Shampoo

Rating:
Summary: One Fairly Fine Film
Review: "Fair is foul, and foul is fair," say the Three Witches in _Macbeth_, and the principle holds true for the film _Shampoo_. Released in 1975, and one of the leading members of what are now being called "70s films," _Shampoo_ is the story of George Roundy, hairdresser in beautiful and sun-blessed City of Angels. Perhaps no other film in Hollywood has been placed into more capable hands -- Hal Ashby, the remarkably disciplined but expressive director (as in Roundy's rides on his motorcycle through the Hollywood Hills); Robert Towne, veteran screenwriter who won an Oscar for _Chinatown_; and Warren Beatty, one of Hollywood's greats, and swordsman of renown. The film follows Roundy as he enjoys what he seemingly enjoys most, the company of women, and as he seeks to start a business, his own hair salon. But in the film, as the Three Witches say in _Macbeth_, fair is foul, and foul is fair -- which is to say that in _Shampoo_, roles reverse and appearances deceive. Roles reverse in the central characteristic to Roundy -- his enjoying the company of women. For in Roundy's world, the courter has changed to the courted, and the courted, the courter. Why it is, or even whether it must be or ought to be is perhaps fit for another discussion -- but it seems hard to argue, to this reviewer, that the traditional role for a guy in courtship is to be the courter, and the traditional role for a woman, to be the courted. In Roundy's world, however, things somehow have got reversed. He does no courting -- he doesn't stop his movement seeing an angelic brunette walking down the sidewalk and chase her down, he doesn't time his exit from a bank to catch an arresting blonde on her way out. He does no courting. For it is women who court him. He's walking into his shop and a woman slams on her brakes and bats her eyes for his attention, he's waiting for one of his "friends" (most likely how he'd introduce her to someone) at her house and, while he's killing time, her daughter comes on to him. So in Roundy's world, things have got themselves reversed. The cause of the reversal is significant and important to understanding Roundy. Roundy's very existence is you might say "half free-will" -- half free-will because on nearly any matter, he is only forced to make half a decision. For in constantly being courted, he is essentially being offered decisions for approval or rejection. In being constantly sought-after, half of his decision-making process is completed for him. His life is thus a whirlwind -- from an observer's point of view, he might be seen to do things in a roundabout fashion. And so he ends up having sex with the young daughter, Lorna (played by Carrie Fisher), of one of his friends. How does such a thing happen? Because he's only ever forced to make half a decision. And yet in Lorna's courting him, which she does with vigor, there is a lesson as well. For she comes on to Roundy by saying, "Wanna f---?" And to this Roundy agrees. However, when one of his friends courts him by indirectly asking him to fix her hair, he turns her down. And so a lesson to be seen here, as well, is that as Roundy has a thousand and one offers at any one time, he takes the most direct and most clearly communicated. Thus roles reverse in _Shampoo_. But appearances deceive as well. Perhaps appearances deceive in no better way in the film than in the manner that Roundy is forced to act in order to start his business. For Roundy secretly has his own master whose altar he must kneel before -- the bank. In seeking to start his own hair salon, he must do the courting. He must go to a bank and apply for a loan. It is he who is doing the approaching, it is he who conforms to the standards his master will demand of him. Indeed, no longer is it one of his friends who is putting on just the right top or just the right perfume for Roundy's approval, but it is Roundy who is putting on just the right jacket and putting his raffish hair in just the right place for the approval of his master -- a bank manager. Tellingly, he invites none of his friends along with him to the bank -- he's aware of his reversed role, and he doesn't like it, but there is nothing he can do about it. Denied his first attempt at a loan, he must later go see another banker, Lester (played by Jack Warden). Lester is the husband of one of Roundy's friends. And here too appearances deceive -- for Lester believes Roundy to be gay, and so Lester would be quite shocked to learn that Roundy is enjoying the company of his wife. And indeed appearances may so deceive in this world that the end is a deception itself. For the end of _Shampoo_ is often seen as bleak and despairing -- Roundy in shock as the only person he decides he can trust, leaves him, and breaks his heart. But is Roundy's heartbreak forever? It's hard not to look a few months into the future and see Roundy motoring along Mulholland Drive on his motorcycle, a friend of his speeding up beside him in her car, flagging him down, smiling devilishly out of her car, asking him if he wants to f---, Roundy suppressing a smile, glancing around. Glancing at what? At nothing. Roundy shrugging, and then Roundy off on his motorcycle tailing behind the girl in her car, having already mended, or if not mended, at least forgotten -- maybe! with hope! -- his heartbreak.

