Not too many films make me want to stand up and cheer, but Hairspray did. From the first few moments, right up until the very end of the film, I had a smile across my face, and could hardly stop tapping my feet to the infectious rhythms of most of this terrific show's tunes.
I saw the original film, directed by John Waters (who has a brief, hysterical cameo as a flasher in this version!) and enjoyed it thoroughly. I missed the roadshow version of the stageplay, "Hairspray," but now finally was able to see this filmed adaptation of the Broadway musical adaptation of the original movie. Happily, nothing's been lost, and a great deal added.
To start, Nikki Blonsky as Tracy Turnblad is nothing less than perfect. She's a terrific singer, and not too bad a dancer, and perfectly able to pull off the part of an overweight, but delightful young girl in the 60's who wants to win a dance contest ordinarily peppered with living Barbie Dolls. John Travolta, under several tons of "fat" suits and makeup, is just amazing as Tracy's mother. I suspect the real "draw" of this movie was for people to see John Travolta in a female fat suit, but he does a lot more with this part than just prance around. He sings well, and dances well too, making very effective use of the extra poundage applied to his rear end!
Christopher Walken does his usual, fine job as Tracy's father, and while Walken's not the greatest singer on the planet, it's good to hear that it's his voice, and not someone else's dubbed in on the soundtrack. Some of the numbers between Walken and Travolta are show stoppers.
Michelle Pfeiffer does her very best at being sultry and obnoxious as the stage manager of the "Corny Collins" afternoon teeny-bopper dance show, pampering her daughter every step of the way, and rigging anything she can to keep her daughter at the top all the time. Pfeiffer's songs are, unfortunately, some of the low points of this otherwise terrific show.
Aside from a less than stellar singing performance from Ms. Pfeiffer (though she certainly acts her part very well), just about everyone is as perfect as they can be in their respective parts. Queen Latifah does her usual great job of both acting and singing (much in the same manner as her fine performance in Chicago), but to me the one real standout is James Marsden as Corny Collins.
Marsden is perhaps best known for his role as "Cyclops" in the X-Men films, and for an earnest portrayal of a gay man in The 24th Day, but here he does a sensational job as a perpetually smarmy, self-loving TV host with 98 sparkling teeth, and a foot-wide, plastic smile. He's also a darn good singer.
Hairspray isn't the most serious of films, but does tackle a number of important, social issues. The most significant is that of race, and the demeaning treatment of blacks in the 50's. That the "Corny Collins Show" actually has a "Negro Day" speaks volumes of the attitudes of the day, and many of Queen Latifah's lines ring as true today as they did in the 50's.
I don't often purchase DVD's of films, but suspect that I might just do so with Hairspray. This is definitely a film to be seen, and enjoyed, again and again and again.
It's 1962 and change is in the air in Baltimore. Tracy Turnblad, a girl with big hair and big dreams, has only one passion in life - to dance on "The ...More at HotMovieSale.com
Originally written and directed by filmmaker John Waters in 1988 and then put on Broadway the camp musical HAIRSPRAY could easily have run its course ...More at Family Video
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.