Matteo Persivale
@mpersivale.bsky.social
All jokes aside, people tend to find it horrifying if anyone tells them Topsy-Turvy is the greatest Leigh; I don't necessarily agree, but it's wrong to simplify the issue & boil it down to "he makes films about working class tragedies": that cheapens the artist Leigh is. T-T is indeed a masterpiece.
December 17, 2025 at 4:45 PM
All jokes aside, people tend to find it horrifying if anyone tells them Topsy-Turvy is the greatest Leigh; I don't necessarily agree, but it's wrong to simplify the issue & boil it down to "he makes films about working class tragedies": that cheapens the artist Leigh is. T-T is indeed a masterpiece.
I hope that's not a recent gif because I LOOK OLDER THAN THAT
December 17, 2025 at 4:42 PM
I hope that's not a recent gif because I LOOK OLDER THAN THAT
LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY BUDDY'S FILM AND MY WIFE'S BOOK
December 17, 2025 at 4:41 PM
LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY BUDDY'S FILM AND MY WIFE'S BOOK
holy shit you're killing me with these anniversaries
December 16, 2025 at 1:14 AM
holy shit you're killing me with these anniversaries
Also, Pino Donaggio: 0 nominations. It's a long crazy list, Oscar's wall of shame.
RR directed several *classics* one after the other and apparently the Academy thought those film must have directed themselves. And opting not to nominate that gargantuan performance as Max Belfort is mind-boggling.
RR directed several *classics* one after the other and apparently the Academy thought those film must have directed themselves. And opting not to nominate that gargantuan performance as Max Belfort is mind-boggling.
December 16, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Also, Pino Donaggio: 0 nominations. It's a long crazy list, Oscar's wall of shame.
RR directed several *classics* one after the other and apparently the Academy thought those film must have directed themselves. And opting not to nominate that gargantuan performance as Max Belfort is mind-boggling.
RR directed several *classics* one after the other and apparently the Academy thought those film must have directed themselves. And opting not to nominate that gargantuan performance as Max Belfort is mind-boggling.
The precision, the way he made it look easy, natural. Pure class. I think in a way the enormous success of his first ten years as director obscured the enormous talent as actor that he still had in his old age. And thanks to Uncle Martin who rightly saw him as Max Belfort: immortal performance.
December 16, 2025 at 12:49 AM
The precision, the way he made it look easy, natural. Pure class. I think in a way the enormous success of his first ten years as director obscured the enormous talent as actor that he still had in his old age. And thanks to Uncle Martin who rightly saw him as Max Belfort: immortal performance.
Like true comedic geniuses, he could work with such economy -- he knew there could be infinite layers to a truly funny moment. He made lesser comedians -- even genuinely funny ones -- look primitive in their approach, rudimental.
December 16, 2025 at 12:46 AM
Like true comedic geniuses, he could work with such economy -- he knew there could be infinite layers to a truly funny moment. He made lesser comedians -- even genuinely funny ones -- look primitive in their approach, rudimental.
Same. People will remember the marvelous way he flew off the handle, the wild expense account rant -- "$26,000 WORTH OF SIDES????" -- and the phone call: all masterful. I'll remember the quiet moments, the subtle wistful expression on his face when DiCaprio tells him about Brazilian waxes. Fantastic
December 16, 2025 at 12:43 AM
Same. People will remember the marvelous way he flew off the handle, the wild expense account rant -- "$26,000 WORTH OF SIDES????" -- and the phone call: all masterful. I'll remember the quiet moments, the subtle wistful expression on his face when DiCaprio tells him about Brazilian waxes. Fantastic
Mel Brooks and Woody Allen *both* say that the most brilliant comedy writer of their lifetime is Carl Reiner; imagine not being crushed by that level of greatness in your family and still build several enormous careers -- actor, director, producer -- over your lifetime.
זכרונו לברכה
זכרונו לברכה
December 15, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Mel Brooks and Woody Allen *both* say that the most brilliant comedy writer of their lifetime is Carl Reiner; imagine not being crushed by that level of greatness in your family and still build several enormous careers -- actor, director, producer -- over your lifetime.
זכרונו לברכה
זכרונו לברכה
He's so massive that *OVER ONLY EIGHT YEARS* he made classics in several different genres -- comedy, romantic comedy, courtroom drama, fantasy, coming-of-age drama, then whatever genre Spinal Tap belongs to, probably its own genre; not many directors can say that. Maybe none.
זכרונו לברכה
זכרונו לברכה
December 15, 2025 at 10:46 AM
He's so massive that *OVER ONLY EIGHT YEARS* he made classics in several different genres -- comedy, romantic comedy, courtroom drama, fantasy, coming-of-age drama, then whatever genre Spinal Tap belongs to, probably its own genre; not many directors can say that. Maybe none.
זכרונו לברכה
זכרונו לברכה
You did Norm's joke, only for real!
BlueSky is truly something.
BlueSky is truly something.
December 14, 2025 at 8:50 PM
You did Norm's joke, only for real!
BlueSky is truly something.
BlueSky is truly something.
Depending on the (still unknown) identity of the shooters this thing will either take over BlueSky from here to Xmas or magically disappear.
