Hair

There is much to recommend in this film, and sheer energy pours off the screen in every frame.

Hair succeeds at all levels—as lowdown fun, as affecting drama, as exhilarating spectacle and as provocative social observation.

Hair is entertaining - even fabulously entertaining - because it is so strange, so young, so innocent, so beneficent and adolescent, so lovable and so loving; it is entertaining because it is - all of it is - so impossible, so remote, so inconceivable in any place anywhere outside of a Hollywood musical. [28 Mar 1979]

A rollicking musical memoir, as much a recollection of the show as of the period, a film that has the charm of a fable and the slickness of Broadway show biz at its breathless best.

Forman and screenwriter Michael Weller brought a sense of coherence to the original freewheeling structure and Twyla Tharp's choreography imparted an infectious dynamism. But, the profanity, nudity and disregard for the fourth wall that had made the stage show such a sensation were lost in the translation.

The spirit and elan that captivated the Vietnam protest era are long gone, and what Forman tries to make up with splash and verve fails to evoke potent nostalgia.

Everyone seems sincere and bursting with energy, yet there is a strange lack of conviction: Forman has taken the honorable route by refusing to treat the material as easy nostalgia, but the confrontational sentiments no longer have the substance to survive his straightforward presentation.

This film was one of my first movies that changed my life, inspiring, full of love and spirit, a masterpiece of Milos Forman, my alltime favorit! The plot is different than the stage version, but the spirit of the original time and the original version is **** will enjoy Im sure, love and peace.

"Hair" tells the story ****. It is my favorite musical ever. It helps to have grown up during the era of "Hair." If you had, you would better understand the music, the lyrics, and the culture of the 60s. The movie is actually better than the Broadway production.

What starts as campy grows like a beautiful, long, and flowing lock of "Hair" to become an involving and solid reflection regarding the American counterculture/war landscape of the late 1960's- complete with some great choreographed dances, song covers, and cast direction.

From theater to cinema. The musical about a frustrated deserter and his encounter with hippie culture may seem anachronistic to some. Perhaps, but what makes it immortal are its songs and its legacy.

The musical and the film had been floating around in my mind for a long time, but I'd never fully seen either – until now. I approached the film with mixed feelings: On the one hand, I have certain expectations of Miloš Forman's films; on the other hand, I was still prepared to sit through a dusty musical classic.Fortunately, "Hair" is still watchable in 2025. There are many songs, only a few of which are truly catchy – but they all have excellent and at times biting lyrics. Treat Williams, John Savage, and Beverly D'Angelo give their all and earn the audience's sympathy. The production is calm, naturalistic, yet plays to its potential, for example, with extreme zooms. The plot feels surprisingly fresh – class struggle, counterculture, and pacifism are still relevant themes today.Three scenes are particularly impressive: First, LSD in the park, where the film suddenly becomes an avant-garde drug trip. Second, the physical examination, or: men in uniform spend the whole day looking at naked, young men. Third, the mobilization and the soldiers' walk into the pitch-black fuselage of the military aircraft, then a cut to an endless military cemetery, then the mass protest in front of the White House, accompanied by "Let the Sunshine In" – still gives you goosebumps today and, in terms of iconography, is reminiscent of "Pink Floyd – The Wall."I would criticize "Hair" for its long running time, the meandering script (apart from the song numbers), and the initially leisurely pace of the film, which gradually builds up.Conclusion: Perhaps a bit dated, but anyone interested in the subject matter and musicals will get a technically well-crafted, superbly acted, and entertaining movie night.