Movies
Martin Scorsese Was In His Allegorical Horror Bag Early With “The Big Shave”
“In the process of shaving, a young man cuts himself. A lot.”
“In the process of shaving, a young man cuts himself. A lot.”
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writer: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Peter Bernuth
Release Date: October 1968
IMDB
Before I even clicked play on The Big Shave (1968), I knew I was in for something that was going to make me uncomfortable. I don’t love shaving. I don’t love razors, and I don’t love self-inflicted gory punishments. I don’t love any of these things, but that is entirely what The Big Shave is.
So why did I click play? Because The Big Shave was directed by none other than legendary director and one-time Oscar Winner Martin Scorsese. This was one of the first projects he ever made, and I think it’s a bit of an insight into his twisted mind. Scorsese is not afraid to dive into true depravity. The ending of Taxi Driver (1976) is no happy ending. Cape Fear (1991) has its best moments when Robert De Niro is diving into wreckless madness. Shutter Island (2010) is a popcorn thriller meant to evoke uneasiness; Scorsese is not afraid of terror. It is like his midnight snack.
The Big Shave is remarkably simple. It is about a youing nameless man getting on with a daily routine. He walks into a prestine bathroom and begins shaving. He shaves. He shaves, and then keeps on shaving. The final motion of the razor is something that will stick with you, even with the late 1960s practical effects.
One has to think that the inspiration for The Big Shave is personal. But Scorsese made this movie during the height of one of America’s most controversial moments. The Vietnam War. Critics, and Scorsese himself note how the self-mutilation showcased in The Big Shave is symbolic of America disgracing and defacing itself with its mission in the jungle. Scorsese tossed around the idea of ending the short film with archival footage from the war. I am thankful he didn’t do that because it forced me to look into The Big Shave and read up on it.
This short story is an example (at least to me) of how we can misinterpret a director or storyteller’s version. I never would have thought about the Vietnam War unless I looked deeper into this movie. I am not smart enough to connect all the tiny dots.
The Big Shave served its purpose wonderfully. It leaves the audience remarkably uneasy and damn if it didn’t make me want to immediately jot my thoughts down.
The Big Shave is streaming on MAX, also on YouTube.
STANKO RATING: A
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