20 Weird Movie Haircuts

Carlitos Way (1993)

The Haircut: Another set of unruly curls, these ones whispering over a thinning scalp.

Weirdest Detail:
What’s with the sideburns? At the very least they should be as curly as the rest of the ‘do, but here they’re just a tacked-on afterthought.

Does It Work?
Lawyer’s aren’t exactly known for their style (unless they’re on Ally McBeal ), so the hair is pretty unimportant here to be honest.

9 To 5 (1980)

The Haircut: The ‘80s strike back! Far from being a copycat of Joan Cusack’s mountain of spaghetti, Dolly Parton has here gone for what can only be described as a dense sponge of golden curls.

Weirdest Detail:
It’s so big we couldn’t fit the lot in this picture. Also, doesn’t it look like the hair is actually talking to Dolly?

Does It Work?
Big hair balances out big boobs. Fact.

Labyrinth (1986)

The Haircut: An abomination of cross hair-breeding.

Weirdest Detail:
Just... all of it. The top’s a spiky, hedgehog-like bush, which then tapers into spindly shoulder-warmers.

Does It Work?
There’s no doubt that it’s punk rock, especially considering David Bowie’s the one sporting the ‘do. But could anybody really fear a Goblin King with such a horrendous weave?

Eraserhead (1977)

The Haircut: Apparent victim of a sudden and unexpected bolt of lightning.

Weirdest Detail:
Man, that thing has height. It’s very almost like Henry Spence survived a session in the electric chair (the tortured eyes certainly give that impression), leaving his ‘do forever standing on end.

Does It Work?
Henry’s a weirdo. So, yes.

Battlefield Earth (2000)

The Haircut: Not so much a cut as a straggly mess of dreadlocks and alien beads.

Weirdest Detail:
You can very almost see where Travolta’s real hair ends, and the horrendous, matted wig begins. Gotta love the crazy eyebrows, as well.

Does It Work?
This dude’s an alien from outer space, so we can understand they wouldn’t have the same approach to hair care as us. But that just doesn’t look like a battle-ready mop.

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)

The Haircut: Queen Amidala festoons her entire body – including her hair – in all manner of riches, just to show off how much money George Lucas has in his back pocket.

Weirdest Detail:
It’s hard to tell, but is that actually her real hair threaded into a cushion around the gold headdress? It looks that way to us.

Does It Work?
She’s a queen, she can do whatever the hell she wants with her hair, quite frankly.

JFK (1991)

The Haircut: More floaty cloud hair (seriously, was this EVER actually in fashion?).

Weirdest Detail:
Tommy Lee Jones is desperately trying to resemble the real Clay Shaw, but it just looks wrong all over.

Does It Work?
As a weird insight into how Jones could possibly end up looking in 20 years time, maybe. As a fashion statement? Hell to the no.

Being John Malkovich (1999)

The Haircut: Not quite the usual perky blonde look we know Cameron Diaz for, but instead a frumpy, wild tumbleweed of hair.

Weirdest Detail:
It’s not really sure what it is either, is it? There are curls, and it seems to want to be a mullet, but this hair is having a massive crisis of identity.

Does It Work?
Diaz’s character is meant to be a bit kooky (if having transgender desires really classifies one as kooky), so it sort of works. Ish.

Dumb & Dumber (1994)

The Haircut: Another self-cutter (or self-trimmer?), Lloyd’s the only one who can be held responsible for this own dreadful skull-hugger.

Weirdest Detail:
The fringe, which seems to be defying gravity with its haughty upward gradient.

Does It Work?
If he’s stood next to buddy Harry, who looks more than a bit like Chewbacca, we’re sure nobody would notice.

Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971)

The Haircut: A styled green marshmallow of hair atop the head of a very orange Oompa Loompa.

Weirdest Detail:
The green hair is clearly a dye job – it doesn’t match the Loompas’ lightning-white eyebrows. Clear sign of dyeage.

Does It Work?
The nutty hairdo definitely gives the Oompa Loompas an other-worldy feel – though we’re sure that it's Willy Wonka’s dodgy fashion tips that have led to this look.

Josh Winning has worn a lot of hats over the years. Contributing Editor at Total Film, writer for SFX, and senior film writer at the Radio Times. Josh has also penned a novel about mysteries and monsters, is the co-host of a movie podcast, and has a library of pretty phenomenal stories from visiting some of the biggest TV and film sets in the world. He would also like you to know that he "lives for cat videos..." Don't we all, Josh. Don't we all.