h is for hippies

...and 'hair.' not many people know that the 1979 movie musical 'hair' was directed by none other than milos forman, of 'one flew over the cuckoo's nest' and 'amadeus' fame. i seem to remember 'hair' getting sort of bagged on when it came out, by i stand by it. i think it succeeds on every level. the score is faithful to the original show. the vocal performances by such talents as treat williams, beverly d'angelo, annie golden, and john savage are underrated in my opinion. i was born in 1972, so i admit it is difficult for me to tell if the 'social message' hits home with the accuracy and impact of the original broadway show, but even as a little girl watching the movie on HBO, i remember being moved by it. the twyla tharp coreography fascinated me. and the cinematography, (by miroslav ondricek) is rich and gorgeous. i just love it. hey, even ellen 'bat out of hell' foley shows up near the middle to lend her rock n' roll pipes to the classic 'black boys' number.