1. Tintin in The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn
The intrepid reporter is as well-known for his trademark cowlick as he is for his er, intrepidness, and it’s clear that the craftsman behind the new film have kept that in mind. One can only imagine how many thousands of computers it took to render his perfectly-positioned coiff. Whatever your issues with the look of the finished film, this is one aspect that cannot be faulted.
2. Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard
Remember how freaking huge this film was? And so much of the chatter focused on K-Cost’s legendarily lame cut, which no doubt significantly contributed to the fatal lack of chemistry between him and Whitney Houston. I remember Harrison Ford pointing out at the time in interviews that it was the same haircut he copped so much flack for in 1990’s Presumed Innocent. That doesn’t make it right, Harry.
3. Mia Farrow in Rosemary’s Baby
Farrow was famously undergoing a messy divorce from her much older husband Frank Sinatra during the filming of Rosemary’s Baby, and her pixie haircut for the role was apparently a major bone of contention for Francis. The cut is almost as influential today as it was when the film came out.
4. Samuel L. Jackson in Unbreakable
When I saw this film, I thought Jackson’s bizarro ‘fro added considerably to the ambiguous menace of his character. My ignorant self did not pick up the (apparently intended) resemblence to legendary abolitionish Fredrick Douglass. This whole feature could focus on Jackson, from his Pulp Fiction jheri curls to his platinum blonde nightmare in Jumper.
5. Mr T in Rocky III
Everyone associates Mr. T’s mohawk (the most famous mohawk ever?) with The A-Team, but it’s important to note he was sporting it a year earlier as the bad guy in Rocky III, and his mohawk played just as significant a role as the rest of him.
6. Tom Hanks in The Da Vinci Code
Just when we all thought the mullet had no place to go. Reclaiming the ‘do from years of white trash ownership, Tom Hanks proved just how uncool he could really be with this crime against follicles.
7. Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Although he’d been toiling in TV and film for years, Jim Carrey’s comedic persona seemed to arrive fully formed in his breakout role as Ace Ventura. And the persona was perfectly encapulated in Carrey’s haircut, a gravity defying super quiff that practically had its own catchphrases.
8. Sigourney Weaver in Alien 3
It’s easy to blame David Fincher for what went wrong with Alien 3, but Sigourney Weaver was wielding considerable creative control when the film was made (for instance, it was her demand that Ripley [SPOILER!] died at the end). It was Fincher’s notion however to shave her hear head, which stressed the parallels between Ripley and the penis-headed creature who wanted to impregnate her and gave Weaver a awesomely bad-ass look.
9. John Travolta in Battlefield Earth
There are many things so glouriously wrong about this wildly misconceived vanity project, but it feels like they can all be expressed by the crazy super-dreads sported by John Travolta. He even inflicted them upon his pal Forrest Whitakker and his ‘wife’ Kelly Preston. John, how could you go from the effortlessly iconic ‘do in Saturday Night Fever to this?
10. Carrie Fisher in Star Wars: A New Hope
One of the most easily identifiable haircuts in movie history, Carrie Fisher’s ‘bagel headset’ has come to represent the sexual side of Star Wars for many fans. But she looked way cooloer with long hair and braids in Return of the Jedi. Just sayin’.
What are you favourite iconic movie haircuts?
