Photographer Howard Schatz challenged one hundred working actors including some of the biggest names in Hollywood like Patrick Stewart, James Earl Jones and Rosemary Harris along with a number of character actors to react to a series of one-line scenarios in front of his discerning lens. Close-ups, focused just on the face with the occasional use of hand gestures puts the emphasis squarely on non-vocal communication, the result is a stunning look of the actors craft and the subtle yet universal language of facial features in all their nuances.
Henry Winkler’s portrayal of the frustration that comes with “you are…just hearing from your accountant that the silver mining tax shelter you’ve been declaring for the past five years has been disallowed by the IRS” rings as true as the suspicion and fear of “…taking a late-night shortcut through a back alley in a bad neighborhood, hearing the echo of your own footsteps.” His nose high, smug response to “…the best and most-hated girl in class basking in parental applause after a solo recital” is spot-on and just too funny.
Some, like Bob Balaban display minor, barely there responses while others like Rosie Perez pull out all the stops with broad, sweeping expression changes that leave little doubt what she is feeling. The different styles utilized by the actors, the variety of scenarios and Schatz’s all seeing lens make for a fascinating look at the art of acting. Artist observations about their roles, sources of inspiration and short biographies round out the photography and make this a nicely balanced addition to the coffee table.
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