It is great to see a movie with uplifting music and good ol' fun once again. After being bombarded with slasher and CGI movies this year, this remake of John Waters' 1988 film and adaptation of the successful Broadway musical is a blessing.
What is so wonderful about this remake is that the plot is basically the same. It is set in the early 1960s Baltimore, Maryland. John F. Kennedy is in the White House, beehive hairstyles are in, black activism and desegregation are the main topics of the country. Teenaged kids are watching dance shows on TV and the latest dance crazes are the Mashed Potato and the Twist.
When I hear John Waters' name I tend to think of subversion, but in this case director Adam Shankman (formerly a choreographer) kept his distance from that theme and focused his talents on song and dance. John Travolta, portraying Edna Turnblad, returns to his music and dance background. Of course he is not as good as the renowned transvestite Divine from the original film or Harvey Fierstein from the Broadway musical, but with the 30-pound fat body suit makeover he holds his own as the over-protective mother of Tracy Turnblad (newcomer Nikki Blonsky). As for Nikki Blonsky, she is quite talented and has more perkiness than her predecessor Ricki Lake from the original film.
I have seen the original film and enjoyed the Broadway musical. So my impression is that this version is influenced by the play more than the film. The plot did not stray from the the John Waters script of the racially separate TV dance shows that bring the white and black kids of Baltimore together, putting the emphasis on desegregation. Overall, this remake adds a little more music to keep the audience bouncing in their seats.
Supporting cast members Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, and Queen Latifah were fantastic. Actually they were better than the old cast members Sonny Bono, Pia Zadora, ex-Blondie Debbie Harry, and Ruth Brown. What was cool is that Jerry Stiller and Ricki Lake from the original film made cameos appearances. So if you want to see a fun film with catchy toe-tapping songs, catch this summer flick.
Directed by: Adam Shankman
Running time: 117 minutes
Release date: July 20, 2007
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Musical
MPAA Rating: PG
Article comments
1 - Friend Mouse
I don't know - I guess I don't understand why this film was even made, other than to capitalize on the recent success of the Broadway show. The original Hairspray movie is such great fun (and one of JW's least subversive films, to my knowledge) - people should go out and rent it again.
2 - Ty
"this remake of John Waters' 1988 film"
Exactly. TOO SOON!!!! The original is not even twenty years old and we have a remake.
And why oh why is John Travolta actually playing a woman? Makes no sense. No sense at all.
I agree with another poster: this is all about trying to take advantage of recent Broadway success.
but in the film world, this film should have never been made.
Just go rent the original. No men actually playing women in it.
3 - Ty
"(newcomer Nikki Blonsky"
Everyone calls her a newcomer. Does anyone expect her to last or, in ten years, will she be the host of a talk show called the "Nikki Blonsky" show? Then the show will last a few years, die a quick, painful death, and
in less than twenty years from 2007 another remake of Hairspray will come out, starring another newcomer fat female and perhaps this time, a woman will actually play a man.
Great.
4 - Anon.
"Just go rent the original. No men actually playing women in it."
Well, Ty, actually there's Divine, born Harris Glen Milstead, in the original. I suppose he could be considered a unique entity unto himself.
5 - Ty
"Well, Ty, actually there's Divine, born Harris Glen Milstead, in the original. I suppose he could be considered a unique entity unto himself."
Yes, the tranny in the original movie.
Is John Travolta a tranny? Didn't think so.
6 - Trev
why does it make any difference in any of your lives whether this film has been made? if you're that upset about it, then don't go and see it. it's that simple. i and a bunch of my friends are excited for this film. now go away and comment badly on another movie.
7 - Ty
"if you're that upset about it, then don't go and see it. "
For most movies, that is okay, but basically:
A remake of Hairspray. In 2007. TOO SOON!!!
TOO GODDAMNED SOON!
I know, let's remake Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Or maybe the Back to the Future Trilogy. Yeah that's a great idea!
8 - Crystal
I THOUGHT THIS MOVIE WAS GOOD... I SAW IT AND I ACTUALLY LIKED THE MUSIC AND EVERYTHING THAT WAS IN IT... I HAD SEEN THE FIRST MAKE OF IT AND WAS NOT TO IMPRESSED WITH IT... BUT THEN I WATCHED THIS ONE AND I HAPPEND TO LIKE IT... SO FOR ANYONE THAT HAS NOT SEEN IT I THINK YOU WOULD LIKE IT...