The 2007 documentary directed by Mawthew Ogens entitled Confessions of a Superhero, possess so many different layers to examine, that the film can be pigeonholed as a take on wacky street performers, Hollywood hopefuls or just crazy people. The wide breadth of different people interviewed for the film, no matter their then current situations, personal and otherwise, makes the film seem like something larger than it should be. It’s a sociological study, a look at the fringes of society and an investigation of the less glamorous side to living within the media scope of Hollywood and really all of California.

Apparently, there’re scores of people milling around outside of Grumman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood. And it seems that amongst the tourists, there’s a clutch of folks engaged in working on breaking into the biz. Dressed up like anyone from Elmo to the Hulk, these would be stars figure a few things: first that posing for photos while wearing a costume isn’t the worst way to make a buck and two that if they each keep at it, they’ll get discovered.

There’s probably been an instance of some street performer being plucked from obscurity in the near past and being propelled to stardom. I just can’t think of one.

What Ogens and his film does, though, is to examine a few of these performers as people, not so much as would be stars – even if there’s a bit of that. During candid interviews with a Superwoman), a Batman, a Superman and the Hulk, personal stuff is brought out as much as professional, if that terms applicable here.

Superman is obsessed with his character, beyond what could ever be perceived as normal. He is, however, dating a PhD student in psychology. It makes for interesting interviews. And taking a peak into his home life, where Superman’s apartment is over run with memorabilia, viewers should get a sinking feeling. He does manage to get married by film’s end even if he’s attired in those unflattering tights.

Either he or Batman are the most disconcerting tails. But Superwoman ditched a normal, if not bucolic life to walk around on the sidewalk. The Hulk, though, seems to be doing alright – for the moment, at least. And by the film’s conclusion, he’s landed a small role in a B-movie as some bad guy’s sidekick. It’s better than his previous homelessness. But who knows what’s next?

Nobody. And that’s why hearing these folks guess at it all is so entertaining. Just ignore that sinking feeling.