X / Pearl

Last December, I calculated the screen time data for Ti West’s X on paid request (if you’re unaware, I shut down my Patreon earlier this year because I no longer have time to fulfill requests regularly). I hadn’t yet seen it but am glad I was given the excuse to, and I’m thankful that the brilliant series it launched exists. A few months after rewatching it and then immediately watching Pearl for the first time, I’ve now got the data for the prequel, which basically shook out the way I expected it would, with only a few slight surprises.

Obviously, I knew Mia Goth would dominate her cast mates here, but I was wrong in thinking she’d comfortably cross the 80% mark. One thing that blew my mind is that the kitchen table long take (from about 1:20:30 - 1:26:00) lasts THREE TIMES longer than the final credits one, although I do remember feeling the former’s length on my first watch. And I mean that in a good way – Goth is such a phenomenally mesmerizing actress and I love that these well-crafted films have given her ample opportunity to showcase her talent. I also have to sing the praises of her two sets of costars, especially Brittany Snow, Emma Jenkins-Purro, and TANDI. WRIGHT.

So far, Goth’s total series screen time is 2:12:44 (63.72%), with 1:42:12 (49.06%) as Pearl and 34:19 (16.47%) as Maxine. Based on its cast, I don’t expect her to have as much screen time in MaXXXine as she does in Pearl, but that doesn’t diminish my excitement to watch her bring this fascinating story home. For now at least, you can find the data for X and Pearl on the Beyond the Oscars - misc. film performances page. Even after I time MaXXXine, I doubt I’ll move the films to the Film Series page since Goth is supposedly the only consistent actor in the trilogy. After applying the same logic to Tim Burton’s Batman films and even the first two Scary Movie entries, I envision this being a similar case. Again, I truly, truly can’t wait to see how Maxine’s (and Pearl’s?) story ends.