The Big Shave - 1967

[dogslifeproduction]

59 people have understood that they will not never make cinema.

[8647309]

It is about a man who does not like what he sees in the mirror about himself. So he keeps shaving to try and cleanse himself.

[csscszcsgv]

"This short film is a metaphor for the Vietnam War. A man walks into a meticulously clean and sterile bathroom, concentrating on the polished porcelain and shiny metal motif. He then proceeds to shave. When his face is clean, however, he only continues to shave until he pierces through his skin. Blood covers him and falls around him, the red contrasting the perfect spotlessness of the bathroom."

Summary written by Joseph D. Guernsey

I think this summary is rather stupid.

[LYMYCYG]

He needs a new razor...

[00aru00]

could somebody suggest me the meaning of this short?? I have no ideas..

[SoapBrushAndBlade]

He must be using the Meuhle R41...

[jorjin903]

muy desabradable pero conosco ha varios que les ha sucedido eso muy buen cortometraje

[33sirfatty]

It is powerful if you understand the meanings.

[gudnips]

Another interesting question is whether the end titles are actually considered part of a movie. The story is over and the visuals are gone. isn´t the movie over?

IThe big shave is one of my childhood favorites and I can still watch it and appreciate it today, I agree that the connection between the plot in The Big Shave and the Vietnam war is quite sketchy. I suspect that Scorsese had the idea for the visuals first and later imagined the possibility of speaking about the war in Vietnam.

[401KILLBRAMHALD]

@gudnips Films have two endings, where the story and visuals come to an end it is called the 'close' then the credits roll up and when the finish it is truly the 'end' :)

[gudnips]

Another interesting question is whether the end titles are actually considered part of a movie. The story is over and the visuals are gone. isn´t the movie over?

I do think that a movie should stand on it´s own and should not need an external explanation for the meaning. But if the explanation is embedded in the movie itself, it really does stand on it´s own.

[gudnips]

wow, that was quite the debate you guys had, CineMarktography and Shamus8b8. I think your missing the fact that the last line of the end titles reads "Viet ´67". To me, that´s a clear reference to the Vietnam war and that the film is a metaphor for the ridiculous nature of the US war machine in Vietnam.

[Shamus8b8]

Did the uploader darken the colors? Because the blood looks fantastic

[GodfatherAl102892]

He didn't need to shave in the first place...

[MuchoKiller]

This director is going nowhere.  What a schlub!

[Washu151]

@MuchoKiller Actually this director is one of the more well-known ones. It's the genre "auteur" that is confusing. We're studying Scorsese in my film class. VERY weird.

[MuchoKiller]

@Washu151

I was joking...

[mf481516]

Someday I want to be credited as "bathroom" in a short film.

[bskil]

@mf481516 HAHA wouldnt mind be crediting as anything in a scorsese film now

[lilarif]

He gets the closest shave, ive ever see before

[southerndandy89]

I bet marty was a pussy maniac.

[lucierohan]

this guy's gonna be a hit.

[WillOfficial94]

how would he have gotten the throat cut scene? where would the blood come from.

[HerSoCool]

@WillOfficial94 There has to be some reservoir of blood inside of the fake razor. You can see him seem to squeeze the handle.

[xsammerwammer]

Ketchup and chocolate. We learned about this in my movie production class.

[KnedlaKlobasCZ]

Isn't it a Scorsese's short movie? ;-)

[noirjour]

How did they do the blood scene at 4:48?

[GodfatherAl102892]

Funny thing being, it looks like he doesnt need to shave.

[renanpunx]

best best best ever *___*

[stijnvandewiel]

people in vietnam definitly died needlessly. You don't need to be scared to speak it out!

[MREVANURY]

I think Marty smoked a little weed before he made this short. Oh yeah. Marty was a stoner, So was his editor and schoolmate Thelma Schoonmaker. That gives me a bit of peace and comfort in saying that. After all, I'm a film maker too and was a big time stoner myself. Ah,..those were the days. Huh?

[insomaniacindream]

lfmlnmm./xvc,m./mbvc/f;klhg.,c­mv.mnm.vc

[insomaniacindream]

senseless.........



[badegg3210]

....a job well done, I say!

[8Maik]

the blood looks like chocolate

[Vash1286]

@8Maik it is! lol...he used hershey's chocolate in this and in "Raging bull".

[mattshane]

that is intense.

[meinenicnierobienie]

Faktycznie Fisz ma bardzo podobny teledysk. A nawet taki sam. Ale moim zdaniem do Sznurowadeł klip bardziej pasuje. Dzięki temu Sznurowadła są bardziej klimatyczne... I nadal plus dla Fisza.

[bobb328]

It's amazing that less than 10 years later he made Taxi Driver, one of the greatest films ever made.