Rating:
Summary: One Fairly Fine Film
Review: "Fair is foul, and foul is fair," say the Three Witches in _Macbeth_, and the principle holds true for the film _Shampoo_. Released in 1975, and one of the leading members of what are now being called "70s films," _Shampoo_ is the story of George Roundy, hairdresser in beautiful and sun-blessed City of Angels. Perhaps no other film in Hollywood has been placed into more capable hands -- Hal Ashby, the remarkably disciplined but expressive director (as in Roundy's rides on his motorcycle through the Hollywood Hills); Robert Towne, veteran screenwriter who won an Oscar for _Chinatown_; and Warren Beatty, one of Hollywood's greats, and swordsman of renown. The film follows Roundy as he enjoys what he seemingly enjoys most, the company of women, and as he seeks to start a business, his own hair salon. But in the film, as the Three Witches say in _Macbeth_, fair is foul, and foul is fair -- which is to say that in _Shampoo_, roles reverse and appearances deceive. Roles reverse in the central characteristic to Roundy -- his enjoying the company of women. For in Roundy's world, the courter has changed to the courted, and the courted, the courter. Why it is, or even whether it must be or ought to be is perhaps fit for another discussion -- but it seems hard to argue, to this reviewer, that the traditional role for a guy in courtship is to be the courter, and the traditional role for a woman, to be the courted. In Roundy's world, however, things somehow have got reversed. He does no courting -- he doesn't stop his movement seeing an angelic brunette walking down the sidewalk and chase her down, he doesn't time his exit from a bank to catch an arresting blonde on her way out. He does no courting. For it is women who court him. He's walking into his shop and a woman slams on her brakes and bats her eyes for his attention, he's waiting for one of his "friends" (most likely how he'd introduce her to someone) at her house and, while he's killing time, her daughter comes on to him. So in Roundy's world, things have got themselves reversed. The cause of the reversal is significant and important to understanding Roundy. Roundy's very existence is you might say "half free-will" -- half free-will because on nearly any matter, he is only forced to make half a decision. For in constantly being courted, he is essentially being offered decisions for approval or rejection. In being constantly sought-after, half of his decision-making process is completed for him. His life is thus a whirlwind -- from an observer's point of view, he might be seen to do things in a roundabout fashion. And so he ends up having sex with the young daughter, Lorna (played by Carrie Fisher), of one of his friends. How does such a thing happen? Because he's only ever forced to make half a decision. And yet in Lorna's courting him, which she does with vigor, there is a lesson as well. For she comes on to Roundy by saying, "Wanna f---?" And to this Roundy agrees. However, when one of his friends courts him by indirectly asking him to fix her hair, he turns her down. And so a lesson to be seen here, as well, is that as Roundy has a thousand and one offers at any one time, he takes the most direct and most clearly communicated. Thus roles reverse in _Shampoo_. But appearances deceive as well. Perhaps appearances deceive in no better way in the film than in the manner that Roundy is forced to act in order to start his business. For Roundy secretly has his own master whose altar he must kneel before -- the bank. In seeking to start his own hair salon, he must do the courting. He must go to a bank and apply for a loan. It is he who is doing the approaching, it is he who conforms to the standards his master will demand of him. Indeed, no longer is it one of his friends who is putting on just the right top or just the right perfume for Roundy's approval, but it is Roundy who is putting on just the right jacket and putting his raffish hair in just the right place for the approval of his master -- a bank manager. Tellingly, he invites none of his friends along with him to the bank -- he's aware of his reversed role, and he doesn't like it, but there is nothing he can do about it. Denied his first attempt at a loan, he must later go see another banker, Lester (played by Jack Warden). Lester is the husband of one of Roundy's friends. And here too appearances deceive -- for Lester believes Roundy to be gay, and so Lester would be quite shocked to learn that Roundy is enjoying the company of his wife. And indeed appearances may so deceive in this world that the end is a deception itself. For the end of _Shampoo_ is often seen as bleak and despairing -- Roundy in shock as the only person he decides he can trust, leaves him, and breaks his heart. But is Roundy's heartbreak forever? It's hard not to look a few months into the future and see Roundy motoring along Mulholland Drive on his motorcycle, a friend of his speeding up beside him in her car, flagging him down, smiling devilishly out of her car, asking him if he wants to f---, Roundy suppressing a smile, glancing around. Glancing at what? At nothing. Roundy shrugging, and then Roundy off on his motorcycle tailing behind the girl in her car, having already mended, or if not mended, at least forgotten -- maybe! with hope! -- his heartbreak.

