We’ve all seen it before — Hollywood exaggerating everyday life. A car collides with a gas station, followed by the largest explosion in the history of explosions. A man in a mask gets stabbed with a sewing needle and then falls 20 feet onto sharp objects, only to somehow disappear when the babysitter returns to make sure the body is really dead.
Let’s not forget the classic villain-explaining-how-he-got-away-with-it to the tied-up good guys only to be foiled moments later by those same good guys (because he took so long to explain) or by law enforcement.
Oh, and the amateur who decides to dismantle the bomb by guessing to clip the blue wire at the last second. Or was it the red wire?
But what about the infamous white streak of hair that appears on a character after some terrible ordeal? Is that an exaggeration? Let’s look at some of the more famous ones.
The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) – Very distinct white streaks in her hairdo
- The Plot – In this direct sequel, Dr. Frankenstein and his monster escape the fire, which the viewers are led to believe killed them. The doctor is content to give up further experiments until his wife is kidnapped, and he is forced to team up with another “scientist” to create a wife for Frankenstein’s monster.
- The Change – The young woman who becomes the bride of Frankenstein(‘s monster) is a combination of two recently deceased women’s body parts, so the viewers never see her hair, but we are led to believe the white streak in her hair comes from the lightning used to bring her back to life.
- The Verdict – The exact truth is unknown, but the author does not mention the white streaks in the novel. The shape of the hair in the film is based on a famous bust of Nefertiti, and the streaks are thought to have been added to either symbolize the lightning or as a contrast to the black and white film.
Poltergeist (1982) – Mom Diane Freeling has multiple grey streaks after trauma
- The Plot – The Freeling family lives in the upscale neighborhood of Cuesta Verde. But there is a secret the builder left out when they moved in. Paranormal activities begin in the yard and in the house, eventually taking the daughter into a supernatural dimension. Experts are called in to help retrieve the missing girl.
- The Change – After a harrowing night of mingling with mysterious forces, Mrs. Freeling wakes up the next day with a noticeable white streak in her hair.
- The Verdict – There is a condition known as Poliosis where patches of hair can turn white/grey, yet the rest of the person’s hair does not change color. Poliosis happens when there is a shortage of melanin in certain areas, leading to a lack of pigment. So Mrs. Freeling’s hair streak is possible, but we aren’t sure how often Poliosis is triggered by stress or trauma.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) – Teenager Nancy Thompson
- The Plot – A group of friends at Springwood High School are experiencing very realistic dreams, in which they don’t always wake up. Nancy Thompson discovers the secret to staying alive in real life – staying alive in the nightmare and somehow waking herself from it.
- The Change – She has a very long night, losing her friend to Freddy Krueger. But just after midnight, she begins to fall asleep in order to capture Freddy in the dream and awake at the exact moment he’s trapped.
- The Verdict – She certainly earned the nice streak of white hair from the trauma of fighting a supernatural killer who lives in both the dream world and in real life. She will wear it as a badge of honor, that is if she lives to see the sequel.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) – Solicitor Jonathan Harker
- The Plot – Jonathan Harker is a real estate lawyer hired to visit Count Dracula, a client of his firm, to finalize paperwork on the purchase of a London property. (If you’ve seen the 1931 version of Dracula, Jonathan’s character is the same as Renfield’s.) At Dracula’s castle, Jonathan learns of Dracula’s identity and is seduced by 3 of his wives. He learns he will become Dracula’s next victim, so he attempts to kill Dracula. He is unsuccessful and is trapped there while the Count leaves for London.
- The Change – Jonathan experienced tremendous trauma, from the shock of learning he was in the home of a killer, to having his life threatened by 3 of Dracula’s wives intent on harming him, to being trapped in the castle where countless others have died. Instead of patchy white, his whole head of hair turned color, some say from fright.
- The Verdict – This condition is known as Canities Subita (also called Marie Antoinette Syndrome) and cannot directly be tied to fear or fright. Marie Antoinette’s hair was said to have turned completely white the day before her execution, so the legend tends to stick in our imagination. Science may one day make a connection, but none so far.
