RIP Valerie Perrine

I hadn't planned on doing an entire post about this but then I saw the above photo of the great and always wildly under-appreciated Valerie Perrine standing with Prime Christopher Reeve Sans Shirt and I said to myself, "Self, you're doing it, you're under-appreciating her!" Because you KNOW that she saw Chris walking around the set like that and she grabbed her assistant roughly by their arm and rushed right over and she made sure this photo happened, that this moment was documented, for posterity. The woman who gave us Can't Stop the Music and Miss Teschmacher in the first two Superman movies would demand no less. May her memory be forever a blessing, we love her.

LEGEND. Honestly don't understand how anyone survived the making of CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC...

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— Jason Adams (@jamnpp.bsky.social) March 23, 2026 at 1:13 PM

Everything You Ever Need To Know About Life...

 ... you can learn from:

Synecdoche, New York (2008)

Sammy: I've watched you forever, Caden, but you've never really looked at anyone other than yourself. So watch me. Watch my heart break. Watch me jump. Watch me learn that after death there's nothing. There's no more watching. There's no more following. No love. Say goodbye to Hazel for me. And say it to yourself, too. None of us has much time.

RIP to the great Tom Noonan, who gave multiple performances of note across his long and varied career -- Manhunter is one of the few Michael Mann movies I can tolerate and it's thanks to him -- but nevertheless will always be Sammy, sweet sweet Sammy, the man who breaks my heart every single time in Charlie Kaufman's masterpiece. The elliptical way that Kaufman structures the character of Caden's life-long best friend who's always being edged out, always forced to the sidelines, is as brilliant as anything else in the script -- the way Noonan is seen peering out from behind things before Caden's even "met" him, because of course the way a self-centered narcissist would remember his own story would shove someone that isn't himself or one of his temporary love interests into the margins -- is moving in itself. But the way that Noonan plays Sammy, the love and the heartbreak that he channels into that role? It's tremendous, and if anybody had known how to react to Synecdoche in its moment as it demanded and deserved then Noonan would have been, should have been, a Best Supporting Actor contender. It moves me more with every re-watch. Brilliant subtle work. (The way he sort of shrugs as he jumps? My god.)

Tom Noonan should have gotten an Oscar nomination for his performance in Charlie Kaufman’s SYNECDOCHE NEW YORK #ripking

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— Jason Adams (@jamnpp.bsky.social) February 17, 2026 at 11:52 PM

Everything You Ever Need To Know About Life...

 ... you can learn from:

The Straight Story (1999)

Alvin: You don't think about getting old 

when you're young... you shouldn't.

Steve: Must be something good about gettin' old?

Alvin : Well I can't imagine anything good about being 

blind and lame at the same time but, still at my age,

I've seen about all that life has to dish out. 

I know to separate the wheat from the chaff 

and let the small stuff fall away.

Rat: That's cool, man. So, uh, 

what's the worst part about being old, Alvin?

Alvin: Well, the worst part of being old 

is rememberin' when you was young.

We lost David Lynch one year ago today. 

The world misses you, my good man.

Everything You Ever Need To Know About Life...

... you can learn from:

Stand By Me (1986)

Chris: I'm never gonna get out of 

this town am I, Gordie?

Gordie: You can do anything you want, man.

Chris: Yeah, sure. Give me some skin.

Gordie: I'll see ya.

Chris: Not if I see you first.

RIP Rob Reiner. And thank you.

Good Morning, Udo

As I'm sure most if not all of you are aware two terrible things happened this weekend -- one we lost Udo Kier. The gay legend who starred in half of my favorite movies of all time -- movies from Dario Argento, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Lars Von Trier, Paul Morrissey, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Guy Maddin, Werner Herzog, Rob Zombie, Gus Van Sant, Wim Wenders, John Carpenter, E. Elias Merhige, Amanda Kramer, Walerian Borowczyk and Andy fuckin' Warhol, to name but a few! -- and was the most memorable thing in a full 95% of them. He was a freak legend, an icon, a king, and we adored him very much. You can roll through our archives here -- I should do a Top 5 performances of his when I get a chance, but two late roles worth mentioning are his one-scene showstopper in The Secret Agent, which is rolling out this fall, and of course the incredible showcase for him that was 2021's Swan Song, reviewed right here. Cruel that Covid robbed that movie of a bigger rollout, but catch it now if you haven't yet. 