[irreversible1988]

@bobb328 on the contrary, his deep sense of irony and his great ability to communicate brought him to that.

[HomeMovies420]

@bobb328 the greatest, but I'll let you slide :)

[GorilaGorilaFilms]

just watching that video how could some1 no thats a metaphor for the vietnam war

[captainkill1]

great movie. I wish I could do something close to its caliber.

[Duggysgurl]

what song is this???

[Sububababa]

haha lots of vagina in related video

[JangelLarr]

check out my profile its kind of cool lol

[ahmadhab]

huge director !! a Mentor lets say !! waiting the invention of hugo cabaret

[zosiazzzzz]

o kurde.. Fisz ewidentnie skopiował! :(

[suuicidee]

@zosiazzzzz toć to celowy zabieg!

[xboxPHOENIX]

the 60s look fun

[adamzanzie]

Why are there pornographic videos in the "Related Videos" section? They don't even belong on the same page as this Scorsese gem.

[thodther]

(sic)

[shuckslbj]

mmm... raspberry jam.

[Yesmaamiagree]

I would've liked to see him use a straight razor...

[GodfatherAl102892]

@Yesmaamiagree LMAO

[twinkie116]

The first time I saw this was at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge Ma and I almost pissed my pants laughing.  It works better as a comedy!

[filmfanatic99]

dude, why is this video in the related category with vaginas?

[copypastegeneration]

yeah, i'm wondering too.

[elgurusexual]

loll is it relly

[saradara39]

i know right, thats so weird

[SINMIEDOALPATOTERO]

vaginas are popular

[irreversible1988]

@filmfanatic99 probably subconsciously related to each others?

[Applemask]

@filmfanatic99 Shaving...Internet...vaginas. 

[meepmoop]

@filmfanatic99 "shave"

[xxSHAUNxx100]

@filmfanatic99 because its called the big shave.... get it

[bsgdec]

brutal!

[spekialke]

Almost

[joselulloa]

without face's hair. gillette mach 3 turbo!!!

[AldarondoFilm]

What is the name of the song?

[909dilligaf]

Bunny Berigan's "I Can't Get Started"

[JackKlompus13]

Ouch.

[tomM130]

Ha ha ha.

The first/last time I saw this film was in my high school art class, around 1971.

McGraw-Hill produced several interesting experimental films.

[randompuntur]

this always happens to me,just use a bit of tissue youl be grand..well maybe two bits in your case

[ImperialCrime]

the best director.

scorse is artist.

[sleepyduo37]

wow, I have been dying to see this for years and now I did and it's so powerful. not pun intended.

[guthax20]

Powerful? I'm sorry, but if you want powerful watch "taxi driver" now THATS powerful.

[sleepyduo37]

Of course, it will remain in my list of top films forever.

[saradara39]

It's powerful becuase its about sending young soldiers of to the vietnam war

[fantalandfilms]

wow!

[ferango222]

wow

[trullyfantasticpal]

genius

[Geek3d]

I gotta puke..

[minored360]

this man should buy a better shaver

[McNugget06]

Its a technique. John Woo uses it all the time.

[PancerFTW]

This is all a metaphor for the americans at war. He takes off his shirt 3 times to show WW1, WW2 and then the vietnam war and then him shaving shows how even tho the americans were losing they kept fighting and fighting. And yes McNugget is right the shirt thing is also a very common technique.

[PancerFTW]

your right alot of metaphorical stuff in films wasn't meant to be there but there is also alot of methaphorical stuff in films that IS meant to be there. notice at the end of this short that it says VIET '67 and I have also seen interviews where Scorsese says that it IS a metaphor so before you call me an idiot back up you opinion nad go back to film school.

[0mri]

lol

[carkent1]

Hitchcockian! Think of other history preserved here: imagine Gillette printing 15¢off right ON THE CAN! Wonder about all-American Peter Bermuth, his only entry on IMDB. Ponder why bathrooms no longer install toothbrush and tumbler holders. Rejioice theres a Vietnam reference so we know the intent—since this could just as well be an homage to Hitchcock: one new director saluting the master. Enjoy Bunny Berigans vocal. Explain the meaning of whitenessHerman Melville

[thewolf1287]

love the metaphor of vietnam. but let's admit that martin was pretty crazy back then and he was doing a lot of coke

[normanton82]

fuckin buzzin vietnam reference, i was gonna comment this but thought i'd read through to check no one else had so i didn't look like a noob...lol

love this film

[cobraman1027]

bloody good fun xD

[BunchofMovieVideos]

Thanks for uploading this. :)

[stimorolgumm]

What´s the name of the song??

