HOLLYWOOD SHAPED MY HAIR
By James King
()
About this ebook
A humorous look at the influence of celebrity style, charting the hairdos (and hair don’ts) James King has fashioned over the years.
From the classic ‘Rachel from Friends’ to the questionable David Beckham mohawk, most of us, probably unwisely, have tried to emulate our favourite star’s hairstyles at some point. In HOLLYWOOD SHAPED MY HAIR, James King takes us on a hair-history of cinema.
James King
James King is a British journalist, specialising in Film and Music. His BBC Radio 1 show James King's Movie News was nominated for a Sony Radio Academy Award in 2004. He has also contributed to numerous TV shows, and was the presenter of ITV2’s The Movie Show.
Read more from James King
Apocrypha Holy Bible, Books of the Apocrypha: King James Version Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Complete Holy Bible: The Authorized King James Version: New Revised Edition Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe King James Version of the Bible Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Ultimate History of the '80s Teen Movie Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The King James Version of the Bible: Bestsellers and famous Books Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Holy Bible King James. (KJV - Original Version 1611) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Currency Paradox Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Voyages of Captain James Cook: The Illustrated Accounts of Three Epic Voyages Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe King James Version of the Bible: {Illustrated & Old & New Testament} Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Bible, King James Version Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The Holy Bible (King James Version) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCleopatra's Needle A History of the London Obelisk, with an Exposition of the Hieroglyphics Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World (Vol. 1-7): The Complete History of the Ground-breaking Journey Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Holy Bible: The Old and New Testaments Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Under Foreign Eyes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBloody British History: Winchester Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Voyages of Captain Cook Around the World (All 7 Volumes) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Bible: Old & New Testaments Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to HOLLYWOOD SHAPED MY HAIR
Related ebooks
The Shear Truth: 10 Things Your Hairstylist Really Wants You to Know. Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAvoiding the Fade Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBig Hair Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Amazing Hairstyles Book Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Vidal: The Autobiography Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Plus Size Fashion: What Everyone Ought to Know Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsI Am BLONDE! How to Have Beautiful Blonde Hair Color Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsI Am Red! How to Have Radiant Red Hair Color Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings101 Things Your Barber/Stylist Hates (But May Never Tell You) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHip Snips: Your Complete Guide to Dazzling Pubic Hair Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSwimsuits for Women: Super Useful Tips That You'll Love Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBunch of Snake Freaks! A Brit's Take on Dead Pets, Sleazeballs and Other Fun Movie Stuff: Ice Dog Movie Guide, #5 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWalking Distance: Remembering Classic Episodes from Classic Television Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEddie and the Cruisers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The First King of Hollywood: The Life of Douglas Fairbanks Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings"What Do You Mean, Murder?" Clue and the Making of a Cult Classic Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSuburban Grindhouse: From Staten Island to Times Square and all the Sleaze Between Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The ABC Movie of the Week Companion: A Loving Tribute to the Classic Series Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Gamesmaster: My Life in the '80s Geek Culture Trenches with G.I. Joe, Dungeons & Dragons, and The Transformers Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings100 Best Movies You've Never Seen, The Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hollywood Worm Chronicles Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Complete History of The Return of the Living Dead Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies, From Nickelodeons to Youtube Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsClassic Cliffhangers: Volume 1 1914-1940 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Teenage Slasher Movie Book, 2nd Revised and Expanded Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Whistler: Stepping into the Shadows - The Columbia Film Series Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDid You Grow Up with Me, Too?: The Autobiography of June Foray Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Hollywood Extra Extra Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Official Only Fools and Horses Quiz Book Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Entertainers and the Rich & Famous For You
Finding Me: An Oprah's Book Club Pick Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bad Mormon: A Memoir Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I'm Glad My Mom Died Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Woman in Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Coreyography: A Memoir Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ordeal Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Open Book Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Resistance: A Songwriter's Story of Hope, Change, and Courage Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Robin Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Counting the Cost Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Elvis and Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Vacuuming in the Nude: And Other Ways to Get Attention Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bowie: An Illustrated Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Rememberings Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Is This Anything? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love, and Baking Biscuits Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I Can't Make This Up: Life Lessons Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Yes Please Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Me: Elton John Official Autobiography Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Scrappy Little Nobody Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Taste: My Life Through Food Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Life in Parts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for HOLLYWOOD SHAPED MY HAIR
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
HOLLYWOOD SHAPED MY HAIR - James King
INTRODUCTION
I’ve always loved this quip by the American author Erica Jong:
‘Where is Hollywood located?’ she asks, before answering her own question. ‘Chiefly between the ears. In that part of the American brain lately vacated by God.’