Udo Kier lives forever! He simply ascended to his true form which is too fucking fabulous for us peons to even see anymore. We’re lucky he ever let us look at him in the first place. Here’s some video I took of him two years ago — icon legend king

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— Jason Adams (@jamnpp.bsky.social) November 23, 2025 at 7:43 PM

I could go on and on about King Udo, but this brings me to the second terrible thing that happened this weekend -- I fell down some stairs and twisted my ankle a full 90 degrees and I'm laid up as fuck. I'm hopefully getting an X-ray today so we'll see what happens, but I can't imagine it will be too noisy here today given I'm a shell of a human being right this moment. It's not broken -- I can hobble around alright -- but it's also robbed me of what little will I was already barely working with. So talk to me about Udo in the comments, or don't, I'm around-ish. Udo forever! Jason for never!

Everything You Ever Need To Know About Life...

 ... you can learn from:

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)

Alice: I saw the "Waitress Wanted" sign. 

I said, "Why not?" So I took this job.

Flo: Well let me give you a hint.
Honey, unbutton that top button.

Alice: Really?

Flo: Yeah. If you bend over you get
more tips when you're working.

Alice: You're kidding me.

Flo: I'm not kidding. I got $50 last week.

Alice: Really?

Flo: Yeah.

Alice: Like that?

Flo: Yeah. Honey, forget what I said. 

You do that and I'm never going to get a tip again.

Terrible awful news to hear that Diane Ladd passed away today -- her daughter Laura Dern (maybe you've heard of her) released a statement saying "My amazing hero and my profound gift of a mother passed with me beside her this morning at her home in Ojai, California. She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created. We were blessed to have her. She is flying with her angels now.” I'm just going to assume that last line is a reference to Ladd's iconic role as Marietta in Wild At Heart where she recreates the Wicked Witch's broomstick flight:

I actually almost quoted that role for this post, but then I decided quoting her role as Dern's mother Helen on Mike's White's series Enlightened would be even better but I couldn't find a transcript of the script for that show's legendary episode all about Helen -- one of the great episodes of T.V. period, the end. She was so good on that show. Goddamn Enlightened was a masterpiece ahead of its time. 

Anyway from there that brought me to her lovely and hysterically funny performance in Martin Scorsese's great Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. I grew up watching the spin-off T.V. series Alice, my mom loved it, so I never saw Scorsese's film until I was an adult -- seeing Ladd's take on the grits-kissing role that Polly Holliday (who passed away earlier this year, marking a real bad year for Flos) had burned into my little brain was a surprise and a joy. She's wonderful in it. Anyway I kind of can't believe she passed away before Bruce Dern did (not to jinx anything -- sorry, Laura!) since Bruce has seemed so frail for so long, and so this came as a real surprise to me today. Rest in peace, icon.

 

RIP Robert Redford

I'm not gonna lie -- I've never been the world's biggest Redford fan. Note that he doesn't have a tag here on the site (even though he's come up plenty of times given his well-earned prominence in Hollywood history) -- it would probably be fair of me to go back and re-watch the movies of his I saw decades ago wherein I decided he didn't do much for me. Especially All the President's Men, which I have a feeling might resonate with me more today than it did when I was like 18 in the 90s. I did recently see Three Days of the Condor for the first time and... yeah. I still didn't get much from Redford. And let's state the obvious -- in movies like The Sting and Butch & Sundance I was just staring at Paul Newman. And I do want you to know I'm not talking specifically about attractiveness here -- I'm speaking more generally. As a performer he usually left me cold. I realize this is a shitty eulogy for the man, so I admit I nevertheless couldn't understate his importance to the film industry. I am not an idiot! Sundance and what it stood for, how it reshaped the entire industry, is a legacy above and beyond any quibbles I might have with what I personally was getting from him on-screen. He was a titan and more than earned his status. Also -- Quiz Show and Ordinary People are pretty much perfect films. No quibbling on that front. But please, to those of you who felt the Redford love, express it to me in the comments. I want to understand. What performances of his moved you? I'm not being incredulous or antagonistic here in the slightest -- I really do want to hear about it so when I re-watch some of this stuff I can try to find my way to a better appreaciation. 

Everything You Ever Need To Know About Life...

... you can learn from...

Thelma & Louise (1991)

Louise: Damn, Jimmy. What'd you do, take some 

kinda pill that makes you say all the right stuff? 

Jimmy: Yeah. I'm chokin' on it.

RIP Michael Madsen. Always such a cool cat.

Obviously his iconic Tarantino work rules the roost 

but I've always adored this performance in T&L too.