Rating:
Summary: an MBA degree in less than two hours !
Review: ------- not nearly as salacious as valley of the dolls, but far more human. nor is it as zany as earthgirls are easy. it absolutely nails the slightly drug-hazed days of the '70s, but doesn't forget that business has to make a profit. kind of a male fantasy (but also kind of a female fantasy - warren beatty is as beautiful a guy as one'll ever see . . .) without all the in-n-out of the skin-flicks.

Big

Rating:
Summary: an MBA degree in less than two hours !
Review: ------- not nearly as salacious as valley of the dolls, but far more human. nor is it as zany as earthgirls are easy. it absolutely nails the slightly drug-hazed days of the '70s, but doesn't forget that business has to make a profit. kind of a male fantasy (but also kind of a female fantasy - warren beatty is as beautiful a guy as one'll ever see . . .) without all the in-n-out of the skin-flicks.

Big

Rating:
Summary: Sexual Satire
Review: 1975's Shampoo is a satirical look at the sexual revolution of the late 60's and on the politics of Richard Nixon. The film takes place on and around Election Day, 1968 in Los Angeles. Warren Beatty stars as George Roundy, a hairdresser who, it seems, ends up sleeping with everyone he does hair for. Goldie Hawn is his girlfriend Jill, who is pushing him to open up his own shop. He ends up soliciting start up funds from Lester played by Jack Warden who meets him on the behest of his wife Felicia play by Lee Grant. George is sleeping with Felicia and as it turns out he used to date Lester's mistress, Jackie, played Julie Christie and also ends up sleeping with Lester's daughter Lorna played by Carrie Fisher in her first movie. The movie pokes fun at Mr. Beatty's own image and he plays the role as dimwit who knows he's not too bright, but doesn't care. The film is definitely dated as it was a comment on Watergate, but the performances are first rate. In fact, Mr. Beatty is the weak link in the film and Ms. Grant, Ms, Christie and Mr. Warden are all stellar. Mr. Beatty was the producer and co-writer and he received a best original screenplay Academy Award nomination and Ms. Grant won the award for Best Supporting Actress.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful transfer!
Review: Cheers to Johnny Depp, Sandra Bernhard, and Julianne Moore for citing this almost forgotten '70's classic as one of their all time favorites. To most, Shampoo is looked at as a Beatty vanity project, a dated box-office hit, or just dull and not worth your time. It's a shame because it's one of the best films of its time and is probably the last example of a sex comedy having any sly wit, sophistication, or style. The character of George (Warren Beatty) is based on Manson family victim Jay Sebring -a close friend of Beatty's- and his quest for maturity and respect cuts through the dozens of meaningless, in-your-face type comedies of today. No, it's not an overbearingly gross, laugh-'til-your-side-aches ride with lots of gratuitous nudity and forgettable one-note characters; the film builds at a carefully constructed pace and -using humor as an undercurrent and beautifully soft neutral colors as its visual look -packs a slight emotional wallop at the end. It's as close to an American art film comedy as you're going to come.