December 14, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Depending on the (still unknown) identity of the shooters this thing will either take over BlueSky from here to Xmas or magically disappear.
He'll probably be remembered for the supercreepy part in Pulp Fiction, which makes sense because that's how it works, but what he did in Clean, Shaven (a film that must have sold about 143 tickets, 144 including myself) is a monumental achievement. Thank god Criterion rescued the film from oblivion.
December 14, 2025 at 2:57 PM
He'll probably be remembered for the supercreepy part in Pulp Fiction, which makes sense because that's how it works, but what he did in Clean, Shaven (a film that must have sold about 143 tickets, 144 including myself) is a monumental achievement. Thank god Criterion rescued the film from oblivion.
We tend to award the title of "legend" to a lot of people and even stuff, like "this pepperoni pizza is legendary". For once, an actual legend -- the career, the grace over a lifetime under the spotlight. Happy 100 sir, and here's to a 100 more.
December 14, 2025 at 2:46 PM
We tend to award the title of "legend" to a lot of people and even stuff, like "this pepperoni pizza is legendary". For once, an actual legend -- the career, the grace over a lifetime under the spotlight. Happy 100 sir, and here's to a 100 more.
His influence on 1970s European cinema is impossible to overstate, by the way-- just ask Nanni Moretti
December 11, 2025 at 12:42 AM
His influence on 1970s European cinema is impossible to overstate, by the way-- just ask Nanni Moretti
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie in a rundown small Paris arthouse cinema, early 1990s-- one of those revelations that change your life as a cinemagoer. Still my favorite of his, together with Opening Night.
December 11, 2025 at 12:42 AM
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie in a rundown small Paris arthouse cinema, early 1990s-- one of those revelations that change your life as a cinemagoer. Still my favorite of his, together with Opening Night.
This is anathema to most but she was *by far* the greater actor of the couple, she wipes the floor with him in most of their duets. His diaries instead show he was one of the great British writers of his time.
December 2, 2025 at 11:42 AM
This is anathema to most but she was *by far* the greater actor of the couple, she wipes the floor with him in most of their duets. His diaries instead show he was one of the great British writers of his time.
They styled her hair horribly for years in her youth, even in Blow-Up they must have poured a truckload of hairspray on her. Once she figured out her hair she never looked back
December 2, 2025 at 11:39 AM
They styled her hair horribly for years in her youth, even in Blow-Up they must have poured a truckload of hairspray on her. Once she figured out her hair she never looked back
In her forties she could have dominated New Hollywood, think about it. She was actually younger than her most talented contemporary, Bancroft.
December 2, 2025 at 12:27 AM
In her forties she could have dominated New Hollywood, think about it. She was actually younger than her most talented contemporary, Bancroft.
David Thomson once wrote a fantastic alternate history where Dean survives the crash, and goes on to have an absolutely wild chaotic career, eventually losing interest in cinema. I really think Taylor’s was salvageable, just look at her contemporaries: Remick Ladd Fonda Fletcher Tomlin Redgrave…
December 2, 2025 at 12:25 AM
David Thomson once wrote a fantastic alternate history where Dean survives the crash, and goes on to have an absolutely wild chaotic career, eventually losing interest in cinema. I really think Taylor’s was salvageable, just look at her contemporaries: Remick Ladd Fonda Fletcher Tomlin Redgrave…
And throughout that disaster that should have never been made she’s giving notes to one of the greatest screenwriters who ever lived — and he realizes they’re all good ideas. It’s historical fact.
I know she sabotaged herself, but still. She could have had a very different second half.
I know she sabotaged herself, but still. She could have had a very different second half.
December 1, 2025 at 9:59 PM
And throughout that disaster that should have never been made she’s giving notes to one of the greatest screenwriters who ever lived — and he realizes they’re all good ideas. It’s historical fact.
I know she sabotaged herself, but still. She could have had a very different second half.
I know she sabotaged herself, but still. She could have had a very different second half.
I mean LOOK AT HER here, she’s what, our age? Regardless of her personal issues it’s insane that the system just deleted her. It’s not like they didn’t have alcoholic male actors before, right? Even a mess like Cleopatra, look at her death scene: pure genius.
December 1, 2025 at 9:57 PM
I mean LOOK AT HER here, she’s what, our age? Regardless of her personal issues it’s insane that the system just deleted her. It’s not like they didn’t have alcoholic male actors before, right? Even a mess like Cleopatra, look at her death scene: pure genius.
It’s rather terrifying that for once Hollywood had found a fantastic actor who was also a MOVIE STAR all caps, and a Goddess, too — unlike Garbo and Bergman and both Hepburns her sex appeal wasn’t aloof or theoretical but raw and true and… in her late THIRTIES Hollywood dumps her.
She had it all.
She had it all.
December 1, 2025 at 9:55 PM
It’s rather terrifying that for once Hollywood had found a fantastic actor who was also a MOVIE STAR all caps, and a Goddess, too — unlike Garbo and Bergman and both Hepburns her sex appeal wasn’t aloof or theoretical but raw and true and… in her late THIRTIES Hollywood dumps her.
She had it all.
She had it all.
