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SEARCHTony Beckerman was a key player in the Vidal Sassoon story. In the 1960s he started as an assistant and grew to be the Director of Training for the company. It was Tony who actually brought the Sassoon method of cutting to the United States. He attended the premiere of Vidal Sassoon the Movie and shares with MODERN SALON Beauty and Fashion Director Maggie Mulhern his feelings about the film.
premiered this past weekend at the Tribeca Film Festival in NYC. I am in Las Vegas and then on to LA, so I missed the opening (but I will be going next week!). However, we invited Tony Beckerman, one of Vidal's last assistants and then the Director of Training (who ultimately brought the Sassoon method to the United States), to give us his reaction.
Tony Beckerman
But first … a tiny bit of background:
The movie is produced by Michael Gordon, the legendary hairdresser, founder of Bumble and bumble and author of Hair Heroes (where Michael first met Vidal for his profile). The movie offers an intimate look into the life of Vidal from his early days in an orphanage to his recreation of the salon industry as we know it today. Filmed over the course of three years, the movie includes interviews with key Vidal insiders ... including Tony!
Michael Gordon Jackie GilbertJim Czarnecki
"The movie was amazing," Tony says. "Perhaps I am a bit biased, as I was in it, but truly it was brilliant. Michael Gordon, along with Jackie Gilbert-Bauer and Jim Czarnecki, did an incredible job of producing and directing. It not only told a condensed version of Vidal's life and career, but also the story of how he changed the way we cut hair ... forever!"
Tony joined Sassoon in 1960 and spent 17 years watching and being a part of this happening.
"I was hoping that the movie would show what really happened, and it did! Every hairdresser should see this to be inspired and proud. This profiles a man who can change the world. If you think about it, never in a million years would I have ever thought it could be a hairdresser ... but it was. Vidal was a visionary as well as an artist, his philosophies, techniques and mind-set changed the hair craft forever and influenced many other industries."
Tony was not the only important member in the audience that has been part of the Vidal story since the early days. "Among the famous people at the event were Vidal's son Elan and his daughter Eden," says Tony. "Also there was Charles Booth and his daughter Samantha, Christopher Pluck (one of the originals too), Richard Stein, Dwight Miller, Tabatha Coffey and John Frieda."
Tony believes this movie is "a must for every hairdresser, both young and old. And, especially for beauty school students."
Vidal SassoonVidal Sassoon the Movie
Most importantly, Tony was truly moved by the film. "I cried, I laughed, I had goose bumps and I left feeling so very proud that I have had the pleasure to know this man and to have been with him through part of his journey."
See more information on the movie at vidalsassoonthemovie.com!
Related:
The
Vidal Sassoon Interview: The Legend Talks About New Movie
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