Kurt Russell is one of Hollywood’s most recognizable icons. He’s been a common sight on the silver screen since he was but a child actor, one of the few examples of one that had a stable life and successful career. There aren’t a lot of bombs on the resume, either. Russell’s portfolio has been consistently good and covers several genres, with action and comedy at the forefront, while there are notable entries for the horror and thriller genres as well.
It’s an intimidating task to put all of Kurt’s impressive body of work into some kind of order, but one way to follow his career through the decades is to follow his hairstyle. No matter the era, Kurt always seems to rock that ‘do, and it becomes a part of the role he plays. If you think that sounds strange, take a look at some of Russell’s most memorable roles and you can see the part his hair is playing.
10 The Feathered Snake, Escape From New York
When John Carpenter discovered Kurt Russell in the 1980s, the result was some of our favorite vintage action fantasy films, ranging from the funny to the gritty. The character of Snake Plissken appeared in the dystopian movie Escape from New York and made an impression on fans. His portrayal inspired the character of Solid Snake, the main protagonist of the expansive Metal Gear Solid video game franchise. One of the discerning features is the scruffy hairdo, which looks deliberately layered and unkempt to symbolize his chaotic life as a fugitive, and appears in virtually every adaptation of the character.
9 A Sympathetic Soldier, Stargate
The character of Colonel Jonathan O’Neil walked a fine line in 1994’s science fiction sleeper, Stargate. He represented the antagonistic authorities but he still had to be a sympathetic character. Only Kurt Russell, armed with this no-nonsense buzzcut, could achieve that goal. He’s introduced as a soldier who just lost his son in a tragic gun accident, and his commanding officers seem to view him as expendable, which also endears him to the audience. O’Neil maintains an air of deep vulnerability somehow mixed with a hard-nosed militant attitude throughout the movie and it holds up, as does the cut.
8 The Sexy Carpenter, Overboard
Bored housewife calls a carpenter to her yacht to work on her closet, and that’s how this story begins. What kind of movie is this? Actually, it’s a stellar 1980s comedy that features Kurt Russell and his real-life partner, Goldie Hawn. It’s not just a movie about opposites attracting, there’s also an element of social anxiety that leads to some funny “fish out of water” scenarios.
Kurt’s hair in this one recalls the chaotic look of Snake Plissken, but slightly more trimmed and combed, driving the point home that he’s a working man but also that he doesn’t take life all that seriously. Viewers that pay attention will notice that Hawn’s perfectly coiffed hair takes on a look similar to Russell’s once she’s off the yacht, so to speak.
7 The Burton Mullet, Big Trouble in Little China
You what Jack Burton says when it’s time to get a haircut? Just take a bit off the top, the draft from the window of my mack truck takes care of the rest. This movie is part of the John Carpenter cycle, but it has a different tone than previous entries. Russel gets to flex his comedy muscles more in Big Trouble in Little China. The look this time is the classic trucker, which is as versatile it is comfortable, something Jack demonstrates when he has to clean up a bit to go undercover in one scene.
6 Killer Stuntman, Death Proof
Sinister but sexy, Russell embraces his inner antagonist with movies like Death Proof. Known only as Stuntman Mike, this fiendish killer uses his specially designed vintage cars to kill women. He causes explosive car crashes that destroy other passengers and drivers while he walks away unharmed.
We learn little to nothing else about his character, so the hairstyle has to do the speaking for him. It walks a line between tidy and messy, and despite the length, it seems to defy the laws of physics and doesn’t move very much. When Mike meets his match in the second half of the film, however, his hair seems to lose it, too.
5 The Buddy Cop, Tango & Cash
Buddy cop movies were part of the “high concept” trend that plagued 1980s cinema, and Tango & Cash was one example. Even though this movie never got the critical acclaim or viewer attention that others did from the same category, leading men Kurt Russel and Sylvester Stallone have some decent chemistry and actually have some good scenes together.
One of the ways you can tell the serious cop from the wisecracking one was the haircut. Granted, this was partly lifted from other properties like Lethal Weapon and Miami Vice, but other actors don’t rock the wings quite as Kurt does.
4 Elvis With Bangs, 3000 Miles to Graceland
Two of the main characters in this film wears a variation on that stereotypical haircut and somehow keep it distinctive in a movie that’s partly set at an Elvis impersonator’s convention in Las Vegas. Kevin Costner plays Thomas Murphy, and his version emphasizes the chops more than the high top, for example. That’s one of the ways you know that Michael Zane, Russell’s character, is the good guy.
In an interesting twist, the leading actors both edited their own versions of the film, with Russell’s version being the more comedic of the two. It’s a movie about Elvis impersonators robbing casinos, so how serious can it be?
3 The Firefighter and Big Brother Cut, Backdraft
This one is a variation of the Sympathetic Soldier, and the principal of a more grounded character is the same, but this time he is a concerned older brother as opposed to a grieving father. Another common thread is that they have dangerous and thankless jobs. Russel plays Steven, a supporting character in this story, which focuses on his younger brother Brian. Steven is a veteran fire-fighter while Brian is just starting out and visibly chafing under his brother’s shadow. With a prickly haircut like that, it’s not a surprise that Brian has a hard time getting close to his brother, and that sets up the main conflict of the film.
2 Slicked Back Nobody, Furious 7
Mr. Nobody fills a few different roles in Furious 7 even though he’s a minor character. This aptly named character is supposed to be a government agent, and although his appearances are few he makes an impression and is one of the devices that drives the plot forward.
You can tell by the executive haircut that’s he’s the man pulling the strings. The ice-cold, super slick Mr. Nobody could get that trimmed up in the back in the most upscale salon in town but he’s too important to care.
1 Ageless Ego, Guardians of the Galaxy 2
Some things never change, and Ego is one of them. The main antagonist of Guardians of the Galaxy 2 physically seems to age, but he can never compromise his own selfish plans despite the damage he does. That’s not just expressed in his name, it indicates that his character never evolved beyond childhood. When you look closely, he even has the same haircut, he just wears it differently. The moral of the movie seems to be, never trust a man who’s had the same haircut for 50 years.
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