Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Hair Today

One year ago today I cut off all of my hair. I haven't cut it since. Now, it measures about seven inches.

Thinking of hair and hair cuts reminds me of Roland Topor. An artist told me a story about him, I don't know if it's a true story but I like to believe it is.

Topor, of course, is responsible for the look of La Planete sauvage -a film made haunting by its intricate and gruesome design. He also wrote the novel on which Polanski's The Tenant is based, played Renfield in Herzog's Nosferatu and created a French "news" show hosted by a puppet cat.


above: Telechat

As the years passed, Topor (as will happen) began to lose more and more hair. Occasionally he would notice this in public, at a cafe, on a park bench, in a meeting. He would tape down the lost follicle and draw an elaborate illustration based on the line.


above: titles to Viva La Muerte


above: the beginning of Fantastic Planet (La Planet sauvage)

Topor has left us these films and countless incredible illustrations. Just as I like to imagine there's some 10 year old cancer patient out there robbing banks and littering the crime scenes with my DNA from the wig they got last Christmas, I like to think that restaurants of Paris are spruced with ornate doodles of monsters and sexual organs.

1 comment:

Liesje said...

Sheesh... I'm sad to say I've never seen La Planet sauvage. I've always meant to, but never got to. Now I'm even more ashamed that I haven't seen it... thanks.