cover image Hilhaven Lodge: The Photo Booth Pictures

Hilhaven Lodge: The Photo Booth Pictures

Brett Ratner. powerHouse Books, $35 (216pp) ISBN 978-1-57687-195-9

Film and music video director Ratner's (Rush Hour; The Family Man) collection of four-panel snapshots show many of show biz's brightest as they grin, leer or vamp it up for the black-and-white photo booth in his Hilhaven Lodge (the former home of Ingrid Bergman). Naomi Watts, Chelsea Clinton, Michael Jackson and dozens of others pose happily; Brooke Shields exposes a very pregnant belly, Brendan Fraser and Don Rickles make funny faces and Paul Walker hoists his middle finger. Britney Spears appears cutely disheveled in a pair of glasses and more clothing than she usually sports by far, while Rod Stewart looks like he's been carved out of oak. Famous folks seem pretty ordinary without all the makeup artists and airbrushing, which makes this a strangely compelling book to thumb through.