Customer Reviews

Hair [VHS]

5 star:		(98)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

If "Hair" were only a period piece, it would still be wonderful entertainment - but it's so much more. Previous reviewers have already spoken for me in praising this film's astonishing energy, its fine acting (not stereotypes, but iconic characters), and its forever-fresh-as-a-summer-flower soundtrack. I can only agree with them completely, and add my positive vote to theirs. This is a highly (no pun intended) recommended film!

But I'd like to emphasize something else now. Those reviewers who complain about the film being dated are missing an important point. Love, friendship, joy, exuberance - these things are never out of date. And it raises an interesting question: why are some people so embarrassed and downright afraid of the so-called "hippie-dippy" aspect of this movie, and the years it captures so well? Possibly because it goes against the current wisdom, which claims that the uglier and nastier and more downbeat something is, the truer it is.

Well, no one is claiming that this is a perfect world - far from it! - but there is still plenty of joy and beauty and magic to be found in it! Yes, in too many ways it's a more cynical world now ... which is all the more reason to celebrate and uphold those naïve, utterly necessary values. Don't be afraid of looking foolish, don't worry about having to be cool and detached all the time, don't be afraid to embrace the Universe and exult in it - let the sunshine in!

I saw "Hair" three times in two days when it first came out in the theaters, and I have watched it every chance I've had since then. I was 12 when the Vietnam War ended, but the anti-war passion of this film hits me anyway. Beyond that, there are great performances by Treat Williams, Beverly D'Angelo (who, as one other reviewer pointed out, is one of the great underrated actresses working today) and John Savage. And beyond THAT there is the astonishing music -- "Aquarius" (sing along, now), "Hair", "I Got Life" and "Let the Sun Shine", which makes tears run down my face every time I see it, even if I see it for the 100th time. This is a magnificent piece of filmmaking, and I don't care if the Broadway show was better or different or more soulful or whatever -- each product stands or falls on its own. "Hair" stands proud 20 years after it was made, and I think it's going to stand proud for a long time to come. To the reader in Israel -- I hope you get to go to Woodstock!

Yes, 5 STARS! That said, I find my rave of this film odd...I can say that "Hair" is the worst film I've ever loved. And I don't mean "worst film" in that "B-Movie, Camp Classic, so bad it's good..." What I mean to say is that there are major weaknesses in this production, but the strengths outweigh the minuses to the point that I still say 5 STARS and MUST SEE! Let me pick on the movie's sorry points first: I was one of those Hair fanatics in my teens (late 70s, there were lots of us "Boy weren't the 60s cool?" types back then), and I loved the storyline of teen hippie Claude Bukowski's fantasies about becoming a Brit instead of a Flushing, NY middle class adolescent, being a blossoming film producer, debating whether to answer Uncle Sam's draft notices... the film transforms Claude into an Oklahoma boy who befriends hippies in NYC, and he breaks out singing "Manchester, England" (in the play, Claude's theme song where he proclaims himself a Brit and film mogul) out of nowhere, with no explanation as to why he's singing these lyrics(other than another character saying "he just got off the boat," when in fact, he arrived to New York by bus). Mix a few other songs that have nothing to do with the story with some embarrassing dialogue, and you will cringe, looking for the exit sign.....BUT WAIT! There's more, and it's damn good! Whether the songs fit the plot or not, whether lame lines lead into the musical numbers, the dance choreography and singers keep this film in the "worth your $$$$$ and time" range. Dance legend Twyla Tharp choreographed this potential mess into a beautiful display of dance. She put such a unique spin into the dance numbers that even a "layman of dance" like myself could appreciate. I am still floored every time I see numbers like "Aquarius," "Ain't Got No," and "Hare Krishna." I have become a fanboy of Ms. Tharp; you see this creativity in her dance numbers just shy of coming off as esoteric to a layman like myself, but instead of talking down to me, it wins me over. It's artsy, yet salacious enough to seduce my senses! Add actors with a sweet presence like Treat Williams, Dorsey Wright, Beverly D'Angelo and John Savage to the mix, and the bad dialogue doesn't hurt as much as it should! Melba's Moore's rendition of "Aquarius" is fantastic; this might sound like sacrilege to "Hair" fanatics, but this version of "Aquarius" matches up with Ronnie Dyson's in the Original Broadway Cast. This DVD is great viewing, even if you've never experienced "Hair" before!

<I>Hair</i> is a movie near to my heart; I saw it when it was released (I was ten) and loved it, enchanted by the music. As an adult I find it still works.

What's remarkable is that Forman created film that has endured out of a stage play that hasn't. Ever wonder why the show hasn't been revived on Broadway? Well, that would be because it's a horrifically grating, plotless mess...

Which is why it's wonderful to hear the really great music, minus the awful book. The movie imposes a simple plot, nothing terribly interesting but totally serviceable. Performances are mostly dead-on, with a fantastic cameo by a young Nell Carter (another by Betty Buckley). Twyla Tharp's sharply lyrical choreography manages to feel completely impromptu and totally intentional. Impressive cinematography makes it a great film to look at, too, especially the devastating shot of soldiers boarding a transport plane at dawn.

