One big source of prejudice with long haired men...

• One big source of prejudice with long haired men...
  

  

  AndyBeta

  
  

  Hey folks, I watched "Hancock" today, and what sprang to my eyes is that a lot of inmates on a jail scene had long hair, classic length. I went to research further, and a great quantity of movies and tv shows have longhairs as "bad guys" on jail. It pissed me off a lot, but hey, this world tries to overwhelm us in many ways, it's best not to care.
  A happy week to all of you, and a big hug!

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  • Re: One big source of prejudice with long haired men...
    

    

    elektros

    
    

    Hey folks, I watched "Hancock" today, and what sprang to my eyes is that a lot of inmates on a jail scene had long hair, classic length. I went to research further, and a great quantity of movies and tv shows have longhairs as "bad guys" on jail. It pissed me off a lot, but hey, this world tries to overwhelm us in many ways, it's best not to care.
    A happy week to all of you, and a big hug!

    Long haired actors are seen as difficult, and not given good parts

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    • yeah I hear that
      

      

      Jordanian

      
      

      Long haired actors are seen as difficult, and not given good parts

      'difficult' I'm curious what you mean by that word. I think it could be said that 'jerks' would be a better word. !! But it's true, that's what Holly-would portrays us as!!

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      • Re: yeah I hear that
        

        

        elektros

        
        

        Long haired actors are seen as difficult, and not given good parts

        'difficult' I'm curious what you mean by that word. I think it could be said that 'jerks' would be a better word. !! But it's true, that's what Holly-would portrays us as!!

        As in difficult because they should cut their hair if the part requires it.

        There is some case to it if they are playing a real life person who has/had short hair and need to look like them, or playing a character from the first half of the 20th century when there just weren't men with long hair, or playing a soldier/cop. However, it doesn't explain the travesty of having a short haired actor playing Bobby Sands and therefore looking nothing remotely like him in that particular film.

        If it were a genuine concern, then an actor playing a long haired man could wear a wig, but the reality is that Hollywood is prejudiced against long haired men like many other parts of society, but rationalises it by saying that haircuts are required to get into the part, but wigs apparently are not. Sure, they will put on wigs if they are playing a part from a period when all men had long hair, but not if they are playing a particular individual who had long hair. In that case we are just supposed to accept that we have to suspend disbelief when the resemblance (or rather lack thereof) is such that you could tell them apart from the real life person at a distance of half a mile.

        And if the part is a fictitious character set in the present day, then there is no reason why the character couldn't have long hair unless the part is actually uniformed military or police. None, because we have guys here from 'every walk of life'.

        Despite that, I was amazed when Tom Hanks had long(ish) hair in the first half of 'Joe Versus the Volcano' where he was supposed to be some sort of office drone. Why? Because it is probably the only portrayal in any movie ever of a long haired male office worker, and yet in real life they exist in their millions! Even then, that sequence is a surreal one.

        And why does he cut it off in the second half of the movie? To represent a big change in his life (possible, if horribly reminiscent of makeover shows), or because they don't want the long haired guy to get the girl? (sounds like that could be a standing convention that they have) - You tell me!

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        • Re: yeah I hear that
          

          

          Paul

          
          

          Long haired actors are seen as difficult, and not given good parts

          'difficult' I'm curious what you mean by that word. I think it could be said that 'jerks' would be a better word. !! But it's true, that's what Holly-would portrays us as!!

          As in difficult because they should cut their hair if the part requires it.

          There is some case to it if they are playing a real life person who has/had short hair and need to look like them, or playing a character from the first half of the 20th century when there just weren't men with long hair, or playing a soldier/cop. However, it doesn't explain the travesty of having a short haired actor playing Bobby Sands and therefore looking nothing remotely like him in that particular film.

          If it were a genuine concern, then an actor playing a long haired man could wear a wig, but the reality is that Hollywood is prejudiced against long haired men like many other parts of society, but rationalises it by saying that haircuts are required to get into the part, but wigs apparently are not.

          Have you ever wrote to any of the Hollywood producers/directors regarding this?

          Sure, they will put on wigs if they are playing a part from a period when all men had long hair, but not if they are playing a particular individual who had long hair. In that case we are just supposed to accept that we have to suspend disbelief when the resemblance (or rather lack thereof) is such that you could tell them apart from the real life person at a distance of half a mile.

          You are correct about this. most women on sitcoms and other shows have longer hairstyles while the Men are generally closely cropped with the exception of the occasional "shaggy" guy which would be something around the length of the actor that plays Auggie on Covert Affairs which is one of the few shows that I do watch btw. Nikita is another one and there is a guy with longish hair on the show who is a programmer/tech by the name of Birkoff(sp?), but not anywhere near as long as many on this board and most of you would not consider the hair on these guys long at all and neither would I, but by contrast to most working actors it is quite long.
          imagine if Auggie had hair as long as Piper Perabo and the guy who plays Birkoff had hair as long as Nikita or Alex?

