Hairspray (Full-Screen Edition)
by Adam Shankman
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nikki Blonsky, Zac EfronDirector: Adam Shankman
Brand: Warner Brothers
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language)
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 117 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-11-20
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: New Line Home Video
Product features:
- Condition: New
- Format: DVD
- AC-3; Closed-captioned; Color; Dolby; DVD; Full Screen; Subtitled; NTSC
Movie Reviews of Hairspray (Full-Screen Edition)
Movie Review: ..."The Riches Will Be Plenty..."
Summary: 5 Stars
John Waters has a cameo in this upbeat, spirited, revamped musical version of his 1988 screen play.
Via the direction of Adam Shankman (who also makes a cameo appearance), wer are introduced to a hefty, but very self assured teenager named Tracy Turnblad (a sunny Nikki Blonsky, displaying a lot of verve in her premiere film role) as she prepares for school in her working class neighborhood. Despite her run-down surroundings, she is filled with infectious optimism as she expresses her desire to appear on the "Corny Collins ( James Marsden) Show", a dance program for teens. It is a good morning in her 1962 Baltimore indeed!
She endures strife from her teacher Miss Wimsey (Jayne Eastwood, who appeared with co-star, Queen Latifah in 2002's "Chicago") for everything from the size of her fashionable bouffant ( which isn't that high) to tardiness, and enjoys the company of her lollipop-sucking best friend, Penny Pingleton (Amanda Bynes), the child of an incarcerated father and an overly religious mother, Prudy ( Allison Janney); Penny believes
in Tracey and is content to follow her lead. In turn, she gradually develops her own self assertiveness despite her mother's constraints on her life.
Among the so-called "Nicest Kids in Town"--the Council members on Tracy's favorite program, are lead singer, Link Larkin (Zac Efron), and Elvis wanna-be, and his not-so-nice Amber Von Tussle(Brittny Snow), the daughter of WYTZ's station manager, Velma Von Tussle( Michelle Pfeiffer).The latter torments Tracy in school as well, and we see how the expression "Like mother, like daughter" applies as both bully co-workers and Council members into giving Amber, who, at best, is a mediocre dancer, the lion's share of the spotlight, and relegating
R&B dic jockey Motormouth Maybelle( Queen Latifah) and the African American dancers only to appearances on the show's "Negro Day", the last Tuesday of every month.
Periodic musical song-and dance man, Christopher Walken plays Tracy's father, Wilber, who encourages her ambitions, whereas her mother, Edna (John Travolta, continuing the tradition of playing Mrs. Turnblad as a man in drag, but still showing those trademark dance moves), an introverted laundress, takes the opposite stance.
When Council Member Brenda(Casie Silver) gets in the family way,and must take a leave of absence from the show, Tracy skips morning classes (accompanied by Penny)to audition for the opening. Despite her aptitude with the dance moves, Velma rejects her because of her girth and support of desegregation, despite Corny's approval of her views. Tardiness results in her being placed in detention, where she is exposed to new dance moves by Maybelle' son,Seaweed (Elijah Kelly), who, along with other Negro Day dancers, practice their moves in detention hall because those in power have no interest in educating them. A subsequent encounter with Link makes Tracy envision a future with him. In the meantime, her newly-acquired dance moves win her a cherished place on the show when she displays them at a record hop hosted by Corny.
Conflict between Velma and Maybelle aries when Negro Day performers, the Dynamites perform the same song as the white Council members, despite the fact the the Dynamites wrote it. Velma decides to cancel Negro Day.
A plus-sized women's clothing saleman, Mr. Pinky ( Jerry Stiller) offers Tracy a job as his spokesgirl, and Tracy urges her reluctant mother to come out of her shell and be her agent.
The Von Tusselle's become more malicious as Tracy's poularity increases and she provs to be a contender for the title of Miss Teenage Hairspray, and for Link's heart. Amber anonymously reports Tracy's trip to Maybelle's recordshop platter party. When Edna goes to collect her dsughter, the equally hefty Maybelle inspires Edna to adopt a more positive self-image.
In the meantime, Velma tries to seduce Wilbur as he works in his joke shop, attempting to make Edna angry enough to withdraw Tracy from the show. Edna catches them together and is devastated, but it is soon established that Wilbur did not submit to Velma's advances, and the couple gradually make up. In their song, "You're Timeless to Me", an attentive listener can her starins of "La Vie en Rose" near the end.
