| HAIRSPRAY | | | | and it isn't long before she's championing racial |
| Directed and Choreographed by: Adam Shankman | | | | equality and trying to integrate the bandstand. |
| Written by: Leslie Dixon | | | | Even her best friend Penny Pingleton (the bubbly, |
| Starring: Nikki Blonsky, John Travolta, Michelle | | | | perfectly cast Amanda Bynes) senses that it |
| Pfeiffer and Christopher Walken | | | | won't be long before the cherry lollipop in her |
| Running Time: 117 min. | | | | mouth is replaced with a big black penis. |
| Aspect Ratio: cinemascope3.jpg | | | | The first thing to catch the viewer's eye is the |
| Rating: | | | | strategy that went into planning each shot so the |
| ★★★☆☆ | | | | musical numbers would seamlessly cut together. |
| Given the amount of dirty looks this reporter has | | | | This isn't the Moulin Rouge Mixmaster approach to |
| cast towards contemporary Hollywood musicals. | | | | editing, nor does director/choreographer Adam |
| it's a wonder I even agreed to step into | | | | Shankman incessantly keep his camera in close. |
| Hairspray. | | | | With the exception of Bob Fosse, most |
| The 1988 version of Hairspray marked a turning | | | | Broadway choreographers don't make an easy |
| point in director John Waters' scatalogically | | | | transition to Hollywood director. (Take his directing |
| delicious career. He went from giving us an | | | | partner Stanley Donen out of the equation and |
| unrated Divine dinner of dog doody to a PG studio | | | | you have every right to decline Gene Kelly's |
| film aimed at Middle America. As a filmmaker, | | | | Invitation to the Dance.) This is one of those rare |
| John Waters is nothing without shock. | | | | instances where a choreographer envisions the |
| So much has mortified and offended audiences | | | | way his scenes will play on the screen, not the |
| since Pink Flamingos first hit the midnight circuit in | | | | stage. |
| 1972. Nowadays, fart humor has become de | | | | At times, the period décor is responsible for |
| rigeur even in Disney films. When A Dirty Shame | | | | as many laughs as the actors. From mechanical |
| tried to return Waters to his rancid, | | | | Charlie Weaver bartenders to a smoke-filled |
| ratings-bucking ways, he could barely muster | | | | teacher's lounge, production designer David |
| enough filth to earn an NC-17. | | | | Gropman works overtime to give the film its |
| Waters is the lecherous pervert with the Little | | | | perfect 60s flavor. Bojan Bazelli's bright, |
| Richard mustache who over the years has | | | | shadow-less, candy colored cinematography adds |
| become a corporate spokesperson for armchair | | | | just the right amount of bounce that prohibits the |
| degenerates across America. (He appears briefly | | | | proceedings from becoming dry and listless. |
| in the remake as a flasher, a concept that went | | | | The second act wilts due in large part to a well |
| out with Arte Johnson and Laugh In.) Perhaps the | | | | intentioned civil rights subplot that seems out of |
| most shocking development in the director's | | | | place in this satirical environment. Waters' tongue |
| professional career was the transformation of | | | | was firmly planted in his cheek when he tried to |
| one of his films into a mainstream Broadway | | | | add a bit of social significance to his version. |
| musical. Even more outrageous, it was such a | | | | Queen Latifah parading her sisters through the |
| smash that it spawned another Hollywood | | | | streets of Baltimore bears an uncomfortable |
| rendition. | | | | resemblance to Dream Girls. |
| It is precisely because Waters sold out that I | | | | The cast is wonderful. Ms. Blonski is a suitable Ricki |
| found much to abhor in his waste-free original. To | | | | Lake clone, a pudgy Connie Francis always poised |
| make matters worse, as a director he ranks | | | | to wow a crowd. Michelle Pfeiffer receives some |
| slightly above Kevin Smith and William Beaudine. | | | | of the film's biggest laughs as the evil station |
| No one in their right mind has ever attended a | | | | manager bent on getting Tracy out and her |
| Waters show in search of mise-en-scene or other | | | | daughter (Brittany Snow) in. As Baltimore's |
| forms of cinematic enlightenment. | | | | answer to Dick Clark, James Marsden, with his |
| Add to all of this the promise of another big | | | | Pepsodent smile and patented insincere sincerity, |
| name actor on the skids (John Travolta) playing | | | | shows an unexpected flair for light comedy. |
| drag in a fat suit, and you may begin to | | | | In addition to Mr. Waters, several participants |
| understand my trepidation. After suffering through | | | | from the original version show up to varying |
| Moulin Rouge, Chicago, Rent and Dream Girls, it is | | | | degrees of effectiveness. Jerry Stiller is a very |
| once again safe to see a Hollywood musical. | | | | funny man, but even he can't out-shout his |
| Big girl Tracy Turnblad (newcomer Nikki Blonski) is | | | | sportcoat. You will have to look quickly for Ricki |
| in constant motion: she's a Jell-O mold with a | | | | Lake who pops up unheralded as a talent agent. |
| wave machine trapped inside. It's 1962 and her | | | | With the exception of an overly affected accent, |
| dream is to mingle with the beautiful people by | | | | Travolta does fine. For some reason this guy is |
| becoming a regular cast member on The Corny | | | | fated to keep working. He has more lives than a |
| Collins Show, a daily televised dance party that | | | | hundred-year-old tabby. There's even an |
| features dangerous race music for clean cut | | | | anachronistic nod to Pulp Fiction, presumably |
| white teenagers. | | | | thrown in so the younger demographic, lacking a |
| Her corpulent mother Edna (Travolta) wants to | | | | proper historical perspective, will get at least one |
| shelter her baby from the evils of the world. At | | | | of the in-jokes. |
| least Edna practices what she preaches. Mom | | | | Hairspray is a standout among this summer's |
| hasn't set foot out of the house since the 50s. | | | | dumper crop of movies. As much as I hate to |
| Given a chance to audition for Corny (James | | | | say it about anything even remotely related to |
| Marsden), Tracy lands a spot on the show and | | | | John Waters, this is a perfect film to take the |
| over night becomes it biggest star...in more ways | | | | kids to, especially if they've already already been |
| than one. | | | | exposed to Divine getting raped by a lobster in |
| While in detention, Tracy mingles with minorities | | | | Multiple Maniacs. |