Documentary ·Animation · United States of America · 2016 · 6m

Toback Vs. Mailer: The Incident

Director

Cast

James Toback as Self (voice) Michael Chaiken as Self (voice) Hailey Benton Gates as (voice) Larry Sloman as (voice) Jacob Perlin as (voice) Buddy Duress as The Waiter (voice)

Crew

Sean Price Williams — Director of Photography Christopher Messina — Director of Photography Benny Safdie — Editor Isaiah Barr — Original Music Composer Christopher Isenberg — Producer Adam Shopkorn — Producer

Tagline

Betting, boxing, and boozing.

Synopsis

Directed by Josh and Benny Safdie, this punchy short features James Toback recounting a bizarre, years-long rivalry sparked by a drunken argument with Norman Mailer over bourbon versus Scotch—an ego duel that escalates from boozy barbs to a tense Jets–Browns stare-down and a few jabs to the gut. A brisk, first-person tale of bravado, celebrity circles, and the fine line between literary legend and street-corner scuffle.

Key Collaborators

Benny Safdie Director Josh Safdie Director Sean Price Williams Director of Photography Christopher Messina Director of Photography Benny Safdie Editor Isaiah Barr Original Music Composer Christopher Isenberg Producer Adam Shopkorn Producer

Follow the Thread

Benny Safdie directed Toback Vs. Mailer: The Incident. Explore their complete filmography and the collaborators who shaped their vision.

Benny Safdie's filmography → Josh Safdie's filmography → More Documentary → More Animation → Sean Price Williams's cinematography → Christopher Messina's cinematography →

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