Shampoo (1975)

I remember back in the day this being a monster hit. It was on TV recently, and I decided not to miss it, having never seen it.Ay yi yi, what a disappointment. Here's the 'plot.' Over the course of maybe two days, hairdresser juggling three girlfriends (including one who's married) loses all three. The end.You'd think a premise like that would be rich with plot possibilities, but Towne and Beatty apparently thought that people with good bodies in nice clothes -- with the occasional flash of nudity -- would be plot enough.

It is a 1975 film directed by Hal Ashy (BEING THERE 1979, 8/10), stars Warren Beatty, Goldie Hawn, and his then-lover Julie Christie, with an Oscar winning performance by Lee Grant and an Oscar-nominated turn by the perpetual character actor Jack Warden, sounds appealing to any cinephile, right? Yet SHAMPOO, not unlike its characters' utterly outmoded hairstyle, is a mediocre downer, which makes Grant's Oscar triumph looks like a fishy consolation prize for the sake of her career achievements. It is 1968, in the eve of the President Election, George (Beatty), a Beverly Hill hairstylist (by the way, no one dares to advise him to get his own flurry hairdo a neat trim), an inveterate womanizer and sex-addict, gyrates around his girlfriend Jill (Hawn) and the cougar patron Felicia (Grant), with other casual dalliances not included. Dreaming of open his own salon but rejected for a bank loan, George is introduced by Felicia to her wealthy hubby Lester (Warden), who might be interested in the investment, meanwhile, he encounters Jacky, his old flame, and discovers she is Lester's mistress. Inevitably Jacky and George rekindles their romance, and everyone involved needs an egress out of the sticky situation. Eventually, the obvious loser is George himself, but as we can envision, 30 minutes after the ending, he is back in his habitual mode to seduce another predator in the jungle of voluptuous creatures, it is hard to deny a self-revealing aspect of George's character is based on Beatty himself (oo who is the co-writer here).More like a personal project for Beatty and Christie, they are not at all in their top form, it it their pillow talk which leaves audience in a state of dumbness and aloofness. Goldie Hawn actually pulls off a renascent awareness of her own worth through maturing from a wide-eyed ingénue to a woman knows what she wants and feels pity on George's addiction. Lee Grant is ferociously acrid as the lust-driven middle-aged wife encircled with desperate loneliness, an Oscar-win is too much for the role nevertheless; Jack Warden is the token of a winner in a male-chauvinistic world, which proffers a rare showcase for this perpetually sidelined character thespian, in the end, he even dissipates some of the antipathy, which presumably aims towards Lester's shallowness and the stink of money, with an inherent affinity borders on visceral humility and drool naiveté, his adventure in a hippie party draws the best eye-sensational revelry in the entire film. But after all, SHAMPOO doesn't live up to my expectation and the ghastly dreadful coiffure, hope no retro vogue will tread back into that era, ever.

In upscale Beverly Hills, handsome hairdresser Warren Beatty (as George Roundy) comes undone by his promiscuous lifestyle. He would like to open his own shop, but copulating with a potential investor's wife, mistress and daughter could cost him dearly. Sexy wannabe actress Goldie Hawn (as Jill) is Mr. Beatty's puzzled girlfriend. The other women are fright-wigged Julie Christie (as Jackie), older-sexed Lee Grant (as Felicia) and teen-dreamy Carrie Fisher (as Lorna). There are, no doubt, many others. Beatty advises wealthy investor Jack Warden (as Lester) to "Shampoo" daily, so the follicles can breathe. Beatty's very attractive. His best scene may be when Mr. Warden walks in on him in Ms. Christie's bathroom. The women are beautiful, with Ms. Hawn reaching incredible levels of leggy sexiness..."Shampoo" won critical acclaim and was a big hit at the box office. This was probably due to its undeniable sex appeal. The story takes place in 1968, just before the election of US President Richard M. Nixon and Vice President Spiro T. Agnew. Often seen on television, they provide background visuals and foreshadow doom. Happier are the soundtrack recordings by The Beatles, The Beach Boys and others. However, neither Nixon nor "Sgt. Pepper" convince you this film is set in 1968. It looks like 1975. Strangest is the fact that Beatty makes a living creating hairstyles like the ones worn by the women he services. Especially odd are the distracting wig-like hairdos worm by Ms. Christie. Naturally, Beatty's own classic hairstyle looks fantastic. Giving "Shampoo" five deserved stars for the 1970s sex appeal.***** Shampoo (2/11/75) Hal Ashby ~ Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, Goldie Hawn, Lee Grant