          And if the part is a fictitious character set in the present day, then there is no reason why the character couldn't have long hair unless the part is actually uniformed military or police. None, because we have guys here from 'every walk of life'.

          Despite that, I was amazed when Tom Hanks had long(ish) hair in the first half of 'Joe Versus the Volcano' where he was supposed to be some sort of office drone. Why? Because it is probably the only portrayal in any movie ever of a long haired male office worker, and yet in real life they exist in their millions! Even then, that sequence is a surreal one.

          how long ago was that released? 15 years ago?

          And why does he cut it off in the second half of the movie? To represent a big change in his life (possible, if horribly reminiscent of makeover shows), or because they don't want the long haired guy to get the girl? (sounds like that could be a standing convention that they have) - You tell me!

          Hollywood as you already have pointed out is trying to
          "Sell an image" and there is a "message" in that "Image"
          that "Women should have long hair and Men should have short hair."
          most of the masses are of a "monkey-see-monkey-do" mindset so anyone who does not conform to what the typical Hollywood sitcom or "reality TV" trash image portrays they are somewhat a bit outside the norm, a 'throwback to the `70's' or categorized as something more derogatory.

          I would like to see some film students or independent producers/directors intentionally advertize for
          "Wanted Male actors. Must have long hair".

          in the interim, I think you may want to start a petition and submit it to several Hollywood studios expressing your concerns.

          reply close reply form
          • Re: yeah I hear that
            

            

            elektros

            
            

            Long haired actors are seen as difficult, and not given good parts

            'difficult' I'm curious what you mean by that word. I think it could be said that 'jerks' would be a better word. !! But it's true, that's what Holly-would portrays us as!!

            As in difficult because they should cut their hair if the part requires it.

            There is some case to it if they are playing a real life person who has/had short hair and need to look like them, or playing a character from the first half of the 20th century when there just weren't men with long hair, or playing a soldier/cop. However, it doesn't explain the travesty of having a short haired actor playing Bobby Sands and therefore looking nothing remotely like him in that particular film.

            If it were a genuine concern, then an actor playing a long haired man could wear a wig, but the reality is that Hollywood is prejudiced against long haired men like many other parts of society, but rationalises it by saying that haircuts are required to get into the part, but wigs apparently are not.

            Have you ever wrote to any of the Hollywood producers/directors regarding this?

            Sure, they will put on wigs if they are playing a part from a period when all men had long hair, but not if they are playing a particular individual who had long hair. In that case we are just supposed to accept that we have to suspend disbelief when the resemblance (or rather lack thereof) is such that you could tell them apart from the real life person at a distance of half a mile.

            You are correct about this. most women on sitcoms and other shows have longer hairstyles while the Men are generally closely cropped with the exception of the occasional "shaggy" guy which would be something around the length of the actor that plays Auggie on Covert Affairs which is one of the few shows that I do watch btw. Nikita is another one and there is a guy with longish hair on the show who is a programmer/tech by the name of Birkoff(sp?), but not anywhere near as long as many on this board and most of you would not consider the hair on these guys long at all and neither would I, but by contrast to most working actors it is quite long.
            imagine if Auggie had hair as long as Piper Perabo and the guy who plays Birkoff had hair as long as Nikita or Alex?

            And if the part is a fictitious character set in the present day, then there is no reason why the character couldn't have long hair unless the part is actually uniformed military or police. None, because we have guys here from 'every walk of life'.

            Despite that, I was amazed when Tom Hanks had long(ish) hair in the first half of 'Joe Versus the Volcano' where he was supposed to be some sort of office drone. Why? Because it is probably the only portrayal in any movie ever of a long haired male office worker, and yet in real life they exist in their millions! Even then, that sequence is a surreal one.

            how long ago was that released? 15 years ago?

            And why does he cut it off in the second half of the movie? To represent a big change in his life (possible, if horribly reminiscent of makeover shows), or because they don't want the long haired guy to get the girl? (sounds like that could be a standing convention that they have) - You tell me!

            Hollywood as you already have pointed out is trying to
            "Sell an image" and there is a "message" in that "Image"
            that "Women should have long hair and Men should have short hair."
            most of the masses are of a "monkey-see-monkey-do" mindset so anyone who does not conform to what the typical Hollywood sitcom or "reality TV" trash image portrays they are somewhat a bit outside the norm, a 'throwback to the `70's' or categorized as something more derogatory.

            I would like to see some film students or independent producers/directors intentionally advertize for
            "Wanted Male actors. Must have long hair".

            in the interim, I think you may want to start a petition and submit it to several Hollywood studios expressing your concerns.

            Maybe, if we can arrange for everyone here to sign it

            reply close reply form