superheros and “the king of kong”

i am documentary nut. i suppose that’s why i read so much non-fiction as well. last night i checked out “confessions of a superhero” which details the lives of four character posers on hollywood blvd. these people go out, presumably every day, and dress in superhero costumes to pose for pictures with tourists. they work solely on tips and on good days do pretty darn well.

this was a tough movie to watch and as an actor myself, not one i enjoyed. they all seemed to not mind what they were doing and viewed it as a vehicle which allowed them to make auditions when they could. but i found myself cringing because i could never, ever, do what they are doing. i don’t know many people who could. i would rather hold a sign and just ask for money rather than have to barter with tourists so that i could get paid for taking a picture with them. when i was in italy they have gladiators outside the colisseum that do the same thing. i wouldn’t take a picture with them. not because i didn’t want to pay but because i don’t get it. superheros don’t exist. gladiators are long gone. i’d rather stand in front of a building than pose with some badly outfitted lookalike.

this documentary didn’t have me rooting for these people like “the king of kong“. that documentary followed two men who were competing to be the best donkey kong player in america. one of the reasons the movie was so charming was that billy mitchell was such a unlikeable character and steve wiebe was endearing. you had the classic good vs. evil scenario and i laughed, cried, the whole nine yards. its worth renting if you like documentaries and especially if you remember the heyday of nintendo and atari.