Words: Violet
Christian Bale’s combover and Jeremy Renner’s pompadour caused quite a stir with audiences who saw the terrific American Hustle. It got me thinking about the most iconic barnets in the history of cinema – here are some of the best, worst and downright weird haircuts in film.
Drexl Spivey from True Romance
One of Gary Oldman’s best and most entertaining performances and, as if lines like: ‘He musta thought it was white boy day’ weren’t funny enough; he’s also sporting the most absurd dreadlocks.
Recreate: Grow the hair, section the hair, dread the hair.. then cut it all off because you look ridiculous.
Bodhi from Point Break
Patrick Swayze’s surfer dude locks are an inspiration to us all. Bodhi is not just the free spirit that we all aspire to be – but the free spirit we all aspire to be, with great hair.
Recreate: To sport this hairstyle you must be on a beach. And be surfing. Not a good look for a business meeting in the city.
James Dean from Rebel without a Cause
And with that, a style icon was born and no less because of the slicked-back-yet-dischevelled hair that he sported.
Recreate: Grow the hair so it is full. Use styling clay and a comb to slick the sides.
Robert Langdon from The Da Vinci Code
The novel was one of the worst things of all time. The film however was brilliantly entertaining simply because of Hanks’ wonderful semi-mullet.
Recreate: Just no.
Alexander from Alexander
Colin Farrell’s casting as Alexander the Great is considered to be the strangest in modern cinema history. His flaxen hair apparently caused several critics to break into fits of laughter at early screenings of the film.
Recreate: Study the 90s Baywatch look and let it guide you from there.
Ron Burgundy in the Anchorman franchise
“Stay classy”… sporting a full bodied, 70s bouffant if Ron has his way.
Recreate: Only Ron can pull this hairstyle off. Don’t attempt.
Scotty J from Boogie Nights
The late Philip Seymour Hoffman has a resplendently bad, shoulder length, blond side parting in Paul Thomas Anderson’s movie about the adult film industry in the seventies.
Recreate: A strange combination of glossy yet thinning hair is needed to create this bold look (Warning: The Gentleman’s Journal will not be held responsible for the looks, heckles, comments if you sport.)
Benjamin Button from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
In this film, adapted from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story of the same name, Brad Pitt plays Benjamin Button – a man whose appearance becomes more youthful as he gets older. The only thing that doesn’t change about him is his hair, which is fantastic throughout.
Recreate: Depending on which look from the film you are going for, the above is the easiest to recreate. Feathered with minimal upkeep. Good for all ages.
Angel Face from Fight Club
Jared Leto in Fight Club is proof that the nineties peroxide look is cool – well, if you can pull it off it is.
Recreate: Reach for the bleach and never look back.
Zorg from The Fifth Element
To be fair to Gary Oldman The Fifth Element is peppered with terrible haircuts but having said that Zorg’s is easily the most hideous of a bad bunch.
Recreate: To say this requires a bold cut is the understatement of the century. Shave off one side and condition the other till it is silky smooth. Offensive goatee optional.
Edward Scissorhands from Edward Scissorhands
Johnny Depp’s character must have been something of a style icon to Russell Brand, but not many others have been inspired by the 50,000 volts look.
Recreate: This hairstyle involves a lot of hair to work with and A LOT of wax and hairspray. Great for Halloween, back brush (ask a girl about this) to your hearts content and spray.
By Guy de Vito
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