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Off the Fantastic

The Reinactors

David J. MARKEY

USA2008 95min Digi-Beta Color Asian Premiere

Synopsis

This serene, disinterested documentary presents interviews with Hollywood reinactors, people who make a living by impersonating famous movie characters and celebrities. And what opens the film is a guy stepping out onto the street, starting to walk. Wait, isn't he? Yes, that's him. Freddy KRUEGER, from the Nightmare On Elm Street series! Oblivious to our suspicion, he strides to the jolly tunes, with the famous Hollywood sign looming over him in the background. In the so-called dream factory, believe or not, there are professional reinactors, for whom impersonation is not for fun or for fetish. They pose for tourists, charging a buck per picture, trying to survive, struggling like we all do. They fight for "hot" characters/stars, constantly upgrade their gigs, and even risk getting arrested for the props they use, all for the sake of survival in the LaLa Land. The duality, the irony, the reality of living and working in one of the most coveted places on earth poses questions not easy to answer. (MO Eun Young)

Diretor

David J. MARKEY

Director David J. Markey’s camera peers unflinchingly into the exploits and misadventures of film character impersonators and celebrity look-a-likes on Hollywood Boulevard over the span of a year. Recognizable characters and stars of movies are portrayed by anyone who chooses to buy the costume and brave the mean streets of Hollyweird.  These self-employed rouges forge a living one-dollar at a time, posing for photos with tourists in front of Graumen's Chinese Theater. Freddy Krueger works alongside Superman, Marylyn Monroe, Shrek, Batman, Borat and Lucy Ricardo.  Competing Chewbacca’s, Spiderman and Captain Jack Sparrows vie for a spot on the limited real estate of The Walk Of Fame.  These street characters have big dreams of breaking into the big-time, and most see this as a viable way.  Some see themselves as undiscovered stars, while others are just struggling to make ends meet.