The 1979 movie adaptation of the musical “Hair” may be, in my opinion, one of the most profound and amazing movies ever made. It has left a lasting impression on me, and never fails to trigger joy and heartbreak every time I see it or hear songs from it.

I was ten years old when this movie came out. My mother took me to see this “grown up” movie when it played in the theaters, because we would go see Broadway shows, and this was an opportunity to see one that was no longer playing.

I don’t think my mother had any clue how much this movie would affect me emotionally for the rest of my life.

First, it was a chance to see “movie stars” playing hippies, and SINGING! I always thought broadway actors were one thing, movie stars another, and never the twain shall meet.

Second, it was my first movie star crush. I was hugely, crazily, devastatingly gobsmacked by Treat Williams. He was everything: a leader, a rebel, and a poet. AND THAT HAIR! Oh, and Hello bare tushy! (Remember, I was ten). Treat would quickly be replaced by Sting later that year with the release of Outlandos d’Amour, but for a few solid months, Treat was my entire world.

Thirdly, this was a story about love and freedom, but also about war and racism and conflict and poverty. These were big concepts for a ten year old to grasp.

Fourth, other than Disney movies, which loved to rip children’s hearts out in the first 20 minutes of every movie, this was the first movie to make me cry over and over again. The first big cry was when Cheryl Barnes sang “Easy to Be Hard” in the park, with her little boy looking after his Daddy, Lafayette, while his mom pours her heart at in song. And, towards the end, when the little boy gazes up concerned at his mother. Movie legend has it that when Barnes came to audition for the role, she sang, and a hush of awe fell on the casting team.

Also, NELL CARTER. Hello?! She opened her mouth and my jaw dropped. She just amazed me with her pipes with her diminutive stature. I remember later, when the TV show “Gimme a Break” aired, I couldn’t wait to watch her, and kept hoping she would sing again. And I smiled while I cried every time she did sing.

But the big sob for me was the end, with “Flesh Failures” and the noble and brave Berger stepping in as Claude, so the lovers could have one last day together. Inevitably, his unit is called to war, and Claude cannot get back in time to switch back, leaving the untrained, anti-war, beautiful hero of our story, (who, by the way, at any time could/should have revealed he was not who he was), bravely stayed in character, and walked the long and devastating march from into the air carrier, and, ultimately, his death. (gasp)

Fun Fact: During the closing number “Flesh Failures”, when Berger sings the third verse, background singers are singing lines from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. “Eyes, Look your Last, Arms take your last embrace” and “The lips, oh you the doors, of breath, sealed with a righteous kiss” are all from Romeo’s final monologue. It’s followed by “The rest is silence,” the last line in Hamlet.

As if that isn’t enough of a devastation, the next cut is a dolly shot of the gang looking at a sea of gravestones, huddled together. Cut to a close up of one gravestone, where we see George Berger’s name, birth and death date.

Imagine this whole scenario in the eyes of a ten-year-old, seeing a grown up movie for the first time. I openly wept in the theater, and no amount of coddling would console me. He died, all because he was protecting his friend, for love.

Then imagine my heart soaring to thousands and thousands of people singing “Let The Sunshine In”, peacefully protesting the war, all in sublime solidarity. Again, I sobbed, but this time with hope.

This movie has stayed with me. It has created an imprint on me; so much so, that every time I see a production of the musical, I instantly have an almost Pavlovian reaction to the bass guitar beats of “Flesh Failures” and pop with sobs. And yet, this show is so dear to me, and so precious, because it opened my eyes to “big girl” issues, and showed me a universe I was sheltered from until that day.

It is a story that is full of anger, and sadness and hope. Some say it’s dated. I say it’s timely. And, while many of the songs would be hugely controversial in today’s climate, I think the message is still relevant: people taking sides, people not being treated fairly, government insertion into cultural and human issues.

It’s also a testament to the power of the arts; in how it presents these issues, in how it makes people think and feel, and how we ultimately act upon those thoughts and feelings.

It is, quite simply, a masterpiece.

Don’t believe me, watch and weep. I will, again.

(yep, still crying)