MovieChat Forums > Shampoo (1975) Discussion > Great Movie

Great Movie

posted 19 years ago by freakaman24
16 replies | jump to latest

I was reading a review on this movie and it was called dated. Well it is set in the turbulent 70's ,so yeah you can call it dated, but no more dated than any Vietnam movie like the Deer Hunter and the like. I love this movie and it is a great film because it is about the characters. It may be set against the back drop of Richard Nixon's presidency , but its core is a womanizing Warren Beatty ( maybe based on his life as the ultimate womanizer )and he delivers a great performance. You see him juggle all of these beautiful women trying to find some reason for him being the way he is and when he finally makes a decision on what he wants, he finds himself alone. The cast was great and although I enjoyed Lee Grant's Oscar winning performance, I think she did not deserve it. I think Jack Warden was simply brilliant and he did deserve the Oscar.

[–] George_Roundy 19 years ago

I like your taste in movies. How can some pinhead critic say it's dated when it was made in the '70s and set in the '60s? Read filmfactsman's comments about the movie in the IMDb comments page for SHAMPOO. Great stuff!

The only thing I disagree with you about is your opinion of Lee Grant's performance. Just that hate stare that she gave to Jackie (Julie Chistie) at the Bistro in Beverly Hills was worth the Oscar. I only wish Beatty had been nominated.

Georgie Boy

[–] ijonesiii 19 years ago

I also must disagree with you regarding your appraisal of Lee Grant's performance in this film. She was absolutely superb in this film and I remember saying to myself after leaving the theater after seeing SHAMPOO for the first time: "Lee Grant will win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for this." This is the only time in all my years of film going that I predicted an Oscar walking out of the theater.

[–] freakaman24 19 years ago

Don't get me wrong- She was superb and deserved to be nominated, but I would have voted for Lily Tomlin in Nashville that year.

[–] ijonesiii 19 years ago

Lily Tomlin was very good that year, as was Ronee Blakely in the same film. That was a rough category that year.

[–] carlivar 19 years ago

It was made in the 70's, but it took place in 1968.

[–] teejay6682 18 years ago

agree with most of what everyone's saying here. great film.

[–] MoviesGuru90069 17 years ago

Great movie! Just saw it again last night on the Turner Classic Movie channel. I forgot how funny some of the scenes were. Very IMDB under-rated, but I doubt most younger people get this movie.

~ UC Berkeley Film Studies Proud ~

[–] greensweater 17 years ago

I saw if for the first time the other day. I think your right in that younger people probably have trouble getting this movie, because I didn't quite get the point. All I really got from it was that he loved, he lost. He will go on to screw the next pretty thing. Is this the kind of movie that requires multiple viewings?

Oh, and does anyone else think Warren Beatty's character is similar to the main character in Blow-Up? Only Warren's character is more sympathetic compared to David Hemmings.

http://whitneysaysrelax.blogspot.com/

[–] George_Roundy 17 years ago

Actually, you'd probably be surprised that a great deal of young people DO get the meaning of the film. When I showed it in my college film class in 2006, this was the only film in the course titled THE NEW HOLLYWOOD - MOVIES FROM 1967-1976, the kids actually cheered at the end. And they loved most of the other films shown: BONNIE AND CLYDE, THE GRADUATE, MEDIUM COOL, EASY RIDER, FIVE EASY PIECES, DIRTY HARRY, KLUTE, CHINATOWN, NETWORK and TAXI DRIVER.

Georgie Boy

[–] greensweater 17 years ago

Interesting George Roundy, after further thought, I still don't really get what this movie is really trying to say, beyond what I posted above. I just had a "that was it?" type of reaction at the end. However, I love some of the movies in your list (especially The Graduate and Network).

I just don't seem to care for the Empty Womanizer genre, because I hated Blow-Up, and think Californication (a tv show critics seem to compare this movie to) is crap. But, I love the character of Christian Troy in Nip/Tuck, so that theory is shot. I guess Shampoo played on themes that I had seen before (and done better IMO).

"How can I miss the party? I AM the party"

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] alfiehitchie 17 years ago

I think you may have missed the point. The reason that they cheered is that, fortunately or unfortunately, they did "get" it and they identified with the main characters. Just like life.

"It's only a mooovie!"

alfie

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] greensweater 17 years ago

^^I agree, that's just weird.

"Never follow a hippie to a second location""

[–] jondoe6 17 years ago

My wife hates this movie, and probobly any similar movie with Warren Beatty, while I LOVE this movie. She sees the happy womanizing user, while I see the man who loves, wants to please all and loses everything in the process. I was in bands at times in my life, and sometimes lived the same active life. It wasn't to screw all women, but to please them, make them happy - and myself, in turn. By time I met my wife I was pretty depressed and alone. I think she sees George as a guy happy in his lifestyle, and reflects on her insecurity (of my previous ways) in my stability. I know George, and know how lonely he is. It is crushingly sad to me.

But what a great movie! Great cast and storyline. Funny/sad/moving. I have it on tape somewhere, but am sorry I missed it on TCM last month.

[–] MoviesGuru90069 15 years ago

Ditto, great movie