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In 2007’s toe-tapping musical romp, Hairspray, director Adam Shankman took a cult favorite and turned it into a summer sensation. Now, thanks to the Best of Warner Bros. 20 Film Collection: Musicals, it’s the perfect time to revisit the film’s origins.
Eccentric writer/director John Waters’s 1988 original stars newcomer Ricki Lake as Tracy Turnblad, a big-haired, big-boned Baltimore teen whose every dream comes true when she lands a spot on the after-school dance show, The Corny Collins Show—and she manages to win the heart of dancing hunk Link Larkin (Michael St. Gerard), too.
While she has to endure the jealousy and bitterness of rival Amber von Tussle (Colleen Fitzpatrick), though, Tracy has much bigger issues to deal with. The show is still segregated—and Tracy is determined to bring about some long-overdue change with help from her best friend, Penny (Leslie Ann Powers), and their new friend, Seaweed (Clayton Prince).
The original Hairspray definitely doesn’t have the same star power and production value as the big-budget remake. It doesn’t have flashy sets or Disney stars or, well, Christopher Walken. But that’s part of the film’s charm. It’s all a little campy and over-the-top, with overdone performances and a fun-loving, laid-back feel.
The cast has its share of ups and downs—from a lovable Lake in her big-screen debut to drag queen Divine in a rather flat performance as Tracy’s mom. There are plenty of amusing cameos, too—like Debbie Harry and Sonny Bono as Amber’s pushy parents and Ric Ocasek and Pia Zadora as a random pair of beatniks. And no matter how good or bad the performances may be, the cast members clearly had such a good time hanging out together on set that you can’t help but enjoy the journey with them.
The story, meanwhile, is cleverly written but haphazardly plotted—with storylines coming and going at random. It’s all a little bit wacky, yet it still manages to tackle some pretty serious topics. Here, racism is battled by a bunch of kids, led by a plus-sized heroine. And that makes it an admirable film, no matter how kooky it may be.
And then, of course, there’s the music. The musical numbers are vibrant and playful in a ‘60s kind of way, but—like the rest of the film—they’re written with Waters’s signature wit, making them the perfect blend of happy-go-lucky and wickedly funny.
It may not be as flashy as its popular remake, but the original Hairspray is a grittier, slightly quirkier cult classic—a singing, dancing ‘60s spectacle that’s sure to have you singing (and maybe even dancing) along.
DVD Review:
If you want to add Hairspray to your movie library, you can buy a copy on DVD—or you can invest in the Best of Warner Bros. 20 Film Collection: Musicals. The collection contains some outstanding musicals. Hairspray is the most recent, though the set goes all the way back to 1927’s groundbreaking The Jazz Singer, with other favorites like Singin’ in the Rain and The Wizard of Oz in between.
Included with the Hairspray disc, you’ll also find a number of special features—like some trailers and an informative commentary track.
Unfortunately, the set isn’t available on Blu-ray—just DVD. But if you’re content with DVDs, this is definitely a worthwhile addition to your classic movie collection.
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