Why Don't You Take a Picture

I've been pushing my review of the Paul Reubens documentary Pee-wee as Himself pretty relentlessly all weekend -- I even posted about it on Instagram, with a little bonus bit you might not want to miss -- but now the time has come to push it here at MNPP. Go read it right here. I'm pretty proud of this one -- I can't overstate the importance of Paul and Pee-wee to being a big part of the brickwork that built up this weirdo standing before you today, and the doc does extremely right by him. Them? Him. If you haven't watched it yet, do! It's on HBO Max (if that's still what it's being called) now.

Quote of the Day

"A lot of people have donated to the David Lynch Foundation. It was something he was very passionate about. People can also follow Agent Cooper’s advice and give themselves a present every day. My father could not believe what was going on in the world politically, and it was very upsetting to him. People can be kind to each other. As much darkness as he was able to swim in and express, there was so much more light in his work. People can do nice things for other people in his name. That would make him very happy."

Y'all should go read Vanity Fair's interview with David Lynch's daughter, the director Jennifer Lynch today -- as sad as the subject is so many of her words moved me greatly. Above is her answer to the final question that she's asked, about what people could do in memorium of her father, and it's a perfect testament to his legacy. As she also says in the chat -- for all the darkness in his work there's just as much sweetness and light and joy. And with all the horrors we're seeing on the news every minute it's important to remember to keep those things alive and vital in your life. They can't win if we don't let them beat it out of us. Fix your hearts or die!

Everything You Ever Need To Know About Life...

... you can learn from:

Batman Forever (1995)

Robin: Holey rusted metal, Batman!

Batman: Huh?

Robin: The ground, it's all metal. 

It's full of holes. You know, holey. 

Batman: Oh.

Yes I do indeed maintain that the two Joel Schumacher Batman movies are brilliant in their embrace of camp entertainment -- I'm slightly partial to the Batman & Robin (although Clooney is lousy) but they're both such dumb fun and they really should be appreciated as such. Set aside your fears! Straight dudes especially can't seem to get them. Anyway that said, onto the sad reason we're here --  RIP to Val Kilmer. I wasn't ever that huge a fan of him but he certainly was a large and oft formative part of my childhood, gifting us with the volleyball and locker-room scenes in Top Gun, his leather pants in The Doors...

... and of course, the pièce de résistance, Willow. (I should actually send a text to one of my oldest best friends in the world and see how she's doing, as she's the world's biggest Willow fan.) Val was never really my bag but his moving scene in Maverick and the 2021 doc on him both endeared him to me more than he'd been at the height of his career, so I'm at least glad he's not in pain anymore. If you were a fan tell me about it in the comments!

Pics of the Day

I thought I'd said all I needed to say about last night's Oscars in my earlier post and we could move on (as I'm always so super anxious to do with awards season) -- but then I remembered that nominee Isabella Rossellini wore a blue velvet gown to honor David Lynch and I started crying again! Just a perfect tribute -- if the show itself couldn't be bothered save a five second placard in their "In Memorium" segment to honor the most important American filmmaker of the past oh let's say fifty years, then at least Isabella and her seat partner Laura Dern got to be front and center and do their own little visual tribute. Sad they couldn't get Kyle Maclachlan and Naomi Watts beside them, but every time they cut to these two it packed a wallop. The Oscars, you might recall with the righteous fury of indignation I too carry, only ever gave Lynch an Honorary Oscar, and his acceptance of it got shuffled off to a side-show. As I've said before that was my breaking point with truly giving a shit about these awards. The break that started with Brokeback officially broke then! Anyway bless these two queens for representing.

RIP MIchelle Trachtenberg

Incredibly shocking and sad news today as we learn that Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gossip Girl, Mysterious Skin and Harriet the Spy actress Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away at the far far far too young age of 39. I only started watching Buffy regularly in its fifth season (and had to go back and watch all the earlier seasons on DVD) so Michelle's character of Dawn never felt imposed on the show to me like it did to most people who watched the show from the start (of course that was part of the knowing wink of the character) -- anyway I was vehemently pro-Dawn and was always knocking back at the character's haters. I also got to interview Michelle in 2004 for the Abercrombie & Fitch Quarterly -- I tried to find the interview online but it doesn't seem to be anywhere. I've only done two interviews in my entire life (the other one being Michael Fassbender because how could I say no to that) because I am not a natural conversationalist (which should read: cripplingly shy) but I remember Michelle being lovely and sweet and funny in our phone convo. Our deepest condolences go out to all the people who knew and loved her. With the possibility of a Buffy reboot ahead we now have to wonder how they'll address this. How very very sad.

