Nathanael T. Booth (he/him)
@nathanaeltbooth.bsky.social
Pretty damn queer.
nathanaeltbooth.com
Author, GOD AND THE GREAT DETECTIVE: ELLERY QUEEN’S STRUGGLE WITH THE DIVINE, 1945-1965 (McFarland 2023)
Co-host, THE PROJECTIONIST’S LENDING LIBRARY
Academic
nathanaeltbooth.com
Author, GOD AND THE GREAT DETECTIVE: ELLERY QUEEN’S STRUGGLE WITH THE DIVINE, 1945-1965 (McFarland 2023)
Co-host, THE PROJECTIONIST’S LENDING LIBRARY
Academic
The #1 movie when you were 10 years old is how your 2026 is going to go.
Wait, is this when you *turned* 10 (in which case it’s…MICHAEL?!) or “the year you were 10”? In which case it’s
Wait, is this when you *turned* 10 (in which case it’s…MICHAEL?!) or “the year you were 10”? In which case it’s
December 19, 2025 at 3:11 PM
The #1 movie when you were 10 years old is how your 2026 is going to go.
Wait, is this when you *turned* 10 (in which case it’s…MICHAEL?!) or “the year you were 10”? In which case it’s
Wait, is this when you *turned* 10 (in which case it’s…MICHAEL?!) or “the year you were 10”? In which case it’s
The absolute venom with which this government is going after trans kids is shocking to *me* and I grew up as queerphobic as anyone else (I got better)
December 19, 2025 at 3:04 PM
The absolute venom with which this government is going after trans kids is shocking to *me* and I grew up as queerphobic as anyone else (I got better)
One of the advantages of working strictly on midcentury writers, for me, is that they were all bastards and there’s no mistaking that fact. But most of them are safely dead, so I don’t have any moral quandaries.
many great artists were bad people with bad views that informed their work. it would be pleasant if it were otherwise but it is not!
December 19, 2025 at 1:40 PM
One of the advantages of working strictly on midcentury writers, for me, is that they were all bastards and there’s no mistaking that fact. But most of them are safely dead, so I don’t have any moral quandaries.
One key difference here is that no one is engaged in a project of woobifying John Huston, whose whole persona was being kind of a bastard. Where people do bend over backwards to make Griffith sympathetic.
So, on the one hand, I think these things should be discussed.
On the other hand, I don’t go in for policing everyone’s viewing, especially in a casual context when everyone involved is long dead.
“I like THE MALTESE FALCON—“
“Oh so you support drunk hit and run driver John Huston?”
On the other hand, I don’t go in for policing everyone’s viewing, especially in a casual context when everyone involved is long dead.
“I like THE MALTESE FALCON—“
“Oh so you support drunk hit and run driver John Huston?”
December 19, 2025 at 1:21 PM
One key difference here is that no one is engaged in a project of woobifying John Huston, whose whole persona was being kind of a bastard. Where people do bend over backwards to make Griffith sympathetic.
I love these threads
When the slightest bit of research shows he was consistently racist and a daddy issues Confederate fanboy.
People try to paint BIRTH OF A NATION as a masterpiece with some unfortunate racism. The whole movie is racist, the “masterpiece “ thing was backfilled to excuse it.
People try to paint BIRTH OF A NATION as a masterpiece with some unfortunate racism. The whole movie is racist, the “masterpiece “ thing was backfilled to excuse it.
December 19, 2025 at 12:59 PM
I love these threads
Reposted by Nathanael T. Booth (he/him)
one thing that is important to know is that BIRTH OF A NATION is so racist that people at the *time*, in 1915, were like, “holy shit this is racist”
When the slightest bit of research shows he was consistently racist and a daddy issues Confederate fanboy.
People try to paint BIRTH OF A NATION as a masterpiece with some unfortunate racism. The whole movie is racist, the “masterpiece “ thing was backfilled to excuse it.
People try to paint BIRTH OF A NATION as a masterpiece with some unfortunate racism. The whole movie is racist, the “masterpiece “ thing was backfilled to excuse it.
December 19, 2025 at 12:55 PM
one thing that is important to know is that BIRTH OF A NATION is so racist that people at the *time*, in 1915, were like, “holy shit this is racist”
I get that it feels really good to position yourself as smugly superior to “libs” who care about destroying the White House, but (a) symbols matter, and (b) a president who treats the White House as his personal property is a tyrant, not a president.
December 19, 2025 at 12:35 PM
I get that it feels really good to position yourself as smugly superior to “libs” who care about destroying the White House, but (a) symbols matter, and (b) a president who treats the White House as his personal property is a tyrant, not a president.
To my understanding there *are* problems with international adoption. But I imagine those problems are not the ones the administration has in mind. Because the admin is just gutter racist.
The US Administration has banned Americans from *adopting babies* from much of the African continent.
Adopting.
Babies.
What trait do those babies have that, when they grow up as fully American adults, would make them a threat to our country in any form?
Adopting.
Babies.
What trait do those babies have that, when they grow up as fully American adults, would make them a threat to our country in any form?
On that last post: I genuinely cannot think of any good-faith reason to bar international adoptions from those 39 countries. Under this new ban, consulates will refuse adoption visas for any baby from Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela, Nigeria, or any of the 39 other countries.
December 19, 2025 at 12:13 PM
To my understanding there *are* problems with international adoption. But I imagine those problems are not the ones the administration has in mind. Because the admin is just gutter racist.
To expand on this a bit: the AVATAR movies deserve credit as the only contemporary purveyors of Burroughs-style planetary fantasy. BUT
Not gonna beat the racism allegations with this one.
Well, I guess I’ll check out that new AVATAR flick.
