Did you know that Martin Scorsese once made a horror movie? I mean, it’s okay to admit that you didn’t, because I certainly didn’t until recently, and I thought I’d seen all of Scorsese’s movies, from the ‘60s all the way up to current day.
However, that’s not fair, since the “horror movie” I’m referring to isn’t an actual “movie,” per se, but rather a short titled The Big Shave, which came out in 1967, the same year as his feature-length debut, Who’s That Knocking at My Door?
That said, The Big Shave is definitely horror, albeit only six minutes in length, and one that I would put up there with the best body horror movies of all time. Here’s why.
I Love Horror, But I Simply Could Not Watch This Short All The Way Through Without Turning My Head
I’ve seen most of the best horror movies ever made, and a vast majority of them don’t scare me. I mean, I LIKE them, but it’s not like they make me cover my eyes or turn my head (I’m talking about the ones that I can actually watch, that is. Some I can’t).
I could not sit through The Big Shave without turning my head, which I must say, is the highest compliment for somebody who regularly watches horror. In short, a man (Peter Bernuth) goes into the bathroom and simply shaves himself. All the while, Bunny Berigan’s “I Can’t Get Started” plays throughout. That’s it.
However, that’s not quite it. Because even though the silent protagonist shaves himself just fine at first, he keeps shaving…and shaving…and shaving! There’s a little bit of blood at first…then more blood…then even more blood, until he just starts shaving off his skin. And by the halfway point, I was just like, “Stop! Stop!” which I guess was the point, given what the film has been interpreted to actually be about…
Some Say It’s Meant To Be Allegorical For Vietnam
The Big Shave is also known as Viet ‘67, and ahhh. NOW The Big Shave makes a bit more sense. At its heart, the short is about pointless self-mutilation, and it seems that Scorsese was making a point about America’s involvement in the Vietnam War and how we were futilely hurting ourselves by engaging in the conflict.
In that way, even though nobody would mistake this short of a man shaving in his bathroom as a war movie, it actually very much could be interpreted as one, just as Godzilla can be interpreted as an allegory for the atom bomb.
So, yeah, Scorsese directed both a body horror short and an anti-war short, all in one shot. Amazing stuff!
Honestly, Try To Watch It For Yourself. I Dare You. See How Long You Make It
So, now, I have a challenge for you. I want you to WATCH The Big Shave for yourself and see how long you can last. Yes, I’m definitely hyping this film up, and you might watch it and think, This Rich Knight guy was just farming for clicks.
I’m being dead serious. Because as somebody who has actually cut himself shaving (I’m pretty sure all males have done it at some point), the genuine terror of REALLY hurting yourself is palpable. And just the idea of cutting yourself until you’re a bloody mess is nightmare fuel.
So, even though this is also technically a silent movie, it’s one of the most effective silent/body horror/anti-war short films you’ll ever watch. So, give it a try, and let me know your thoughts!
