When Miloš Forman, director of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, adapted the groundbreaking 1967 Broadway musical Hair for the screen in 1979, he did more than bring a stage hit to theaters—he captured the spirit of a generation teetering between euphoria and despair. As both a cultural artifact and a work of cinema, Hair has earned a unique place in American film history, revered for its audacious blend of exuberant musicality and pointed social critique.

A Snapshot of a Tumultuous Era

Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, Hair immerses viewers in the tumult of the 1960s counterculture. The story follows Claude Bukowski, a young man from Oklahoma, who travels to New York City before shipping out to fight in Vietnam. There, he encounters a tribe of free-spirited hippies led by the magnetic George Berger. Through music, drugs, and unrestrained idealism, Claude is pulled into a world that challenges everything he thought he knew about duty, freedom, and identity.

Forman, a Czech émigré whose own life was marked by authoritarian regimes, brought an outsider’s clarity to the American rebellion he portrayed. His film does not merely mimic the era—it interrogates it, celebrating the energy of youth while mourning the costs of innocence lost.

Political Urgency in Musical Form

At its core, Hair is a protest film. Its themes—anti-war resistance, the questioning of authority, the rejection of materialism—are not subtle. The film channels these messages through iconic musical numbers such as “Aquarius,” “Let the Sunshine In,” and “The Flesh Failures,” songs that resonate with hope and heartbreak in equal measure.

What makes Hair distinctive is its refusal to separate the political from the personal. The exuberant joy of communal living exists side-by-side with the grim inevitability of war. The film doesn’t offer neat resolutions; instead, it leaves audiences with a jarring twist that underscores the randomness and tragedy of lives caught in systems beyond their control.

A Cinematic Evolution of the Stage Musical

Forman’s Hair diverges significantly from its stage predecessor. The original musical, created by James Rado, Gerome Ragni, and Galt MacDermot, was more fragmented and experimental—a collage of scenes and songs reflecting the chaos of the times. Forman and screenwriter Michael Weller restructured the narrative to give it more coherence and an emotional arc. While some fans of the musical criticized these changes, others embraced the film’s more focused storytelling and deeper character development.

Twyla Tharp’s choreography and Miroslav Ondříček’s cinematography elevate the film’s musical numbers into cinematic spectacles—fluid, surreal, and grounded in real-world landscapes. The contrast between fantasy and reality, often blurred by the film’s editing and staging, reflects the era’s tensions between idealism and consequence.

Performances That Capture a Generation

The film introduced a number of then-unknown talents to a wider audience. Treat Williams, as the charismatic Berger, delivers a performance brimming with chaotic charm and aching vulnerability. John Savage, as Claude, embodies the tension between conformity and rebellion. Their chemistry, along with the ensemble’s energy, lends the film an authenticity that complements its stylized musical form.

Critical Reception and Lasting Legacy

Upon its release, Hair received a mixed but largely positive critical response. Some critics and stage purists took issue with the changes to the plot and tone. Others praised Forman’s vision and the film’s successful translation of a theatrical phenomenon into something uniquely cinematic.

Over time, appreciation for the film has grown. It is now regarded as one of the most ambitious and artistically successful adaptations of a stage musical, and a definitive film of its time. Its exploration of identity, social upheaval, and the costs of war continues to resonate, making it not only a nostalgic look at the ’60s but a timeless piece of political art.

Hair is more than a musical—it’s a cultural time capsule and a cinematic act of rebellion. Through its music, storytelling, and vision, it captures the hope, confusion, and heartbreak of a generation trying to change the world. In doing so, it remains a powerful reminder of how art can reflect, challenge, and even shape the spirit of its time.