Review: Black Hollywood

“This is not just a book for Black people. It’s a book for *all people* about Black people.” Front matter, emphasis from the author

Black Hollywood: Reimagining Iconic Movie Moments by Carell Augustus.
Ebony Magazine Publishing with Sourcebooks, Naperville, Illinois, 2022.
Art book, 230 pages.
Not leveled.

Photographs from an eleven year project to recreate iconic movie posters, screen moments, and pinups with Black models.

Black Hollywood: Reimagining Iconic Movie Moments by Carell Augustus.

Over the last few years I’ve been trying to expand our art collection. We’ve reached the “some disposable income” stage but definitely not the “buy independent artworks” level of wealth. Libraries, digital collections, and museums have been wonderful but I’d like to have more at home. Thus calendars, postcards, and art books! 

Because art books tend to be pricey, I usually research and apply coupons, wait for seasonal sales, or buy used. This one was more of an impulse purchase – saw a new copy at 50% discount and bought it without the previewing that I normally would have done.

You know how some kids are really into sneakers, or horses, or rap, or drawing? I was a book kid and always have been, so movies, television, and such tend to be what other people around me want to watch, rather than something I seek out. Honestly, I’d probably only heard of maybe half the movies or people in this book. But I still loved it. 

Pages 20 and 21 of Black Hollywood include a scene from Fight Club with all the characters modeled by Wesley Jonathan and notes from both the model and photographer.

Augustus recreates a wide variety of films including comedies, science fiction, horror, and action movies, as well as some portrayals of specific people (like Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin). The majority, although not all, of his models are actors and actresses. 

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