Johnny Depp transformed into Donald Trump for video spoof
February 11, 2016
In 1987, US presidential candidate and billionaire businessman Donald Trump published a bestselling book of advice, called "The Art of the Deal." Now, the movie version of that book has surfaced - that is, the parody version of that movie.
The comedy website Funny or Die released Wednesday (10.02.2016) a 50-minute film entitled "Donald Trump's The Art of the Deal: The Movie," starring Hollywood actor Johnny Depp in the lead. Filmed in secret over four days in December, Depp undergoes a shocking metamorphosis for the role.
The film, which can be watched online here, banks on 1980s aesthetics, graphics and language - as part of the spoof - claims to have been written, directed and edited by Trump himself before his venture into politics.
"Successful people are always on the phone - even if there's no one on the other end," advises the fake Trump in the film.
In reality, it was Owen Burke, editor-in-chief of Funny or Die, who came up with the idea before co-founder Adam McKay (director of the Oscar-nominated film "The Bit Short") invited Johnny Depp to get involved.
"We wanted to make it 80s cheesy, but we knew he would have the classiest of the 80s graphic packages," explained Burke of their approach. "It couldn't look that good, but it couldn't look cheap."
Also on board is Ron Howard, who narrates the film, which was written by Joe Randazzo, the former editor of "The Onion," and directed by "Drunk History" co-creator Jeremy Konner. The theme song is by 80s star Kenny Loggins.
Though the film went to the drawing board back in August, before Trump's boost in popularity, its film release coincides with his February 10 victory in the Republican Party primary in New Hampshire.
kbm/eg (dpa, AP)