Well, if Hollywood is the new religion then I’m a happy disciple. Inspiration, education, good old fashioned entertainment; every fan knows what riches movies can bring. Still, like some religious zealot of years gone by, I’ve probably sometimes worshipped at The Church of Hollywood a little too enthusiastically.
Take my teenage obsession with Woody Allen. After accidentally discovering Hannah and Her Sisters on TV one Christmas, I decided that I needed to live the life of a cerebral Jewish New Yorker, the kind of guy that watches old movies and has passionate intellectual affairs. Hence my attempts one summer to find bijou repertory cinemas that showed Marx Brothers reissues and to woo sexually frustrated students of Existentialism. After all, if Woody was God then such a pilgrimage in his honour was merely my duty. The only problem was, I was fifteen. Thus any chichi picture houses or randy Sartre fans needed to be within cycling distance of the small Suffolk village that I lived in. The result was less Annie Hall, more Bugger All.
There was also the time in the late nineties when, somehow convinced that Josh Hartnett was The Saviour of Cinema, I decided to endlessly wear a long-sleeved white t-shirt with a short-sleeved black one over the top, just like his character Zeke from The Faculty. I waited months for like-minded Hartnett followers to congratulate me on both my cinematic and sartorial taste, but, alas, it was an homage that went completely unnoticed (even, when I interviewed him, by Josh himself). After his questionable career choices of Pearl Harbour, 40 Days and 40 Nights and Blow Dry I had a crisis of faith. Christ, even Josh’s Grandmother’s faith would waiver after hearing his attempt at a Yorkshire accent in that last one. Following a year or so of devotion, I hung up the t-shirts for good.
Style, attitude, sex. I can’t deny that religiously following films has swayed the way I look at all of them over the years. However, there remains one thing that’s had more cine-fuelled attention than any other: my hair.
If Erica Jong thinks that Hollywood’s influence is ‘between the ears’ then for me it’s around them too. After all, if a movie character impresses you so much that you want to live your life just like them, apostle-style, then an easy way to start is simply to redo your barnet in their honour. So much better than those painful operations you see on shows called things like Extreme Plastic Surgery Nightmares!, where strange people go under the knife to look exactly like their hero (which, for some reason, is usually Barbie). Easier, also, than cycling around the countryside looking for bookish nymphomaniacs.
It’s not just me, of course. We live in an age where celebrities from all areas of the media – sport, music, television – are style leaders to millions. Everyone from Farrah Fawcett, with her sun-kissed seventies flick, to David Beckham and whatever cut he’s currently rocking (at the moment it’s a sharp Mad Men style, but no doubt that will have changed by the time you read this) has found their follicles idolised. Some people worry that feverishly following anyone – be they actor, athlete or The Almighty – is a little lemming-like, but I like to think that, after years of mistakes, I can at least now see it more as fun than fanaticism. A child-like adulation of stars might even be good for you, too, keeping you feeling young and optimistic in the face of encroaching old age or a humdrum job. I suppose it’s like still relishing the magic of Father Christmas as an adult: silly maybe, but isn’t it also rather charming? Watch Arthur Christmas or Elf and you’ll know exactly what I mean.
However, charm aside, I will admit that blindly copying the hairstyles of the famous can sometimes make you look a bit of an idiot. This is a book about those times.
CHAPTER ONE
JOHN TRAVOLTA
missing-imageIN THE BEGINNING
In the beginning there was Grease. Grease was, is and always will be ‘The Word’.
Why? Well, obviously, a) it’s got groove, b) it’s got meaning, and c) it’s got that always entertaining