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Grady Harp is an Amazon Top 10 Reviewer
IMPOSTERS
James Knoblauch , photographer and writer, Shawna Kenney , commentary
IMPOSTERS is a collection of photographs with commentary taken from life on Hollywood Boulevard, in Hollywood. For years all manner of people have, for various reasons not the least of which is the money in tips they enjoy, dressed as famous stars or characters from the movies, parading up and down Hollywood Boulevard, preening for the tourists, and acting out fantasies of their own.
Photographer James Knoblauch has captured 36 of these ‘imposters’, people of all types who daily don the garb of famous figures and walk the Boulevard in a particular type of performance art! Not only is the experience of viewing this book entertainingly funny, but it is also touching. It is very Hollywood in every sense of the connotation.Knoblauch interviewed and made formal photographs of these 36 ’actors’ in their own spaces. The brilliantly colorful photographs are posed, yes, but then that is in keeping with the concept of being an imposter. The characters range from Marilyn Monroe, Mae West, Lucille Ball, Jimi Hendrix, Austin Powers, and of course Elvis Presley, to comic creations such as Bugs Bunny, the Simpsons, Sponge Bob, Shrek, Yoda, Chewbacca, the Hulk, Batman, Superman, Captain America and Spiderman, to Freddy Kreuger, Jack Sparrow from the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, Wolverine, Snow White and yes, more.
The images are full of life and are allowed the honor of a full page format, opposite which is a brief question and answer blurb that includes the artists’ hometowns/countries, background, education, motivation for being an Imposter, the money they make – all tidbits that unveil the person beneath the costume.
At the beginning of the book is a fine essay by Shawna Kenny who grew up not far form Hollywood Boulevard and has realtime experience in observing and getting to know these ‘imposters’. Her insights into the lifestyles of the various characters and the whole business of working the Boulevard as an actor is as humorous as it is informative. The essay is illustrated by some street shots of the imposters in action. At the close of the book Kenny’s interview with filmmaker David Markey sheds even more light on the concept of the Imposters and their place in the landscape of Hollywood.
This is a beautifully designed, coffee table book (in the best sense of the term) that is guaranteed to entertain and inform – a book no Los Angeles dweller should be without and a genuine memento from the glitzy space we know as Hollywood. And it is all true!
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