Hollywood, Beverly Hills & Other Perversities: Pop Culture of the 1970s and 1980s.
Rose, George -- Library Journal, 10/14/2008 7:29:00 AM
Ten Speed. Oct. 2008. 192p. photogs. ISBN 978-1-58008-924-1. $30. PHOTOGRAPHY
Rose, an LA Times press photographer in the 1970s and 80s, interacted with celebrities of every ilk, from old Hollywood royalty (Cary Grant, Gene Kelly) to then climbing stars (Meryl Streep, John Travolta) and one-hit wonders (Bo Derek, Farah Fawcett with frightening teeth) as well as writers (Truman Capote, Pete Hamill), singers (Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton) sports figures (Tommy Lasorda, Steve Howe), politicians (Presidents Ford, Reagan), the works. Although there are some straight posed portraits, Rose offers more than your standard collection of icon shots as he catches many of the beautiful people looking awful (wonderful shot of a fat-as-a-cow Liz Taylor). He also catches the city’s mood at the time by including pix of club-hopping punks, disco queens, and gun-toting gangbangers. Readers also get a feel for the feeding frenzy nature of the work in several shots of paparazzi firing squads jammed together blasting away. Typical of press shooters, all pix are in glorious black and white (camera heads will enjoy seeing the Nikon Fs and Rolli TLRs with giant handle flashes and other oversized gear of the day). Overall, a fun and facinating time capsule capturing the decadence of a time and place. Recommended for photography collections.—Mike Rogers, LJX/LJ
