Bedhead (short film)
Encyclopedia
Bedhead is a 1991 short family
-comedy
-fantasy film
directed and co-written by Robert Rodriguez
.
Made while he was a student at the University of Texas at Austin
, Rodriguez shot the film with his brothers and sisters as actors and with his family and friends as crew. It was entered into several competitive film festivals, where it won cash prizes that Rodriguez then used to help produce his first feature film, El Mariachi
.
David is a generally unruly sort. At breakfast, he eats a cockroach and makes a big mess with his cereal. After breakfast, Rebecca goes to play with one of her dolls and discovers it has been defaced by David.
Enraged, she attacks David, but then falls and hits her head. When she comes to, she discovers that she has telekinetic
powers. At first she thinks of how her newfound powers could benefit humankind (including making herself the first Mexican-American female president of the United States). But she first decides that she will take revenge
on her brother and tame his bedhead.
Overwhelmed by her powers, but still unable to smooth David's unruly hair, she drags the boy behind her bicycle, and in the process hits her head again. She wakes up in a hospital and decides that she will never abuse her powers again, but as far as David knows, she will continue to be a threat.
. He served as director, cameraman and editor, and co-wrote the story with his brother, David, and a friend, Bryant Delafosse. Rodriguez also created an animated title sequence.
His brothers and sisters starred in the film, with younger sister Rebecca and brother David as the lead actors. Youngest sister Maricarmen Rodriguez portrayed Rebecca's fashion-obsessed little sister, "Fashion Monster", while Elizabeth Rodriguez played a nurse in the hospital.
Family and friends served as crew, with co-writer Delafosse and David Rodriguez credited as dolly grip
, the camera dolly
in the case of this film being a wheelchair
.
The film was shot on black and white 16 mm film. It was then transferred to 3/4" videotape. Because he did not have the equipment to shoot sync sound
the only dialogue is the voiceover narration, because it does not have to be synched to anyone's lip movements.
.
as well as the entire Mexico Trilogy
(including Desperado
and Once Upon a Time in Mexico
), and has therefore attracted a wider audience than most short films usually receive.
On the Internet Movie Database
, its rating 6.7/10.
Jason Adams, in his review of the Mexico Trilogy
DVD box set, called Bedhead "a creative little flick."
Family film
A family film is a film genre that is designed to appeal to a variety of age groups and, thus, families.In December 2005, Steven Spielberg's 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial came first in a poll of the 100 Greatest Family Films. The genre today generates billions of dollars per annum.Family...
-comedy
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
-fantasy film
Fantasy film
Fantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered to be distinct from science fiction film and horror film, although the genres do overlap...
directed and co-written by Robert Rodriguez
Robert Rodriguez
Robert Anthony Rodríguez is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician. He shoots and produces many of his films in his native Texas and Mexico. He has directed such films as Desperado, From Dusk till Dawn, The Faculty, Spy Kids, Sin City, Planet...
.
Made while he was a student at the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, Rodriguez shot the film with his brothers and sisters as actors and with his family and friends as crew. It was entered into several competitive film festivals, where it won cash prizes that Rodriguez then used to help produce his first feature film, El Mariachi
El Mariachi
El Mariachi is a 1992 Mexican-American action film that is the debut of writer/director Robert Rodriguez. The Spanish language film was shot in the northern Mexican bordertown of Ciudad Acuña with a mainly amateur cast...
.
Plot
Rebecca, a young girl, is always picked on by her older brother, David, who "has the worst case of bedhead you've ever seen".David is a generally unruly sort. At breakfast, he eats a cockroach and makes a big mess with his cereal. After breakfast, Rebecca goes to play with one of her dolls and discovers it has been defaced by David.
Enraged, she attacks David, but then falls and hits her head. When she comes to, she discovers that she has telekinetic
Psychokinesis
The term psychokinesis , also referred to as telekinesis with respect to strictly describing movement of matter, sometimes abbreviated PK and TK respectively, is a term...
powers. At first she thinks of how her newfound powers could benefit humankind (including making herself the first Mexican-American female president of the United States). But she first decides that she will take revenge
Revenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
on her brother and tame his bedhead.
