Samurai haircuts

Jim Beaver jumblejim
Wed Mar 27 22:12:41 EST 2002


I've long been curious about the hairstyles in jidai-geki, both from the
cultural-historical standpoint and the film production aspect.

Is there a reason some men are seen with shaved heads, while others of
apparently identical social status are not.

Also, were actors portraying these roles usually required to shave their
heads?  I've seen some films where it seemed the actors were certainly
wearing bald-caps, but most of the time, the actors look genuinely shorn.
In the case of a leading actor who plays many kinds of roles, shaving one's
head could be counterproductive.  Did Mifune, Nakadai, et al actually shave
their scalps?

Jim Beaver






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