[Holygrail2]

"I Can't Get Started" by Bunny Berigan

[DDDestructor]

This movie fucking owns, i wanna make a short film that can live up to the platinum potential of this. i watched the departed on my i-pod the other day and i could see traces of martys technique and style from the departed in this, thats cool

[Thewonkandfriends]

Ooh, I've had shaves like this.

[childishaggressive]

Its a great landmark film for its time and contextually relevant. If he could've made a better metaphor, why don't you have a pop at it yourself?? I hate those who throw stones at those who try to get the message across in a different way, when they haven't the balls or the talent to do it themselves.

And yeah I think he's a little insane, but I see that as a compliment, you need to do things that seem out of the ordinary to provoke reaction and therefore change.

[wholewheatbagel]

martin scorcese is insane

[bluman892]

ummm.... i think your missing the point. this isnt Saw, dude. the main focus, isnt the gore, here. :)

[barniborous]

The idea is that when we went in, it was a good idea, just like when he shaved the first time. Then, after he finished shaving the first time, he just kept going... kind of like vietnam. The point is this, in war, as in shaving, too much force can be a bad thing.

[LosAngeleno1959]

I wonder what would have happened to our country if the Founing Fathers would have thought like you regarding the war with the British or for that matter ,the Allies and the US against the Nazis. Too much force huh?

[REREWHO]

can someone tell me how this has to do with the Vietnam war?

[geoscrubsfan17]

This short film is a microcosm of the mentality of the vietnam war. Basically, no matter how much damage this man does to himself he keeps going causing mass harm. Similary, No matter how many people were sent in to be massacred in the vietnam war, more and more kept on getting sent in.

I hope no one takes this to mean that the people who died in vietnam, died needlessly. I am simlpy conveying what my film studies lecturer told me.

Hope this helped answer your question.

[bknight23]

@geoscrubsfan17 The perfectly clean and white also works as a metaphor for the moral standing of America after fighting the "good wat" WW2.  An image thoroughly destroyed by Vietnam

[poonmasta69]

@geoscrubsfan17 They did die needlessly, the US lost the war. It was all for nothing.

[KentAllard]

@geoscrubsfan17

"No matter how many people were sent in to be massacred in the vietnam war, more and more kept on getting sent in."

Because its not as if anyone indigenous to Indochina was killed right?

[GoddessPictures]

@geoscrubsfan17 Martin Scorsese denied that rumor. He's said it was just a parody on commercials that offered a "deep shave."

[CineMarktography]

@geoscrubsfan17 Films need to stand alone. There is absolutely nothing in this short film to suggest anything having to do with the Vietnam war. Sure, it could be a metaphor for a man causing himself more and more harm until he dies or there's no turning back, but the whole "Vietnam" angle is ridiculous. If that's what it means for Scorsese, fine (though I doubt it), but like I said: A film needs to stand by itself without outside knowledge of what the director/writer MEANS for it to be.

[Shamus8b8]

@CineMarktography A film about two guys in a room full of gasoline one with 3 matches and one with 5 matches=cold war metaphor, there's nothing in that scenario I just described that suggests it has to do with the cold war, nothing except mutually assured destruction. So this film has nothing in it to suggest it's about vietnam except "No matter how many people were sent in to be massacred in the vietnam war, more and more kept on getting sent in." so yes, it stands as it stands CINEMARKDOUCHE

[CineMarktography]

@Shamus8b8 Oh. That must be why Scorsese himself denied that it was about the Vietnam War and morons like you just drew parallels that weren't really there. If that's what it means for you fine. But stop stating it like it's fact. It's not. Sometimes *gasp* things don't have a deeper meaning. You just want them to.

[Shamus8b8]

@CineMarktography that's a goddamn lie, you know this, I know this let's just both just sit here and just think of how much of a liar you are. You probably think Transformers was just an action movie about giant robots and shit.

[CineMarktography]

@Shamus8b8 Even if it was meant to be that by Scorsese, it could be a metaphor for anything you want it to be. Anybody can concoct whatever metaphor they want for it. If you play the short by itself with no knowledge of it whatsoever, you'd create your own meaning for it and arrive NOWHERE NEAR Vietnam. So what I'm saying is that doesn't matter. You're making it be about Vietnam to you. I stand by my statement: a film should stand alone without explanation from the creator.

[Shamus8b8]

@CineMarktography Now your angry towards filmmakers? That's low man, you're obviously a very disturbed individual with opinions that you state as fact, because are nothing more than a liar

[CineMarktography]

@Shamus8b8 I AM a filmmaker. You're a sheep.

[Shamus8b8]

@CineMarktography Only sheep call people sheep

[radmaxxxx]

@CineMarktography You're all dumb fucking sheep!!

[chafu1]

Ok, I get how it's an anti-vietnam statement. But, he could have picked a better metaphor. The film was origanally called viet-67.

