Silliest Hairdo???

Ever wondered about the samurai topnot and where and why and whatnot? Well, it was originally worn to make the helmets worn in samurai armour more comfortable. These helmets were very hot and uncomfortable. To allow their heads to breathe, samurai shaved their heads except for the center that was folded over on top. This allowed the topknot to pad the head from the weight of the helmet and the shaved area was given room to breathe and allow heat to escape. Most anyone who has worn a hat can tell you that you release most of your body heat out of the top of your head. This is why so many hats are vented on the top, like baseball caps. Eventually this hairstyle was adopted by others in Japan until 1876 when samurai were outlawed. No carrying of swords in public and no topnots. Only Kabuki players and sumo wrestlers were allowed to wear them. Maybe next time I'll explain the mystery of the black teeth you see on older women in samurai films. If you like westerns, try a samurai film. I've found more good samurai films than westerns... and I like westerns. In fact I saw Open Range, and Tombstone this weekend. Open Range is not bad but it has a tossed in love story that really feels tacked on, and a hollywood happy ending where everyone gets what they want. Robert Duval is great and there is a very down and dirty gunfight that feels realistic and not made to be overly dramatic. It's worth a look but it is no Pale Rider. Tombstone is a film I enjoyed years ago. It is a big budget Hollywood western with a cast of thousands. It is pretty entertaining and Val Kilmer actually makes a movie better! Usually he is so godawful I laugh outloud. I once had a laughing fit during The Saint that threatened to kill me. The Saint isn't a comedy. Clint made a number of good westerns and Henry Fonda is a great villain in Once Upon a Time in the West. The opening scene of that one is pure genious. Tombstone is a nicer, cleaner version of a western. A good popcorn flick, but it doesn't leave you raw like a good italian western. Still, they do shoot people in the back. That seems to be the first indication tou are watching a post John Wayne film.