Of course, the messy play much better reflects the 60s than this well-ordered film. But which would you rather watch?

I grew up with Reagan and recession and Republicans I couldn't get away from. From the time I was about 10, I can remember turning on the TV (before cable was common) and seeing snippets of some weird, hippie musical. I was probably 18 before I actually saw the movie start to finish and it changed my outlook on life. It was okay to be myself, express myself despite everything I had been taught. Are you curious about what happens outside your everyday experience? Watch this movie. You may not be a hippie, but its speaks to the freedom upon which this country is based-be yourself!

I have been a fan of the broadway score since the play's debut. The music in the movie version is exceptional. However, they skipped one of the most enlightening songs based on a Sheakspear monologe caled, "What A Piece of Work Is Man". Ronnie Dyson sang it as a duet on Broadway. The piece of music is so capturing of what that original play was trying to infer about American culture, in fact HUMAN cultures everywhere! But it was not included in the movie. Twyalla (sp?) Tharp's choreography is astondingly beautiful. This movie was release before her career hit the height and you can see why she became so popular. The songs; Ain't Got No, Hair and Aquarius are simply cinimatic beauty. All the voices are really good. And the tripping in the park scene was really good. The reality of the shows untimely release comes from a lot of establishment resistence to the play back in the 1960's. It played so effectively in 1966 and shocked the heck out of a lot of folks, but the thirteen year wait to put it on screen is really too bad. They used to shoot hippies back in the 1960's! The one reviewer is right in that the world is not like that anymore. The fact is it NEVER was like that. The movie sort of drew a picture of that time in American culture and made it okay. The turmoil is missing. Only in San Fransico and New York is very VERY small areas where hippies free to express themselves. Remember too that the Jim Crow laws were alive and the civil rights movement was just gaining steem in 1966. The movie presents a tempered view of those years. But I admit, it is still a fun show to watch! Treat does an admirable job of capturing Burger's naivity and Jon Savage does a good job capturing Claude's innocence. All and all it is a good movie. Good spin!

"Where do I go?" That's one of the songs that Claude (John Savage) sings at one point in this film.

This movie feels like you've stepped into a time machine and gone back to the late '60's when the Vietnam war was in effect, and you get a feeling of what it was like to live during that time of protest, etc.

The story, although flimsy, is an interesting one. Berger (Treat Williams) takes the young draft-to-be, Claude, gets him hooked on drugs and parades him around Central Park. The show-stopper is definetly "I Got Life," however that seems to be overshadowed by "Let The Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)." "Black Boys/White Boys" has got to be the funniest scene in the movie! I laughed so hard that I could hardly catch my breath! It's hillarious!

I cannot watch the last twenty minutes of the film, though. When you order this movie, I think you'll see why.

One question lingers in my mind, though. I have to quote Claude, again. Will we ever "discover why we live and die?"

I must say that you don't have to be from the sixties to love this movie (I was born in '85). This movie captures the innocence of childhood and the bliss of ignorance being taken away by war (Vietnam in this case- Iraq in today's world). This is the first time I have ever experienced "Hair," and I hope that it won't be my last! John Savage is perfect as Claude- he tries to act dignified and thinks himself above the group of hippies, but really he has a lot to learn about life. Treat Williams shows a stunning performance as Berger (the last ten minutes of the movie made me cry! Why BERGER?!). The movie shows an "innocent" America being dragged through the mud by a war that shows everyone how real death is. There are some very funny parts like when Berger and his friends sneak into a high class, rich party, and the song "Hair" is wonderful, and also the song about white boys and black boys was very funny. If you don't cry at the end of the movie, I will be very surprised! The choreography in the movie is breath taking and the music wonderful. The DVD is ok but not exceptional because it doesn't have that many extras. The Special Features contain an "Original Theatrical Poster Gallery" in which you can browse through different posters for the movie, and there is also the "theatrical trailer." If you don't want to buy the DVD, I highly recommend at least renting it like I did! I'm thinking about buying it now. VERY BEAUTIFULLY DONE!!!

I always have to laugh at the so called purists who always say the play is better or the book is better. Yes, the show is different from the film. It has to be like that for the story to translate to the screen. Know why?, because the screen is not a stage! This film Hair was brilliant and I've seen and LIKED the show, too. Foreman used a certain look for the film that gave a haunting and thrilling mood to it all. And, the final images as the troops all walk into the darkness (actually an aiplane going to Vietnam) is so unsettling. Besides this film has Beverly D'Angelo who is such an underrated actress and one of this countries most versatile. Also Annie Golden whom you'll just fall in love with.

I saw this at the theaters when it came out and have never forgotten it. It changed my teenage years by making me more aware of Vietnam, injustice, race relations, the hippie subculture and drugs. I wanted to meet these characters and be them. I know every song by heart having worn out my cassette tape at the time. I still listen to the music and watch the movie every year or so. Yes it is different from the play but it still is very moving. And I can't watch the last 20 minutes either.