The Big Shave (1967)
The Big Shave (1967), directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Peter Bernuth.
score
Synopsis
A young man walks into a meticulously clean and sterile bathroom and proceeds to shave away hair, then skin, in an increasingly bloody and graphic bathroom scene.
- Ares DemertzisCinematography
- Martin ScorseseDirector, Editing, Producer, Writer
About the film
The Big Shave is a 1967 six-minute body horror short film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is also known as Viet '67.
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The Big Shave is a 1967 six-minute body horror short film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is also known as Viet '67.
Home media
In May 2020, it was made available on DVD/Blu-ray by The Criterion Collection as part of a collection of his short films from the 60s and 70s.
Synopsis
Peter Bernuth stars as the recipient of the title shave, repeatedly shaving away hair, then skin, in an increasingly bloody and graphic bathroom scene. Prompted by the film's alternative title, many film critics have interpreted the young man's process of self-mutilation as a metaphor for the self-destructive involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War.
Production
The music accompanying the film is Bunny Berigan's "I Can't Get Started". The film was produced at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, shot on Agfa color film donated by Palais des Beaux Arts.
Cultural references
American Dad!: In "The Best Christmas Story Never", Stan travels back in time to 1970 and meets a young Martin Scorsese. When Stan tells the director that he's a big fan, Scorsese says, incredulously, "You saw my six minute film about a guy shaving?!"
See also
List of American films of 1967
Counterculture of the 1960s
Experimental film
References
External links
The Big Shave at IMDb
The short on Internet Archive
Criterion article about the early shorts including The Big Shave
Text from The Big Shave on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Shave
Trivia
- It premiered on December 29, 1967, a Friday.
- This film's quiz has 8 questions — enough to play more than once without repeats.
Production
- StudiosTisch School of the Arts (NYU)
- CountriesUnited States
- LanguagesNo Language
- StatusReleased
Photos
Cast
Peter Bernuth
Young Man Quiz about this movie
Questions from the whole catalogue.
Play nowIf you liked this one
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Alien: Containment
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Tags
Crew
- Ares Demertzis Cinematography
- Martin Scorsese Director
- Martin Scorsese Editing
- Martin Scorsese Producer
- Martin Scorsese Writer
Questions about this film
What is The Big Shave about?
The Big Shave: A young man walks into a meticulously clean and sterile bathroom and proceeds to shave away hair, then skin, in an increasingly bloody and graphic bathroom scene.
Who directed The Big Shave?
The Big Shave was directed by Martin Scorsese in 1967.
Who stars in The Big Shave?
The cast of The Big Shave includes Peter Bernuth.
How long is The Big Shave?
The Big Shave runs for 6 minutes, or 0h06.
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Page updated on 09/17/2026.
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