May 12 2010
12 Of the Most Iconic Hats in Movie History
If I’m out of the office during the week or it’s a weekend, chances are I’m wearing a hat. And chances are that hat is a beat-up, dirty, blue Gators hat that I’ve had since college. It’s as if it’s permanently attached to my head, making me comfortable and to the disgust of others. Oh well.
I don’t know of any movie characters that wear blue Gator hats, but there are certainly quite a few movie characters that seem inseparable from their hats. They’ve got their own attachments to hats, from fedoras to bowlers to even magic hats. Below, check out 12 of the most iconic hats in movie history. As always, if you think I’ve left one off, let me know in the comments.
By the way, I realize that some of these hats may not really be “iconic,” but some of them certainly are, and I didn’t want to title this list “Iconic and/or memorable hats.” So just, like, bear with me.
Indiana Jones’ fedora – Indiana Jones movies
I think it’s pretty clear that out of every hat on this list, Indy’s fedora is by far the most recognizable and iconic. Like Indy, the hat has been through a lot, but it always seems to find its way back to its owner. I love the scene in The Last Crusade when the fedora somehow rides a gust of wind back to Indy after he nearly goes over a cliff while fighting on a tank.
The Cat in the Hat’s top hat – The Cat in the Hat
It’s tough to deny that the Cat in the Hat’s large, striped top hat isn’t instantly recognizable. It’s also tough to deny that Mike Myers has fallen so far from grace.
The Mad Hatter’s top hat – Alice in Wonderland
The Mad Hatter’s top hat, according to Lewis Carroll, was of the 10/6 style. I have no idea what that means, but it’s cool to see that Disney did what they could with that information.
Doughboy’s Detroit Tigers cap – Boyz n the Hood
Cube wore a lot of Raiders gear throughout his rapping career, but in his role as Doughboy, he’s rarely seen without his Detroit Tigers baseball cap. It must have been soaked with jheri curl juice after a hot day in Los Angeles.
Freddy Krueger’s fedora – Nightmare on Elm Street movies
Jason has the hockey mask, Michael Myers has the William Shatner mask, and Freddy Krueger has his old, beat up fedora to go with his clawed glove and filthy sweater.
The Blues Brothers’ fedoras – The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers have a great sense of style, capped off with their sweet-looking fedoras. At least I think they’re fedoras. Either way, they look great, and no Blues Brother costume can be completed without ‘em.
The Sorting Hat – Harry Potter movies
I’d imagine having a magical, talking hat with a face on it placed on your head during your first few days at Hogwarts would be one of the creepier experiences of your life. Get it off me! Kill it with fire!
Oddjob’s bowler – Goldfinger
Oddjob’s bowler not only looks slick, it can be used as a deadly weapon, too, as it is fitted with a metal disc in the rim. But seriously – who throws a hat? And yes, using Oddjob in Bond for the N64 is crazy cheap.
Sherlock Holmes’ deerstalker cap – Sherlock Holmes movies
Sherlock Holmes’ deerstalker cap is so well known that it’s often referred to as…”the Sherlock Holmes hat.” My favorite example of this reference can be seen in Best in Show, when Fred Willard’s character suggests that the bloodhound be fitted with a Sherlock Holmes hat and a pipe.
Alex DeLarge’s derby – A Clockwork Orange
Like with the Blues Brothers, no droogie costume is complete without a derby. Alex dresses to impress.
Angier’s top hat – The Prestige
They are all your hat.
Charlie Chaplin’s bowler – as “The Tramp,” various
Charlie Chaplin is perhaps most well known for his character “The Tramp” (as seen above), and it’s hard to imagine him without his hat, twirling his cane and walking like a penguin.
More Unreal Posts
- Seven Awesome Hats in Movies
- New Sherlock Holmes Still Makes Me Question Guy Ritchie’s Direction
- The Big Pimpin’ Sherlock Holmes Poster
- On a Mission From God
- Details on Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes
Tom Laughlin played Billy Jack in the early 70′s. Check out his hat.
What about the fear inducing hat of F. Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket? Just throwing that out there.
@ J5
That’s a pretty good one, especially considering he wears it in the middle of the night while investigating the head. Good call.
I know this isn’t really a “movie” hat…
But I guess it can be even though it’s mostly remmebered from the video game…
Rayden!!! Classic.
great idea for a list! i loved the “best in show” reference.
how about, wicked witch from wizard of oz?