It's a shame to read, as in today, that, the rating of this little classic masterpiece, that also happened to be one of the biggest box office smash's of the 1970's all over the World, has such a low grade scoring on IMDb! Explanation? Easy: lots of reviews from people who don't get LA, or Beverly Hills, most of all, lots, way too many, crazy, fool reviews from people literally "intoxicated" by the brutal Cinema of today, made only and with lots of money and useless subplots or science fictional sets: they do not even get that today we must use all that crap just to cover mostly up for what's so dramatically lacking: the force of genius, like in this great movie, or just a great script and solid actors, directed by a truly great director,with a vision! Shampoo is one of those movies that still speaks and widely to anyone! If you can listen,still, that is! A classic! The more you see it, the better you get it, and, it gets.. the more you understand its flawed characters, the melancholic subtext,the loneliness of a city like LA,where everything is dominated by money& superficiality,like looks.In LA someone good looking makes almost commercial asset out of it! Then they feel shallow and empty,and try to embrace spirituality to forget all the broken dreams! Or there're always drugs, handy. The lucky ones get married well,and, are unhappy anyways! Even lonelier than before! Not that LA is an awful town!We have got gorgeous woods,Oceanside,Hills with splendid views,sunshine, desert and Oasis, even Lakes.. We live quite healthy life styles (too bad we then use drugs to party and think we are still young..).. And, there's after all, some great architecture. People just don't know where to find it, but there is,actually! It is just the over all mentality,that kills every human feeling, that leaves you as drained as an old swimming pool! But,this sums up very well the all Country's mentality as well! In fact, LA is a melting pot, and,it is a place where you can invent and re-invent even the non existing: nobody wouldn't even ever know his/her limits, or at least, a little humbleness! They call you weak, if you're delicate and unassuming! If you even have had a 2 lines speaking role in a B movie, you must carry on yourself with an attitude: impress always, to get a little respect! Then what about all that sex? Yes, we do lots of it, because, sexual freedom aside, we are lonely, and, we always deceive ourselves.. We always wanna hope for something that's never going to be there.. looking for what's not really available! That is the true main philosophy! Back then as it is now! I think both Beatty's and Christie(she is truly divine here: unforgettable lines, incredible presence,strength,intellectual, glacial yet almost burning wit: her melting down party sequence, with that Iconic look and that unforgettable,trend setting,sequined black dress, she wears like a glove,almost like Marilyn wearing the Jean Louis's flesh gown to sing "Happy Birthday" to JFK,it is one of the most well known images of great, Classic US/Hollywood Cinema!). Goldie Hawn's a bit annoying, but truthful to her character,over all, while, the phenomenal Lee Grant and Jack Warden both shine in more classic representations of immortal LA classic characters! And, best work ever for both Carrie Fisher and Tony Bill,too! What can you say? With a script as clever and damned layered without bragging or going over useless extensions,as only the most vivid Robert Towne's job ever, could deliver,after or, along the lines, with"Chinatown",and,then, genius Hal Ashby,directing, with his personal, light, yet so unmatchable touch, Beatty,at its most powerful ever, producing and starring creating a sensation,opposite(again) an almost otherworldly Julie Christie and all the rest of the phenomenal players,What else needs to be said? Aside, from excellence, with no replay? How could you possibly beat this one up? Nobody can or could. Ever. And, especially, today! And, if you don't get it, i am sorry, you don't get true Cinema!