Shampoo: Amazon.ca: Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, Goldie Hawn, Lee Grant, Jack Warden, Tony Bill, George Furth, Jay Robinson, Ann Weldon, Luana Anders, Randy Scheer, Susanna Moore, L�szl� Kov�cs, Hal Ashby, Robert C. Jones, Charles H. Maguire, Robert Towne: DVD

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Amazon.com Essential Video

For those who consider Bulworth to be a savage and unprecedented political send-up, it's worth revisiting Warren Beatty's first, and best, attempt at outrageous social criticism. Mercilessly exposing the essential vacuity of both the sexual revolution and conservative alarmism over cultural permissiveness, Shampoo remains the best movie ever made about Nixon's America, and one of the very best about the tragic and disappointing conclusion to the 1960s. Set on the eve of the 1968 presidential election that elevated Nixon to the Oval Office, Beatty's uproarious satire follows a hairdressing Lothario (played by Mr. You're So Vain himself) in and out of the beds of several women, including the wife of a wealthy businessman, his mistress, and his young daughter (Carrie Fisher, in her first screen role). Juxtaposing tropes from Restoration comedy with Southern California dialogue and a healthy, hilarious dash of running commentary from election returns, Beatty's ruthless awareness cuts through the film like a scalpel. The performances are uniformly excellent and surprisingly ego-free; though Jack Warden's portrayal of Lester, the twice-cuckolded businessman, stands out as a model of sensitive, nuanced parodic acting. Released in 1975 during the messy cleanup at the conclusion of the Watergate era, Shampoo neatly bookends the Nixon presidency, and concludes with the frightening finality of an iron door slamming on a cell. Commended for including the live version of Jefferson Airplane's Plastic Fantastic Lover. --Miles Bethany

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Customer Reviews

13 Reviews

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4.4 out of 5 stars (13 customer reviews)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful transfer!, Jan 24 2003

By

cinephile - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shampoo (DVD)

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!

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4.0 out of 5 stars I like, enjoy and respect "Shampoo", I just wish I loved it, Jun 6 2011

By

K. Gordon - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Shampoo (DVD)

While I'm a huge fan of Hal Ashby -"Harold and Maude" is one of my all time favorite films -"Shampoo" is a film I really like and respect, but can never quite take the leap to loving.

It's certainly funny, and it has moments of real sadness, insight and sharp edged political satire. The way these upscale, self-involved Los Angelenos of
1968 partake of the free-love freedom of the 60s, but lose the associated political consciousness - completely ignoring Nixon's impending election - is a valid and
interesting observation (albeit one the film kind of beats to death).

But the story of George, an uber-hip promiscuous hairdresser, and his assorted bedmates never quite feels like it has the depth it pretends to, nor is it as funny as it wants to be.

Beatty is good playing a send up of his own image, but I felt so aware that he was doing exactly that, that it sort of took me out of the film. He also makes George SO shallow, that
while I could enjoy his adventures, and feel pity for the sadness underneath, I never could feel emotionally touched at how lost he really is. Julie Christie, Lee Grant, and Goldie Hawn
are all very good, although each woman comes dangerously close to portraying a caricature.

Yet, for all that complaining, I find I always do enjoy the film, and respect it. It just doesn't take me to that next level.

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3.0 out of 5 stars Sexual Satire, July 6 2004

By

Thomas Magnum (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shampoo (DVD)

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.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars One Fairly Fine Film
"Fair is foul, and foul is fair," say the Three Witches in _Macbeth_, and the principle holds true for the film _Shampoo_. Read more

Published on Oct 1 2003 by Dan Markingson

5.0 out of 5 stars Wouldn't It Be Nice?
Yes it would if we could get Hollywood to produce films that are timelessly fresh as the great "Shampoo". ............. Read more

Published on Jan 5 2003 by Hillary