Conversations with a Monster

A busker on Hollywood Boulevard with an affinity for classic horror films reflects on his life and troubles. Jonah Bergman’s “Conversations with a Monster” is a docu-fictional portrait of a nostalgic L.A. persona captured on the textures of Super 8mm film. The middle-aged man touches up his green face paint in the mirror while a mumbling keyboard plays. He wakes up at 7am every morning to hit the streets and pose for the pedestrians. While we observe him in the element, we’re treated to a crass, but honest, interview where he reflects on his life as a busker, the surreal dreams he has, and occasional romantic encounters. It’s an endearing snapshot that has the feeling of an old home video recently discovered from a dusty storage bin. -JM. Director: Jonah Bergman, Cast: Art Byington, Maria Camacho, Antonia Capobianco, Megan Blake, Angel O Alvarez DP: Chance Gray, Charlie Walker Costumes: Skye Clark Produced by: Primordial Freak.