Angelina. We work Monday and Tuesday again. 

Q: Oh, okay The Changeling?

John Malkovich: Mm-mm.  I did a film with the Coen brothers where I just played a guy who drinks too much but isn’t particularly evil.

Q: Which one is that?

John Malkovich: It’s Burn After Reading.

Q: The one with George Clooney—it’s a comedy?

John Malkovich: I directed a play in Paris.  I don’t think that was very evil.  I did a film where I played someone, a doctor, who tries to warn people about their impending death.  I played a professor and before I played Klimpt and a guy who went around imitating Stanley Kubrick, but the media says what the media wants to say.  It’s utterly impossible to respond really.

Q: Well, that was good.

John Malkovich: Yeah, but it wouldn’t matter anyway meaning people—you can’t forget that you’re hired—you don’t choose what you do you choose from amongst the things that you’ve been chosen for, so I would say more I think perhaps it’s more of a question better directed to the audience or to filmmakers rather than me.

Q: Selective memory by the media.  We’re basically lazy. 

John Malkovich: Well, everybody’s lazy. I mean, me too, but it’s worse to be lazy and erroneous. I do tons of things.  If I write and direct 3 fashion films then am I a fashionisto?  I guess, I don’t know.  It’s hard to say. 

Q: What are you filming right now?

John Malkovich: It’s called the Changeling.

Q: Oh the Changeling.  And you’re doing something with Tom Hanks?

John Malkovich: I did last year. Last summer.  It’s not out yet called the Great Buck Howard.

Q: What do you play in that?

John Malkovich: A mentalist who is rather unsuccessful.

Q: A failed mentalist?

John Malkovich: Yes. They love him and where did they love him? In Akron, I think.

Q: Did you have any doubts about being…could you talk about being cast in this role and whether you had any doubts at first?

John Malkovich: No I didn’t really have any doubts. An old friend of mine had worked with Robert Zemeckis before and spoke very highly of him and I got the script, like the script.  I was working in Chicago doing a play and also a movie about 2-1/2 years ago in the spring.  I read it and Robert also sent I think to everyone else also—a disc that they had made about the process from Polar Express and everything about what it would really entail and it looked very interesting to me.  I liked the script very much and the cast having always liked Anthony Hopkins and I’d worked with Ray before who I’m very fond of and I’ve always liked watching Robin and Christopher and Angelina Jolie, Brendan Gleeson all very good people.

Q: Had you seen Polar Express?

John Malkovich: Yes.

Q: Regarding your character which I mean, personally I don’t see him as a villain at all, as a very skeptical person,  I’m like that who doesn’t believe everything what is said.  Are you personally like that?  Skeptical at the beginning and then just trying to protect yourself or somebody that you care for and then make some mistakes if you have to?

John Malkovich: I’m not a very skeptical person.

Q: How can we believe that though?

John Malkovich: I don’t know.  You can’t.  I take people as I find them and I don’t…if I have a profound reason to mistrust someone then I’d either not have a lot to do with them in the future or I decide that I enjoy that quality about them and in this business I have come across 2 or 3 people that one might be well advised to be skeptical of, but in fact there are a couple of say producers like that who will remain nameless, but who I personally really like and always go back and work with and it doesn’t bother me a bit.

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