Overwhelmed by her powers, but still unable to smooth David's unruly hair, she drags the boy behind her bicycle, and in the process hits her head again. She wakes up in a hospital and decides that she will never abuse her powers again, but as far as David knows, she will continue to be a threat.
Production
Bedhead was a student film project by Rodriguez while he was at the University of Texas at AustinUniversity of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
. He served as director, cameraman and editor, and co-wrote the story with his brother, David, and a friend, Bryant Delafosse. Rodriguez also created an animated title sequence.
His brothers and sisters starred in the film, with younger sister Rebecca and brother David as the lead actors. Youngest sister Maricarmen Rodriguez portrayed Rebecca's fashion-obsessed little sister, "Fashion Monster", while Elizabeth Rodriguez played a nurse in the hospital.
Family and friends served as crew, with co-writer Delafosse and David Rodriguez credited as dolly grip
Dolly grip
In cinematography, the dolly grip dedicated technician trained to operate the camera dolly. The individual places, levels, and moves the dolly track, then pushes and pulls the dolly and usually a camera operator and camera assistant as riders. If the dolly has a moveable vertical axis, such as a...
, the camera dolly
Camera dolly
A camera dolly is a specialized piece of filmmaking and television production equipment designed to create smooth camera movements . The camera is mounted to the dolly and the camera operator and focus puller or camera assistant, usually ride on the dolly to operate the camera...
in the case of this film being a wheelchair
Wheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
.
The film was shot on black and white 16 mm film. It was then transferred to 3/4" videotape. Because he did not have the equipment to shoot sync sound
Sync sound
Sync sound refers to sound recorded at the time of the filming of movies, and has been widely used in movies since the birth of sound movies.-History:...
the only dialogue is the voiceover narration, because it does not have to be synched to anyone's lip movements.
Festivals and awards
The short film was entered into several film festivals, where it won cash prizes in competitions. Rodriguez then used that money to partially fund El MariachiEl Mariachi
El Mariachi is a 1992 Mexican-American action film that is the debut of writer/director Robert Rodriguez. The Spanish language film was shot in the northern Mexican bordertown of Ciudad Acuña with a mainly amateur cast...
.
Reviews
Bedhead has been included as a bonus feature on both the VHS tape and the DVD releases of El MariachiEl Mariachi
El Mariachi is a 1992 Mexican-American action film that is the debut of writer/director Robert Rodriguez. The Spanish language film was shot in the northern Mexican bordertown of Ciudad Acuña with a mainly amateur cast...
as well as the entire Mexico Trilogy
Mexico Trilogy
The Mexico Trilogy or Mariachi Trilogy is a series of films— El Mariachi, Desperado and Once Upon a Time in Mexico—all written, produced and directed by Robert Rodriguez, beginning in 1992 and ending in 2003, and distributed by Columbia Tristar...
(including Desperado
Desperado (film)
Desperado is a 1995 action thriller film written and directed by Robert Rodriguez. The film stars Antonio Banderas as the former mariachi who seeks revenge on the drug lord who killed his lover....
and Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Once Upon a Time in Mexico is a 2003 action film written, edited and directed by Robert Rodriguez. It is the final film in the "Mariachi Trilogy", which also includes El Mariachi and Desperado. Antonio Banderas reprises his role as El Mariachi...
), and has therefore attracted a wider audience than most short films usually receive.
On the Internet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
, its rating 6.7/10.
Jason Adams, in his review of the Mexico Trilogy
Mexico Trilogy
The Mexico Trilogy or Mariachi Trilogy is a series of films— El Mariachi, Desperado and Once Upon a Time in Mexico—all written, produced and directed by Robert Rodriguez, beginning in 1992 and ending in 2003, and distributed by Columbia Tristar...
DVD box set, called Bedhead "a creative little flick."