The collaboration of screenwriter Robert Towne (Chinatown) and director Hal Ashby (Harold and Maude, The Last Detail, Coming Home) is a small dream and together they create some beautiful magic: the subtlety of Towne's very funny dialogue never becomes monotonous like a bad Broadway farce and Ashby's camera allows a viewer to discover hidden depths in Goldie Hawn, Carrie Fisher, Jack Warden (Oscar nominated), and Lee Grant (Oscar winner). All the performances are first rate but Julie Christie as George's true love interest steals the movie with those wonderfully expressive eyes and her classic drunk scene. (One of the best visual jokes in the movie is the backside of the black cocktail dress she wears at the election dinner.)

I owned the Criterion laserdisc version of Shampoo and saw a great print on the big screen but this digitally remastered DVD treatment is nothing short of fabulous. The visual look of Shampoo is very important since as the story gets deeper so do the colors (watch the scene where George cuts Jackie's hair in her bathroom while they both glow in the fading afternoon light) but you could never tell from the VHS tape copies or even on its scatter-shot television appearances. This transfer does the film justice but unfortunately there are no special features whatsoever. A making-of documentary or even a commentary track (with the exception of Jack Warden all the principal actors are still alive) would have made this edition a great feature in your library. It's still worth buying but also just a bit of a letdown. Regardless, you can view Shampoo as either a lumbering, relic-like snapshot of its time or a morality tale with depth, humor, and some class. A richly rewarding viewing experience awaits the viewer who sees the latter. Enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Shampoo, A Great Satire
Review: Hal Ashby's Shampoo is a wickedly funny satire of the hedoism of the sexual revolution of the 1960's and 70's and the big hangover our nation experienced when the party finally ended.Warren Beatty is wonderful as George, the bed hopping hair dresser who seems to do his thinking with something other then his brain.Kudos, also for Goldie Hawn and Julie Christie in supporting roles that really matter.Look for a teenage Carrie Fisher in a hilarious one on one with Beatty.This movie is best summed up in a line of dialogue from the Hawn character, who tells the itinerant hair dresser, "you know your always running around to someplace, but you never seem to get anywhere".

Rating:
Summary: You bet your booty Ashby and Shampoo
Review: have been ostracized for whatever reason it may be. Hal is a genius who gave us Harold and Maude, The Last Detail, Being There, and the incredible Coming Home. So what gives? Just for the record, Maltin's tome doesn't even list Hal Ashby and his movies in the Directors Section. Although, i must say that reflects more on Maltin's editorial sloppiness or all-around incompetence, because another casualty of that section is no other than Jean-Luc Godard himself!

Rating:
Summary: why don't more people love shampoo?
Review: In a recent interview in Cineaste magazine, celeb film critic Pauline Kael described the 1970's as the greatest decade of American movies. She then laid claim by listing her seven favorite films from that period. One of the films mentioned was Shampoo.

I couldn't agree more with Pauline. Aside from the lighting and some of the camerawork, everything in the film is about as good as it gets---Robert Towne's ear for common parlance, Beatty's understated charisma, and Ashby's whirlwind direction.

It's strange (and I notice another reviewer made the same comment) that more people haven't written about this movie. In many ways, Shampoo seems to have been forgotten, floating somewhere in film history heaven. I live in Los Angeles and have never heard about it being screened anywhere. Dave Kehr and the critical establishment in general have all written it off as a film that hasn't aged well. And I've never seen a book written about either Shampoo or Ashby. Am I living in a vault or is this really the legacy of Shampoo?

If you don't like this movie, I urge you to write or contact me. My e-mail address is listed above. I simply don't understand why more people don't love Shampoo.

Rating:
Summary: Another movie I can watch over and over
Review: maybe because it takes place during the best years of my life. Jack Warden is soooo under-rated and the best scene was when Julie Christie met up with Lee Grant at the dinner. Or maybe it was Warren in the bathroom with Julie. My VHS copy is wearing out. Where is the DVD? This is a classic along with Pretty Maids all in a Row and they should both be released on DVD.