December 19, 2025 at 9:06 AM
To expand on this a bit: the AVATAR movies deserve credit as the only contemporary purveyors of Burroughs-style planetary fantasy. BUT
Not gonna beat the racism allegations with this one.
Well, I guess I’ll check out that new AVATAR flick.
December 19, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Not gonna beat the racism allegations with this one.
Well, I guess I’ll check out that new AVATAR flick.
December 19, 2025 at 5:43 AM
Well, I guess I’ll check out that new AVATAR flick.
Reposted by Nathanael T. Booth (he/him)
I met Barack Obama in 2007 at a small event when his run for president was just starting. He asked me what I was working on. I said, a book about the 5 1967 Best Picture nominees. He said, quickly, "So...Bonnie and Clyde, The Graduate, Guess Who's Coming To Dinner, In the Heat of the Night..." >
December 19, 2025 at 4:29 AM
I met Barack Obama in 2007 at a small event when his run for president was just starting. He asked me what I was working on. I said, a book about the 5 1967 Best Picture nominees. He said, quickly, "So...Bonnie and Clyde, The Graduate, Guess Who's Coming To Dinner, In the Heat of the Night..." >
Reposted by Nathanael T. Booth (he/him)
'this (cross) not this (fists)' tells you you're in good hands early on in the treatment of religion.
December 19, 2025 at 4:24 AM
'this (cross) not this (fists)' tells you you're in good hands early on in the treatment of religion.
It took me a second, but I think I figured out which one this is.
OK, I will follow Dame Agatha almost anywhere, but not to a woman's inability to recognize HER OWN HUSBAND.
December 19, 2025 at 4:25 AM
It took me a second, but I think I figured out which one this is.
The day you-know-who kicks it should be a national holiday.
December 18, 2025 at 5:35 AM
The day you-know-who kicks it should be a national holiday.
Reposted by Nathanael T. Booth (he/him)
Thank you, @elongreen.bsky.social. It’s one I am especially proud of.
"Do you ever want to just pick up a knife and stab him in the neck? Poison his food?"
Because I mentioned this during a phone call today, I ought to share my favorite essay, which is by @alexanderchee.bsky.social. longreads.com/2015/06/18/m...
Because I mentioned this during a phone call today, I ought to share my favorite essay, which is by @alexanderchee.bsky.social. longreads.com/2015/06/18/m...
Mr. and Mrs. B - Longreads
When Alexander Chee was a struggling young writer, working as a cater-waiter for William F. and Pat Buckley.
longreads.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:39 AM
Thank you, @elongreen.bsky.social. It’s one I am especially proud of.
Reposted by Nathanael T. Booth (he/him)
A Fistful of Dollars is one of the most influential films of all time, particularly in its depiction of violence. However, it's often credited with innovating a specific way of filming gun violence that it didn't pioneer at all.
A 🧵...
A 🧵...
December 18, 2025 at 3:42 AM
A Fistful of Dollars is one of the most influential films of all time, particularly in its depiction of violence. However, it's often credited with innovating a specific way of filming gun violence that it didn't pioneer at all.
A 🧵...
A 🧵...
JOHN CARTER
oh, wait, I thought you typed “martian arts”
oh, wait, I thought you typed “martian arts”
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
oh, wait, I thought you typed "marital arts"
oh, wait, I thought you typed "marital arts"
Name your fav martial arts film
December 18, 2025 at 1:24 AM
JOHN CARTER
oh, wait, I thought you typed “martian arts”
oh, wait, I thought you typed “martian arts”
50 years ago was 1975. That was not only five years after *two* movies featured a trans character (as a villain or as an antihero); that was around twenty years after Christine Jorgensen became a celebrity. (For that matter, she had a biopic in 1970, as well)
says no one knew about transgenderism 50 years ago
December 18, 2025 at 12:58 AM
50 years ago was 1975. That was not only five years after *two* movies featured a trans character (as a villain or as an antihero); that was around twenty years after Christine Jorgensen became a celebrity. (For that matter, she had a biopic in 1970, as well)
This movie could do with a bit more grit; even the dirt streaks feel aesthetic here. But it’s quite a bit better than either the 1985 movie or the CONAN reboot to which this was supposed to be a spinoff at one point.
Since I did the new DEATHSTALKER, I might as well do the new RED SONJA.
December 17, 2025 at 3:35 PM
This movie could do with a bit more grit; even the dirt streaks feel aesthetic here. But it’s quite a bit better than either the 1985 movie or the CONAN reboot to which this was supposed to be a spinoff at one point.
Reposted by Nathanael T. Booth (he/him)
I’m thrilled that Dick Van Dyke made it to 100 years old, and I also find it hilarious that he’s apparently too old to play with LEGO. Him specifically.😆
December 14, 2025 at 4:23 AM
I’m thrilled that Dick Van Dyke made it to 100 years old, and I also find it hilarious that he’s apparently too old to play with LEGO. Him specifically.😆
Since I did the new DEATHSTALKER, I might as well do the new RED SONJA.
December 17, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Since I did the new DEATHSTALKER, I might as well do the new RED SONJA.
Actually, I’ve got an example: the Emily Dickinson movie A QUIET PASSION, a bad movie that inexplicably gets praise.
It’s remarkable how the actors here make such idiosyncratic dialogue sound so natural when actors in other shows (no real example) struggle with more conventional 19th C dialogue.
December 17, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Actually, I’ve got an example: the Emily Dickinson movie A QUIET PASSION, a bad movie that inexplicably gets praise.
And now HOUSE OF ASHUR. I had my doubts, but this show is holding up.
December 17, 2025 at 1:06 PM
And now HOUSE OF ASHUR. I had my doubts, but this show is holding up.