In an attempt to reinstate Negro Day, Maybelle, Seaweed, and the other black dancers, decide to march of the station, and at great risk, Tracy joins them. The high solemnity of this scene is encapsulated in Maybelle's soulful ballad, "I Know Where I've Been" , whose lyrics, "There's a road we've been traveling . Lost so many on the way. But the riches will be plenty--worth the price we had to pay.." have a certain power and profundity deeply felt in 2009.
A confrontation with a police blockade results in the arrests of the demonstrators, and Tracy's flight to Penny's house. Prudy punishes Penny for hiding Tracy in their fall-out shelter. But Seaweed and his friends, bailed out by Wilbur, help the girl's escape and Seaweed and Penny reveal their mutual feelings for each other.
Link acknowledges his feelings for Tracy at the Turnblad's house.
Once safe, Tracy calls home to establish a plan of action, resulting in a spectacular finale at the Miss Teenage Hairspray Pageant, during which Maybelle's daughter, Inez (Taylor Parks), steals the show.
Paul Dooley plays Mr. Spritzer, the owner of the Ultra Clutch Hairspray company, who initially denounces Tracy's desegregationist views as Communistic, but find her to be great for capitalism when she boosts his sales.Ricki Lake, the orginal Tracy Turnblad, cameos as a talent agent, Marissa Jaret Winokur, who orginated the role on Broad way sings at the end, proving this film to be fraught with nostaligia in more ways than one.
Viewers will be treated to a musical as brave and triumpahnt as its plump heroine, and a good time should be had by all!
Summary of Hairspray (Full-Screen Edition)
It's 1962, and change is in the air in Baltimore. Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, has only one passion--to dance. She wins a spot on the local TV dance program, "The Corny Collins Show" and is transformed overnight from outsider to irrepressible teen celebrity. But can the trendsetting Tracy win the heart of teen-dream Link Larkin and stand up for what she believes in, despite the program's scheming stage manager? All she needs is her best friend Penny, a toe- tappin' beat - and a little HAIRSPRAY!It's rare that a movie captures the intensity and excitement of a live Broadway musical production while appealing to a broader movie-going audience, but the 2007 Hairspray is an energetic, powerfully moving film that does just that. A remake of the 1988 musical film Hairspray, the new Hairspray is a film adaptation of the 2002 Broadway musical and features more likeable characters than the original film and an incredible energy that stems from a great cast, fabulous new music, and the influence of musical producer Craig Zadan. What remains constant throughout all three versions of Hairspray is the story's thought-provoking exploration of prejudice and racism. Set in Baltimore in 1962, the film opens with chubby girl Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) singing her heart out in a rendition of "Good Morning Baltimore" that, while admittedly a bit too long, sets the farcical tone for the film. Viewers quickly become immersed in Tracy's teenage world of popular television dance shows, big hair, the stigma of being different, and the first hesitant steps toward racial integration within a segregated world. The Corny Collins (James Marsden) television dance show is a teenage obsession in Tracy's world and Link Larkin (Zac Efron) is every girl's dream partner, so when a call for auditions goes out, Tracy skips school to try out, but is rejected by station manager Velma von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer) because of her large size and the threat of competition for Velma's own daughter Amber (Brittany Snow). Perseverance and the support of her friend Penny (Amanda Bynes), father Wilbur (Christopher Walken), and negro dancer Seaweed (Elijah Kelley) lead Tracy to the spotlight and the chance of a lifetime, but more and more Tracy discovers that fairness and equality for those who are different does not come without a fight and that sacrifices must be made to effect change. While the message is serious, Hairspray is first and foremost a comedy with stellar performances by John Travolta as Edna Turnblad (who ever imagined Saturday Night Fever's iconic star would appear onscreen as a woman?), Christopher Walken, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Part of what makes Hairspray so powerful is the exceptional music composed by Marc Shaiman, including songs newly composed for the movie like "Ladies' Choice," "The New Girl in Town," and "Come So Far," and the awesome vocal talents of Queen Latifah (Motormouth Maybelle) and a cast of heretofore musically-unknown actors like Nikki Blonsky, Zac Efron, and Brittany Snow who really can sing. Notable trivia includes Jerry Stiller's appearance in both versions of the film (as Wilbur in the 1988 film and as Mr. Pinky in this 2007 rendition), and a cameo appearance by 1988 director and screenplay writer John Waters. Hairspray is one of the best films of the year--it's powerfully moving entertainment that leaves you energized and motivated to fight for what you believe in. --Tami Horiuchi
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