The Big Short, a fact-based drama based on Michael Lewis’ book about the collapse of the housing market, has plenty going for it, including the participation of such well-regarded actors as Christian Bale, Melissa Leo, Steve Carell, Brad Pitt, and Marisa Tomei. It also has some of the most ridiculous, ill-fitting wigs ever seen outside the world of sketch comedy. This is understandable, however, considering that the film was directed by Adam McKay, who is best known for writing for Saturday Night Live and helming the Anchorman movies, both of which feature numerous actors in silly wigs. The problem is that The Big Short is intended as a serious drama, and the actors in it are wearing those wigs in order to more accurately portray real-life human beings. Now, artist Alex Coulombe, who previously used his video-editing skills to make Emma Stone the new Spider-Man, has taken this incongruity and turned it into an amusing parody called “The Wig Short” as part of Vulture’s Vulture Remix series.
The new parody trailer retains the audio from the original Big Short teaser, including Led Zeppelin’s booming, ominous “When The Levee Breaks.” This time, however, McKay’s footage has been altered to give the actors in the film increasingly outlandish and improbable ersatz hairstyles, including an afro, a rainbow-colored bob, Pippi Longstocking-type braided pigtails, and the inevitable dreadlocks. By the end, the wigs are just sort of floating in the air over the actors’ heads, like hairy little UFOs. Even a shiny new pickup truck has been given its own giant wig here. The onscreen text from the original trailer has been changed, too. It now reads: “Experience the incredible hair. So shocking. So powerful. So unbelievable. And it’s not even a period piece.”