Hilhaven Lodge: The Photo Booth Pictures Book

When director Brett Ratner (Rush Hour, Family Man, Red Dragon) bought Hilhaven Lodge, the former home of Ingrid Bergman, his first purchase was an old-school black-and-white photo booth. Hilhaven Lodge: The Photo Booth Pictures captures--in candid, four-panel glory--the revolving door of A-listers who have passed through chez Ratner and stopped to strike a pose. Things kick off with a meandering, though entertaining, introduction from the legendary Robert Evans (don't worry, he's in there--page 177). The photos are then alphabetized by first name--from Aaliyah to Zhang Ziyi--allowing for some surprising pairings: Don Cheadle and Don Rickles, Quentin Tarantino and Quincy Jones, and the sign-of-the-apocalypse match-up of Michael Jackson across the page from Mickey Rourke clutching a Chihuahua. When faced with the prospect of posing it seems that most subjects do one of the following: Stick Out Their Tongue (Estella Warren, Jackie Chan), Mug (Britney Spears, Danny DeVito), Vamp (Gina Gershon, Rebecca Gayheart); Kiss (Bridget Fonda and Danny Elfman, Edward Norton and Selma Hayek), or Flip the Bird (Lara Flynn Boyle, Philip Seymour Hoffman). Paris Hilton pops up (as expected) along with Leonardo DiCaprio, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, and Chelsea Clinton. Christopher Penn looks like he's daring you to take the first swing, and, sporting a shaved head and thick goatee, Colin Farrell perfects the Escaped Con on a Bender look. And even without aid from their stylists or special lighting, there's no denying the natural glamour in some of these candid photos--Matthew McConaughey, Monica Bellucci, and Heidi Klum's snapshots sizzle. You'll want to clear off a VIP spot on your coffee table for Hilhaven Lodge, one very cool and austere collection. --Brad Thomas ParsonsRead More