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Moss (Paul F.) & Thelma SchneeHair Dress Through the Ages (ca. 1950)

Tongue-in-cheek survey of the evolution of hair design, using footage from an old German novelty short subject.


This movie is part of the collection: Prelinger Archives

Producer: Moss (Paul F.) & Thelma Schnee
Sponsor: International Tele-Film Productions, Inc.
Audio/Visual: Sd, B&W
Keywords: Fashion; Hair; Gender roles

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: ERD - - November 28, 2005
Subject: Mediocre
This short subject film attempts to be humourous. I find it silly.

Reviewer: Christine Hennig - - September 28, 2003
Subject: Or at Least Till About the 17th Century
This featurette tries to cover the history of hairstyles and hats from caveman days onwards. Unfortunately, they suddenly run out of time around the 17th century. Still, they got a chance to show many outrageous and silly dos and chapeaus. It's narrated by the guy who did Ant City and Bee City, so there's plenty of winging it as well. A rather silly short subject.
Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: ****. Weirdness: ****. Historical Interest: ****. Overall Rating: ***.

Reviewer: Spuzz - - June 25, 2003
Subject: Hair it is
From what I understand, this is taken from a short about hair design and hats (and oy, what hair designs and hats they are!) anyways, undercutting the film, is the most deadpan hilarious dialogue imaginable. Sort of like pre-pre-pre-MST3000. Sadly, it all gets boring half way through, because we get the joke. Still, looking at the visuals somewhat makes up for it.

Shotlist

Ken Smith remarks that: This is the most visually hilarious of all John Kieran's films, and its narration is admirably befuddled as well. Great footage of strange hats from the Middle Ages, Elizabethan England, and ancient Egypt; of hairstyles of the Greeks and Romans; and of a caveman combing his matted tresses with a fish skeleton.
Extremely odd (and humorous) historical recreations of human beings and their relationship to their hair
Caveman sequence:
man in very bad wig uses a fish skeleton as a comb to keep his hair out of his face.
depictions of Babylonians in bas relief and drawings with curled hair and beards;
Cheesy recreation of Egyptian men and women who shaved their heads and wore beards and wigs. Shows women with elaborate headdresses;
Supposed Greek and Roman hairstyles;
Medieval castle; woman in ringlets; braids covered by fabric
many elaborate, exaggerated medieval scarfs and hats for men and women; jeweled hairnets; ruffles around necks; iron corset;

HAIR HATS CAVEMEN CAVEMAN CAVE MAN CAVE MEN ANCIENT GREECE GREEKS ROME ROMANS FASHION HISTORY MEDIEVAL MIDDLE AGES ELIZABETHAN JOHN KIERAN BONES SKELETONS