Apparently the deerstalker hat in Sherlock Holmes is a bit of an anachronism. It doesn’t appear in Doyle’s novels, as it would have only been worn by a gentleman while in the country, pursuing such gentlemanly things as deer or fox hunting (hence the name). While investigating crimes as a Victorian gentleman, Holmes would have been more likely to wear a top hat or bowler/derby.
Good idea for a list though!
How about Clint Eastwood’s hat in The Man With No Name Trilogy. Everyone else in the “wild west” seems to be wearing the standard John Wayne cowboy hat, but Clint’s was totally different. He was completely recognizable/identified with the hat/poncho combo.
Also, to a lesser extent, Crocodile Dundee’s hat with the crocodile teeth on it.
One could argue that the Blues Brothers hat is a trilby not a fedora but it is hard to tell from that image how narrow the brim is.
concerning the blues brothers…
did you know that the license plate of the blues mobile has meaning? BDR 529
well dan ackroyd, being a good canadian lad, hung out with bikers and there used to be a lovely bunch of riders in the toronto area back in the day called the ‘black diamond riders’ BDR…and the 529…well, they work opposite shifts from regular stiffs 9-5…
The 10/6 on the mad hatter’s hat is actually the price tag. 10 schillings and 6 pence.
@ Sam
So that’s why tools leave the New Era tags on their hat….
They’re mad!
How about the man in the green hat in Old School? Or Judge Smails in caddyshack’s hate? Hell, Carl Spackler’s hat in caddyshack.
where is jack sparrow’s hat!!!
Alan Grant from Jurassic Park? I remember in the video game if you timed it just right when you got eaten by the T-Rex his hat would float across the screen.
YES!!! Whoever picked Oddjob in Goldeneye always got a swift punch to the arm. It was so hard to hit the little fucker!
@Brewer Patriot
I love you.
Also, you forgot Chico and Harpo Marx’s hats from their movies.
Chico always wears this type of brown (?) hat and Harpo always wears a black top hat.
Behold: http://media.photobucket.com/image/marx%20brothers/PhotoBookMB/The-Marx-Brothers-Posters.jpg?o=18
Oh no! Don’t tell me you forgot about Buster Keaton! He actually made his own hats! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LIucjouJPE&feature=related) Chaplin’s just wearing a pret-a-porter bowler.
[...] 12 iconic hats in movie history. Is Tom Hanks’ Da Vinci Code hat on the list? <Unreality> [...]
@jdot
That’s The Bishop Don Magic Juan, he’s a real person….
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&source=imghp&q=don+magic+juan&gbv=2&aq=0&aqi=g1g-m2&aql=&oq=don+mag&gs_rfai=
[...] fedoras to bowlers to even magic hats. Here are 12 of the most iconic hats in movie history.Source:http://unrealitymag.com/index.php/2010/05/12/iconic-hats-in-movies/ May [...]
[...] characters that seem inseparable from their hats. They’ve got their own attachments to hats, from fedoras to bowlers to even magic hats. Similar Posts:41 Watchmen HD Movie Stills You Haven’t [...]
Perhaps it’s because I’m old, but Burt Reynold’s hat in Smokey and the Bandit – the original is a damn fine movie, and includes the following exchange:
Carrie: Don’t you ever take off that stupid hat?
Bandit: I take my hat off for one thing, one thing only.
Carrie: Oh…
[beat]
Carrie: Take your hat off.
[Bandit looks stunned]
Carrie: I mean, If you want to…
Bandit: I want to.
there are just a couple i thought of that weren’t already on the list:
-the gatekeeper’s big furry hat in the Wizard of Oz
-the helmet in Space Balls. i consider that a hat.
-the creepy nazi dude that always wore black in Raider’s of the Lost Arc had a sinister looking fedora (yes, hats can be sinister).
-Belushi’s fighter pilot cap in 1941.
warren’s right, jack sparrow’s hat totally should have been on here. good list though!
I would like to of have seen Steed from The Avengers in there, Good list though.
check out brad pitt’s hat in the Benjamin Butoon movie,it,s reslly cool to have one of those raccoon tail like hat!
Benjamin Button that is…
the blues brothers wore pork pie hats no southern bluesman went without em
You didn’t mention ANY western hero neither Inspector Javert…
What about women’s hats?