Hairspray
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Movie Reviews of Hairspray
Movie Review: A campy, feel-good film carrying an important message
Summary: 5 Stars
I think it's safe to say that Hairspray is a unique motion picture. The film, while providing nonstop fun and laughs throughout, also manages to not only confront but to roll right over prejudice in several of its nefarious guises. I was a teenager when this film came out, and sadly, it was the death of Divine (just before the movie was released) that made me aware of this film. I don't know if that publicity helped or hurt ticket sales - Divine, for those who have never heard of him, was famous for playing female roles, and Hairspray had begun to rejuvenate his whole career. As for the film, it's extremely campy in the best of ways, overflowing with great singing and dancing from the early 1960s, and it is the type of film that makes you feel good after you watch it.Ricki Lake plays Tracy Turnblad, a big, bold, and beautiful teenager who dreams of dancing on the exceedingly popular Corny Collins dance show. Her mother, played by Divine, isn't too crazy about modern music and dancing - until Tracy auditions and gets a spot on the show. Strutting her stuff in front of the cameras, she quickly becomes Baltimore's newest sensation. This does not sit well with Amber von Tussle (Colleen Fitzpatrick), as Tracy steals her man and then threatens to win the coveted title of Miss Auto Show 1963. Tracy is overweight, but she likes herself just as she is and easily dismisses the fat jokes thrown her way early on. The big issue in this film, though, is segregation. Tracy and her best friend Penny Pingleton (Joann Havrilla) soon become friends with some of the black kids in town and begin working toward integrating the Corny Collins show. Collins is all for the idea himself, as currently the Negro show runs only once each month under the controls of sassy Motormouth Mabel (Ruth Brown). The station manager will not hear of integration, though, and Penny's mother is aghast to find out that her daughter is in love with an African-American. This is 1962, of course. The whole segregation issue becomes the basic foundation of the movie as it dances its way to the end, making Hairspray a wonderfully entertaining film with a serious message behind it.
The film is blessed with many interesting cast members. Divine plays not only Mrs. Turnblad but also the station manager, Jerry Stiller plays Mr. Turnblad, Sonny Bono and Debbie Harry (and Debbie Harry's increasingly interesting hair) come together to play Amber von Tussle's parents, and Ric Ocasek and Pia Zadora show up as Beatniks in a strange little cameo appearance. Of course, Ricki Lake pretty much steals the show as the big girl with big dreams, although I found Joann Havrilla's performance as Penny Pingleton quite captivating in a weird sort of way.
It is very difficult to describe Hairspray; you pretty much have to watch it to get a true feel for its entertainment assets and social commentary underpinnings. It does have its silly moments, but this is not entertainment for the sake of entertainment, nor is this a film you will soon forget after watching it.
Movie Review: Aren't You A Little FAT For The Show?
Summary: 5 Stars
John Waters was most famous for the 1972 PINK FLAMINGOS, a remarkably vile movie that both horrified and amused, until 1988, when he released HAIRSPRAY. HAIRSPRAY was considerably more accessible than previous Waters films, a campy romp on several still-controversial themes set in the early 1960s. Very loosely based on diverse but factual incidents, the film concerns overweight teen Tracy Turnblad (Ricki Lake), who desperate who is desperate to win a spot on the local afternoon teen dance show. But when Tracy breaks through, she incurs the wrath of Amber Von Tussel (Colleen Fitzpatrick), the show's reigning beauty and the daughter of racist parents who oppose intergration. Tracy quickly becomes frustrated with segregation, which keeps several of her friends off the show and out of the local amusement park, and before you can say "the times, they are a-changing" she and her friends precipitate a race riot.
There are a lot of things that make the movie click, and not the least of them is the cast. Ricki Lake and Collen Fitzpatrick are beautifully cast, and the film is crammed full of notables, many of them considered cult stars in their own right, including Mink Stole, Pia Zadora, Ric Ocasek (former front man of The Cars), Jerry Stiller, Debbie Harry, Sonny Bono, and Ruth Brown. But the queen of the cast is, of course, Divine, aka Glenn Milstead, one of the era's most notorious drag queens and a performer who completely defined bad taste as an art form. It's hard to beat Divine, whether in the role of Tracy's outrageously obese mother Edna or the small part of Arvin Hodgepile, racist amusement park owner, and sad to say HAIRSPRAY would be among the last of Divine's films before his death in 1988. But the cast isn't the only thing here: the story itself, which includes the cruelty of cliques, checkerboard chicks, Alan Ginsberg's poetry, and wickedly funny dialogue ("Tracy Turnblad, once again your ratted hair is preventing another student's geometry education") is a knockout. If you can sit through HAIRSPRAY without laughing hard then there's something wrong with you.
At the time a good many of Waters' fans were unenthusiastic about the film, which they described as a sell-out. It was not as extreme as PINK FLAMINGOS--but then few things are, and perhaps that moment in Waters life had passed. Although HAIRSPRAY was not a major box office success when first released, it quickly became a cult classic on VHS and DVD, and it remains my own favorite of his works. Earlier films might make you cringe, and later films might be too glossy, but the 1988 HAIRSPRAY is in the Goldilocks Zone: Just Right. And I might add, never mind the later stage musical and it's own film adaptation, for they truly pull the teeth of the original. Strongly recommended.
GFT, Amazon Reviewer
For Roscoe, 1999-2011, Faithful Companion
Movie Review: Civil Rights was never this much fun!
Summary: 5 Stars
A lot of people don't know that this film was based on a true story. In 1962 Baltimore, The Buddy Deane Show was Baltimore's answer to Dick Clark, but unlike Clark's show, the Deane show was segregated, and attempts were made to integrate the show.
