Hair (1979)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Milos Forman

Writers:

Gerome Ragni (musical book) and
James Rado (musical book) ...

Release Date:

12 July 1979 (West Germany)

Genre:

Musical | Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Let the sun shine in! [USA theatrical]

Plot:

Claude leaves the family ranch in Oklahoma for New York where he is rapidly indoctrinated into the youth subculture and subsequently drafted.

Plot Keywords:

New York | Friendship | Vietnam War | Rock Musical | Summer Of Love

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. July 20

4:00 AM

TCM

Cast

John Savage	...	Claude Hooper Bukowski
Treat Williams	...	George Berger
Beverly D'Angelo	...	Sheila Franklin
Annie Golden	...	Jeannie Ryan
Dorsey Wright	...	Lafayette aka Hud
Don Dacus	...	Woof
Cheryl Barnes	...	Hud's Fiancee
Richard Bright	...	Fenton
Nicholas Ray	...	The General
Charlotte Rae	...	Lady in Pink
Miles Chapin	...	Steve Franklin
Fern Tailer	...	Sheila's Mother
Charles Denny	...	Sheila's Father
Herman Meckler	...	Sheila's Uncle
Agness Breen	...	Sheila's Aunt

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

USA | West Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Brazil:16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Norway:12 | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:6 | Netherlands:AL

Filming Locations:

Bandshell, Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

CIP Filmproduktion GmbH

Trivia:

The words in the closing number, entitled 'The Flesh Failures', contain lines from 'William Shakespeare''s Romeo and Juliet. The words come from Romeo's death scene before drinking the poison. Phrases such as 'Eyes, Look your Last, Arms take your last embrace' and 'The lips, oh you the doors, of breath, sealed with a righteous kiss' are all from Romeo's final monologue.

Goofs:

Continuity: While Steve and Sheila are driving to the school on their own, Sheila's hair is straight. After Berger "joins" them, it is curly.

Quotes:

Prison Psychiatrist: And men?
Woof: What do you mean...?
Prison Psychiatrist: You have any sexual attraction towards men?
Woof: You mean if I'm a homosexual or something like that?
Prison Psychiatrist: Yeah.
Woof: Well, I wouldn't kick Mick Jagger out of my bed, but uh, I'm not a homosexual, no.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

Soundtrack:

Hashish

Timeless

I first saw this film in the early 80's on cable. It was unique as a statement about the sixties, culture, war, music, race, and a bunch of things I'm certain I missed. However about a year ago it came back into my life as I started enjoying it with my son. He's a little young (9) for a lot of the themes in it, but he understands dancing hippies are fun to watch, and he gets the idea that end is ironic. While I can't think of other films in this genre, it does have a stand alone genius I love. It also does a unique justice to Central Park. Most musicals are lost on me, one way or another. "Tommy" was over the top and heavy handed in direction, "Oliver" seemed like crowd control on the silver screen, "The Wall" was so much abstract self important and indulgent dribble, but listening to "Failure of the Flesh" from Hair sounds right for our times today, as it did in the eighties, as it must have in the sixties...truly Timeless.