Hair for the ages

Let me start off by stating that I am excited about Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It was my favourite book in the series - so much so that I pretty much abandoned reading the books after that because they just weren't Goblet of Fire.

But I see problems with the movie already: I just can't get past the hair.

Now, I know, kids these days are into the long, messy look of the 1970s and Harry Potter has to look like he's down with the kids. But this is getting ridiculous. Harry is starting to look like 1970s figureskating sweetheart, Dorothy Hamill (see on the left).

Ron is even worst off since the red hair acts like a beacon and everyone will be thinking, "Prince Valiant" (seen on the right), as they gaze in horror.

Styling and wardrobe can make or break a movie. If it reflects the fashions of a particular decade, while aiming to be a film for the ages, the results can be laughable. Doctor Zhivago is a swoon-worthy epic but who really thinks Julie Christie is suffering through the Bolshevik Revolution when she has a 1965 beehive along with frosted eyeshadow?

Let me be the first to predict that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire will not be a classic children's film because your children will find his hair embarrassingly "2005" or whatever derogatory thing kids will say in the future.

Other films that will not outlast their fashion sense:

• Superman Returns - the 2006 film directed by wardrobe malfunction, Bryan Singer. I've never seen a superhero costume this bad. Go to http://www.imdb.com, look at Photo Gallery of the movie. Prepare to be amazed.
• X-Men - they avoided the pitfalls of yellow spandex for Wolverine but Jean Grey had possibly the worst dye job in film history (except maybe for Antonio Banderas in Interview with the Vampire) and trendy styling that was very 2000.
• The Matrix - You thought the black leather trenches and the sunglasses were cool but the sad truth is that they are really a lot of pre-millenial posturing.

Ending on a positive note, films with excellent hair and wardrobe for the ages:

• Blade Runner - it's definitely a product of the 1980s but the integration of 1930s styling in Sean Young's character was top notch
• Lord of the Rings - Does Arwen have chunky highlights or Galadriel have high shine lipgloss on? No, they do not.
• The Princess Bride - Aside from the fact that Fred Savage is a little boy in this film, there is nothing that points to this film's late 1980s origins.