Ivan Kander

Straight up: Oskar Lehemaa’s Bad Hair is a symphony of cringe horror moments. I mean that in the best of ways…

Back in January 2020 (remember the Before Times?), I was sitting in a crowded theater at Sundance for the “midnight” short film showcase, and I vividly remember squirming and gasping with my fellow audience members as we were collectively taken on Lehemaa’s hellish, darkly comic rollercoaster ride of body horror. In a way, it was a fitting send-off to a theatrical experience, giggling with dread with my fellow comrades as we journeyed into the abyss together.

Bad Hair is a perfect example of how good filmmaking is often about execution above all else. The concept in and of itself is fairly rote: man tries to fix his baldness with some sort of weird and creepy product…various horrific antics ensue. The thrill, though, is how Lehemaa escalates the events on the screen. Things change from bad to worse to hilariously terrifying, as the apartment literally goes up in flames around our sad sack protagonist. There is some commentary here on the lengths we will go to for physical beauty and the dangers of narcissism…but, let’s face it, this is essentially a thrill ride of perfectly executed viscera horror. That scene with the eye, man…wooh boy…that will go with me to my grave.

You’ll need to brace yourself for that eyeball scene! You’ve been warned!

Bad Hair just goes hard in a way that a lot of short films don’t and the indie-filmmaker in me is super impressed on how well all the various effects (both practical and computer generated) are integrated into the narrative. It’s all delightfully Raimi-esque: weird, gruesome, and distinctly homemade.

As you’d expect, the film had a stellar festival run, playing elite festivals like Sundance, but also gracing genre festivals across the world. Even if Bad Hair isn’t your cup of tea, I can guarantee that it will stick with you (for better or worse): it’s a film that is impossible not to have a reaction towards, and that sort of bold filmmaking is worth championing.

More Estonian horror please!