[cheochivista]

inspiring.

[TheCoveVideos]

how is that inspiring? it was crap

[PancerFTW]

lol you clearly know nothing about film.

[starscream9289]

OUCHH! Ahh man! And I just shaved, too!

[Seans1]

me too hahha

[glacierkid]

yeah cultural reference on american dad.

[aaronhallam61]

I was brought here by an episode of American Dad. It was Season 2, Episode 9: Best Christmas Story Never Told.

[pieceofplacenta]

me too.

[FranciscoValeAnjos]

It makes 3 with me

[ImMe1314]

damn is that real or did they have that kind of efffects back then

[StolenBatteries]

the actor died (blood loss) after filming, quite tragic tale, actually. Google it for the full story. He sure was one hell of a dedicated actor.

[johnnytastetest]

Oh, it's real.

They didn't event corn syrup and food colouring until the late seventies.

[isselman2000]

It's real unfortunately. Google it.

[johnnytastetest]

Are you making a tongue-in-cheek comment in response to MY tongue-in-cheek comment?

I know enough about filmmaking and shaving (check out my vids for a couple of straight razor shaves) to understand every element of this film.

I only recently discovered this little short, actually, which disappointed me... I was planning on doing a movie where a straight razor shaver bleeds to death.

And people would probably have tried to apply symbolism to that too.

[isselman2000]

I was answering ImMe1314's question.

[SpeakToMe19]

Lol...It's called fake blood

[craiglendallmusic]

That's pretty well done.

[SirRoxo]

i have to admit, old, cheap and non-realistic but the neck "slice" was pretty cool. Not bad for an old short.

[umbricious]

It's kinda protest against vietnam war

[jameson63926]

ah, i remember the days of single blade razors, it was about this horrific, seriously

[socom2293]

why does everybody think stuff weird and gross and made by somebody like scorcessee is automatically a masterpiece? i understand the message so don't try to explain it to me. I would rather have somebody say "the united states is destroying itself by fighting in vietnam" instead of watching some guy cut his face.........i gues i don't understand art.

But i am a big fan of most of his other films.

[relientk03]

Ok think about it this way. Have you ever seen Pablo Picasso's Guernica? It's widely considered one of his best works. It depicts the fire bombing of Guernica in the Spanish Civil War. Now, anyone could have said, "The Spanish Civil War is a travesty because innocent people are being killed like in Guernica." But instead, Picasso chose to represent it in a very abstract and gruesome painting, because that's the way he knew how to transmit ideas best. That's what Scorsese's doing in this film.

[emptyspace00]

I'm confused- why was chocolate coming out of the guy's neck?

[GregKarwowski]

Interesting to see one of Scorsese's first shorts.

[Ehiguy102]

This is why hippies never shaved in the 60's.

[MrElwood2]

Ale rzeźnia! Dobre dla masochistów

[tridestined]

Pretty cool, looking back on his short films.

[o2theh]

What a film, what a filmmaker!

[Xeserox]

Why is the video fla... oh... oh god what the fuck?!

[Joestn77]

and to think, vietnam would have been so much easier if they had just had multi-blade razors then.

[vs1990sangha]

is this what got him noticed as a big time serious director

[julianwilliams4]

Not really. When he made this he was just out of film school. You should check out other shorts like 'It's not just you Murray!' and 'What's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?' for more of his early style. He didn't make a feature until 'Who's that knocking at my door?' a couple of years later, and even after 'Mean Streets' he wasn't known much outside the New York/ Los Angeles film community. I'd say 'Raging Bull' was what made him a mainstream star.

[jeesonus]

Um, try Taxi Driver dude. And before that he was on the map with Mean Streets & Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore.

[evanraufbold]

Disturbing, but awesome. A true political statement.

[AntMeier]

Toll!

[revolver04]

Gillette's Wide World of Spurts!

[xcentralteamx]

Great!

[1happyaua]

i was on the verge of throwing up thanx

[FFFan3445]

I know it looked a little like chocolate, but I'd rather not shave any time soon, now. (My electric razor isn't that scary, though.)

[thrillseeker9909]

He should have used a Mac 3 Turbo

[andruchina]

Hahaha!

[cablagoobla]

I really like this.

[LedZeppelin005]

sick but great!!!

[uncoolio55]

this film was made during the US's involvment in Vietnam, and it was meant to illustrate the pointless of the war there. The man is multilating himself for no obvious reason just as many people thought the soldiers we're multilating themselves for no reason

[andruchina]

Wow. Thanks for the info.

[darkhorseofgotham]

i didnt get it.. but i like the technical aspects of the film but i just don't get the meaning?? plsss can anyone tell...

[letthedaybegin]

this guys has some serious OCD

[kickar]

Simply brilliant.