TV/film/books Hair - Milos Forman

[saxyjt]

I'm watching 1979 Hair by Milos Forman. I love it!

I remember my parents had the LP for the original Broadway musical. And I loved that record. So when the film came out in 79, I was 17, I couldn't help but compare the music and I loved the original so much that it felt odd. Still, it was brilliant and so energetic.

With a fantastic zest of crazyness that makes it so special.

Of course I bought it later and as I recently converted it to streaming format, it's been on my 'watch list'.

 

[mizmar]

I saw a stage production in London.
I don't know if it was the original production, I'd'v been quite young, but it was my first experience of profanity and nudity in some entertainment^¶ - so it was Hair! Loved hippiedom then and in real life.

^¶ decades before The Sopranos

 

[saxyjt]

decades before The Sopranos

I didn't realize The Sopranos were known for profanity and nudity. But then how could I since I never watched that program. Are we talking about the series with James Gandolfini?

Any good? It looks like it's highly ranked. Scoring 9.2 on IMDB.

 

[mizmar]

Any good?

Well, lots of people think so, obviously! I liked it and it was formative (or high point?) on the road of TV mega series with feature film production values. The characters worked pretty consistently and the plot rarely stalled over 80 odd episodes. It is violent and sweary but not gratuitously - it is about the Mafia; lots of other stuff going on. However I felt much of the nudity (poll dancers in the background, young extramaritals) was there to keep late middle aged men engauged.

 

[saxyjt]

I found the original soundtrack on Spotify. Not bad! More acoustic obviously. Back 1967, that's to be expected. It is somehow refreshing.

I think the LP is still at my mom's. At some point I'll have to bring that LP collection back here and invest in a proper record player.

 

[squeak]

I didn't realize The Sopranos were known for...nudity.

Neither did I, but in the US nudity usually equates a boop or a nipple, which apparently is automatic R-rating while no amount of blood splatter, smashed heads and deliberately broken limbs will get more than PG-13. I wonder what young people think of sex scenes where they keep all their clothes on. Seems better to leave it to imagination. Of course, those are optics tainted by my depraved Scandinavian background...

 

[saxyjt]

Of course, those are optics tainted by my depraved Scandinavian background...

I must have a deprived french background then... 😉

You're so right about the ratings. It shows how prude and violent this country is. A puritan heritage...

I grew up a naturist, so nudity is not an issue for me. And all these passionate debates about religious clothing and hiding this or that don't make any sense to me.