Claude Bukowski leaves the family ranch in Oklahoma for New York where he is rapidly embraced into the hippie group of youngsters led by Berger, yet he's already been drafted. He soon falls in love with Sheila Franklin, a rich girl but still a rebel inside.
Unable to deal with her parents, Jeannie Tyne runs away from home. Larry and Lyne Tyne search for her, and in the process meet other people whose children ran away. With their children gone... See full summary »
A young black pianist becomes embroiled in the lives of an upper-class white family set among the racial tensions, infidelity, violence, and other nostalgic events in early 1900s New York City.
Director:
Milos Forman
Stars:
James Cagney,
Elizabeth McGovern,
Howard E. Rollins Jr.
France before 1789: When a widow hears that her lover is to marry her cousin's daughter, she asks the playboy Valmont to take the girl's virginity. But first she bets him, with her body as prize, to seduce a virtuous, young, married woman.
Eight acclaimed filmmakers bring their unique and differing perspectives to the 1972 Summer Olympic Games held in Munich. The segments include Claude Lelouch's take on Olympic losers and ... See full summary »
A factory manager in rural Czechoslovakia bargains with the army to send men to the area, to boost the morale of his young female workers, deprived of male company since the local boys have... See full summary »
Director:
Milos Forman
Stars:
Hana Brejchová,
Vladimír Pucholt,
Vladimír Mensík
The life, success and troubles of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as told by Antonio Salieri, the contemporaneous composer who was insanely jealous of Mozart's talent and claimed to have murdered him.
Director:
Milos Forman
Stars:
F. Murray Abraham,
Tom Hulce,
Elizabeth Berridge
This movie, based on the cult Broadway musical of the 60s, tells a story about Claude, a young man from Oklahoma who comes to New York City. There he strikes up a friendship with a group of hippies, led by Berger, and falls in love with Sheila, a girl from a rich family. However, their happiness is short because Claude must go to the Vietnam war.Written by
Dragan Antulov <dragan.antulov@altbbs.fido.hr>
Debut cinema movie produced screenplay written by screenwriter Michael Weller. See more »
Goofs
Most of the recruits in Bukowski's barracks have hair longer than permitted including Bukowski himself. See more »
Quotes
Sheila:
[after receiving Claude's letter]
So, I was thinking of writing him. What should I say?
Jeannie:
Oh! I wanna say something! I wanna say... um... tell him I said... um... Jeannie says 'Hi!'
See more »
The original stage show was a gem, but there was no practical way of reproducing its essence on film, so it appears the story was almost completely rewritten and the staging redone for the film version.
What was filmed is lively and a fun depiction of the hippie movement as it never was. Then again, most musicals reach into fantasy just a bit to give the audience the escapism reason for wanting to see movies. The movie of Hair is presented in a very main-streamed format (unlike the stage show) and leaves out the major protests of the stage show against pollution (I understand that DOW Chemicals was a major financial backer of the movie, so that might explain the omission of all pollution references and songs - although they are on the soundtrack) as well as most references to the politics of the era or the plight of black soldiers in combat. Gone, too, are most of the conflicts between the younger and older generations.
This film, however, works for what it is: a musical fantasy that should not be taken seriously or as a depiction of real history. The songs that made it to the film are just as full of energy as they were on the stage, and the new story line (for the most part) is well done. The ending, sadly, goes over the top and alters the whole focus of what had been the building conflict within the plot.
Overall, it is an enjoyable musical involving a very sad time in this nation's history. Unfortunately, the profundity of the stage show is lost, and most people will only ever know the frivolity of this film rather than the beauty and depth of the original musical.
16 of 27 people found this review helpful.
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The original stage show was a gem, but there was no practical way of reproducing its essence on film, so it appears the story was almost completely rewritten and the staging redone for the film version.
What was filmed is lively and a fun depiction of the hippie movement as it never was. Then again, most musicals reach into fantasy just a bit to give the audience the escapism reason for wanting to see movies. The movie of Hair is presented in a very main-streamed format (unlike the stage show) and leaves out the major protests of the stage show against pollution (I understand that DOW Chemicals was a major financial backer of the movie, so that might explain the omission of all pollution references and songs - although they are on the soundtrack) as well as most references to the politics of the era or the plight of black soldiers in combat. Gone, too, are most of the conflicts between the younger and older generations.
This film, however, works for what it is: a musical fantasy that should not be taken seriously or as a depiction of real history. The songs that made it to the film are just as full of energy as they were on the stage, and the new story line (for the most part) is well done. The ending, sadly, goes over the top and alters the whole focus of what had been the building conflict within the plot.
Overall, it is an enjoyable musical involving a very sad time in this nation's history. Unfortunately, the profundity of the stage show is lost, and most people will only ever know the frivolity of this film rather than the beauty and depth of the original musical.