Director John Waters was a teeanger in Baltimore at the time, and the film is an amusing but loving tribute to the local culture of early 1960s Baltimore (Deane himself appears as a reporter trying to interview the Governor). A pre-talkshow Rikki Lake is the heroine who leads the effort to integrate the show. She was quite heavy at the time and infects the movie with her uplifitng spirit, representing for the "women of size" in the same way Queen Latifah would a few years later.
Lots of good scenes. The black nightclub scene, unlike similar scenes in other popular comedies, succeeds in capturing the atmosphere rather than mocking it with stereotypes. The dance segments are also quite interesting. Based on surviving films of the original Deane show (called the "Corny Collins Show" in this treatment), the kids do a dance called "The Madison Time" that is clearly the older brother of the Electric Slide of recent times. A comical dance called "The Roach" also stops the show (my older cousins told me about this song and dance and for years I thought they were making this up).
The soundtrack also strives for 1962 Baltimore accuracy, filled with regional R&B hits popular in Baltimore at the time (such as the classic and infectious "Hide and Go Seek" by Bunker Hill) as opposed to the usual Stax and Motown tunes often used to represent the era.
Get ready to slap your knees in hysterical laughter when one girl's hysterical mother seeks to "rescue" her daughter from a visit to the Baltimore ghetto, especially when she tells R&B legend Ruth Brown (RIP), "Don't put any of your voodoo on me you-you-NATIVE WOMAN!"
The DVD also has one of the most informative commentaries around (with Waters and Rikki Lake some 15 years later). Really helps clear up a few things for those unfamiliar with the actual events that inspired this dance and laugh fest.
Yeah, the civil rights movement wasn't this entertaining, but it does give some insight into the mores of the era, as well as making you howl in laughter and shake a tail feather.
Movie Review: A Change of Pace for John Waters
Summary: 5 Stars
I first heard of Hairspray a few years ago when Harvey Fierstein was winning acclaim playing the transvestite role on Broadway. I heard of it once again, when I read that John Travolta would be playing that same role in a theatrical version of the film. Around this same time I saw a movie called "Pink Flamingos" which led me to discovering John Waters, which led me to finding this film. "Hairspray" is not Waters' best (in my opinion), but it's definitely a special and funny film that is a far cry from other efforts by Waters. First off, it's his first and only film to have a rating under 'R' (In fact, it's rated PG) and while it still contains a few vulgarities; It's actually a pretty tame movie. The film takes place in the 60's, where hair (and hairspray) was the rage. Equally popular is The Corny Collins Show, a TV dance party that all the kids just eat up. One in particular though, dreams of being on the show and becoming famous. This is Tracy Turnblad (Ricki Lake, 'Serial Mom')...
A plump girl, with loads of talent who suddenly becomes the biggest star of the show. With the help of her agent/mother Edna Turnblad (Divine, in his last role) she becomes a celebrity in the eyes of all around her, except for the jealous Amber Von Tussle (Colleen Fitzpatrick) and her jealous parents (music icons Sonny Bono and Deborah Harry). Jerry Stiller also co-stars as Tracy's father. The movie has some great set pieces, makeup, and costume design. Although, someone should have pointed out Divine's frequent 5 o'clock shadow. Instead of using vulgar sights and sounds to humor the audience, Waters' instead went for charm and some physical humor. Although one of the funniest lines is when Divine says to Stiller "The times they're a-changin'. Everything's just blowin' in the wind." Which, for all those people who have no knowledge of pop culture, is a reference to Bob Dylan songs. All the actors eat up the scenery, Ricki Lake captures the naivitie and perkiness of Tracy perfectly...Divine, who I've never been a huge fan of, is hilarious playing dual roles (including one as a man). Jerry Stiller is also fantastic. The movie also, surprisingly, has a lot to say about racial segregation...Although it doesn't take itself too seriously. You don't need to be a fan of John Waters to enjoy this movie.
GRADE: A-
Movie Review: Get Back to your roots!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
After seeing Hairspray: The Muscical at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles, I was tempted to watch the original feature film again, not having seen it for a few years. It is as good as I remember it, maybe even better.
Hairspray is a light entry for John Waters, the king of "Shock Cinema." After totally out there films like Polyester and Pink Flamingos, Waters made his first PG Hollywood film, which quickly had a cult classic on his hands.
The film made Ricki Lake a star, when she played Traci Turnblad, a 'pleasantly plump' teenager who teaches 1962 Baltimore a thing or two about integration after landing a spot on a local TV dance show.
Hairspray is a clever and witty satire of 60's life. It's supposed to be tacky and pro-America. It does have some deeper moments and some points to make about discrimination. But essentially it's a warm hearted, campy, funny flick. You only have to see who the director is to know that you aren't going to get another run-of-the-mill Hollywood story of overcoming adversity. It's a trashy take on pop culture of the 60's and the performances are great.
The film oozes John Waters even though it is very toned down compared to his earlier films. I love the storyline because it has to do with very realistic themes that were happening in those times. It's sad to know that this was Divine's last movie, but at least he went all out in it.
Obviously, the film must have some charm to have a stage musical made out of it. I did like the musical better, because the songs are just terrific, and I think this should be remade as feature film version of the stage musical. It would be a terrific companion to this, especially since many fans won't have the chance to see the spectacular musical on stage.
The terrific cast also includes Sony Bono, Ruth Brown, Deborah Harry, Vitamin C (Colleen Fitzpatrick), Jerry Stiller (Ben's dad), Leslie Ann Powers, Mink Stole, Ric Ocasek, and Pia Zadora, who all seem to be having fun with their roles. This is a great film that provides a rolicking good time for its audience. Fans of the stage show should definitely see where it all began.