Pic of the Day

Fans left flowers and candles and photos memorializing David Lynch at the Bob's Big Boy statue in Burbank yesterday -- this might be the perfect Lynchian tribute. If you're not aware Lynch went to this this diner every day for seven years at 2:30 in the afternoon to have a coffee and a chocolate shake -- he said he went at that precise moment in the day because that was the time when the milkshake machine was working just right. (pic via) And here is a picture I have posted before, from happier times:

Good Morning, World

Yes I am still fully consumed with the loss of David Lynch -- don't expect this fire to die down any time soon. Sorry to belabor that metaphor and not to be morbid but given it's Lynch I think he would be interested in this himself -- I found myself thinking about his career-long fascination with fire and smoke ("Fire Walk With Me" et cetera) this morning, and the fact that it appears his death came about because of the combination of his previously revealed emphysema from years of chain smoking plus that being exacerbated by the Los Angeles wildfires and his having to be evacuated from his home because of them a few days ago and... well it's comsic and it's eerie, the way all of this is adding up. I miss him so much y'all. The world feels so much shittier knowing he's not out there.

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RIP David Lynch

I felt lucky at least once a week, but sometimes once or twice a day, to be alive at the same time as David Lynch. That might sound outlandish but it's not even the slightest bit of an exaggeration. His work walked with me. It inspired and scared and tickled me. He gave me a fresh way to look at the world -- he didn't just make movies. He reshaped my consciousness. And I don't say that in a religious way -- I never paid much attention to his Transcedental Meditation stuff, at least beyond the effect it had on his work. I mean that his work ingrained itself in my understanding of life, love, everything. 

And all of a sudden, thousands of robins were set free, and they flew down and brought this blinding light of love. And it seemed like that love would be the only thing that would make any difference. And it did.

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— Jason Adams (@jamnpp.bsky.social) January 16, 2025 at 1:34 PM

I cannot possibly overstate his influence, and now he's gone and I don't want to write. I never wanted to write this post, This obituary. As the man grew older I worried constantly about this moment. And now I just want to go to a movie theater and sit in the dark and watch his images for the next month of my life. I want to pay him proper respect and shut everything down for a period of actual, legitimate mourning. And celebration. There was no one like him in my life, and the world does indeed have a big hole in it now. I will no doubt have more to say on the man ahead, but today I can't. Go through our Lynch Archives to see some stuff. Below is his family's statement. Goodbye David, and thank you.

Everything You Ever Need To Know About Life...

 ... you can learn from:

All About My Mother (1999)

Huma: There are people who think that children are made in a day. But it takes a long time, a very long time. That's why it's so awful to see your child's blood on the ground. A stream that flows for a minute yet costs us years. When I found my son, he was lying in the middle of the street. I soaked my hands in his blood and I licked them. Because it was mine. Animals lick their young, don't they? I'm not disgusted by my son. You don't know what it's like. In a monstrance of glass and topaz. I would put the earth soaked by his blood.

Rest in peace to the legend and icon and Almodóvarian goddess Marisa Paredes, who apparently just passed at the age of 78. What a loss! You could spend the remainder of 2024 watching her great films and not have enough time to finish them all. And hell that'd be a gorgeous way to ring out the year. I'm going to have to at least do a couple of the Almodóvars. I haven't seen The Flower of my Secret in a long time.

RIP Paul Morrissey

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Rest In Peas, Veal, Cream Sauce, Et Cetera

Today marks the 31st anniversary of the death of my hero, the legend Vincent Price, and y'all know what that means -- my annual Vincent Price Dinner is happening this weekend! Stewed and brewed from the dusty, blood-scrawled pages of Price's legendary cookbook Treasures of Great Recipes, we've been having a select group of special people over every October for several years now and dining like Vincent did -- he did us a solid by kicking the proverbial bucket (I say that with love!) right before Halloween so it makes for a perfect grown-up way to have a Halloween party. Cocktails, heavy meats, and spooky thoughts, oh my! Anyway those are my weekend plans -- y'all have a good one and celebrate Vincent in whatever way you see fit! And if I have any good photos to post I will post them on the Insta per usual... 

Everything You Ever Need To Know About Life...

 ... you can learn from:

Ashes of Time (1994)

Ou-yang Feng: People say, when you can't have what you want,
the best you can do is not to forget.

The great Leslie Cheung would've turned 68 today. 

We miss you, Leslie!