Hair film on DVD

Three tribal rock musical films in a row, and the best is the third. Hair lets itself unfold slowly, rather than pounding its point across from the start. You think in the beginning its just a score of loosely connected songs strung together with a bit of character interaction between; but by the end you realize it has brought you along to its side, whether you be a Claude, a Sheila, a Berger, or a Charlotte Rae.

This film also uses its New York locations much better than does Godspell. Hair shows us people who are part of the city, not apart from it, which is the sense I got from the Gospellians.
I was shocked to see that Twyla Tharp had choreographed this film. There is a lot of dance in it. Sometimes, I thing there is too much dance and that it gets in the ways of the songs. It's certainly more than you could get away with on stage, because no one could sing and do what Twyla has them do. But points for incorporating modern dance into a tribal rock musical of love.

Hair

Music by Galt MacDermot

Book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado

Film directed by Milos Forman

Choreographed by Twyla Tharp

Cast: Treat Williams, Beverly d'Angelo, John Savage, Nell Carter, Charlotte Rae