Rated: PG for language, some suggestive content and momentary teen smoking. Runtime: 117 mins. Director: Adam Shankman Writer: Leslie Dixon (screenplay); John Waters (1988 screenplay) Cast: John Travolta; Amanda Bynes; Christopher Walken; Nikki Blonsky... complete cast Tagline: Get ready for something big July 20th! Genre: Comedy/Musical Memorable Quote: "If we get any more white people in here this is gonna be a suburb."... more memorable quotes Release Date: July 20, 2007 DVD Release Date: November 20, 2007 Distributor: New Line Cinema Official Site:www.hairspraymovie.com/ View the Trailer:www.apple.com/trailers/newline/hairspray/
Reel commentary: ... a great movie that features career performances from a diverse cast of newcomers and veterans. But there's no doubt the whole thing belongs to Blonsky. Her infectious smile and big voice do as much for the film as her physique will most assuredly do for raising the confidence of pleasantly plump young girls everywhere ... full review
From the moment the first note of Good Morning Baltimore rang out I was hooked on the alluring wit of Hairspray and the infectious charm of Nikki Blonsky. The song is, of course, the opening number to Adam Shankman's version of the Broadway musical hit that was based on the John Waters cult-fav classic of the same name. Nikki Blonsky, as most of you won't know, makes her acting debut as Tracy Turnblad, the big-haired, but even bigger-boned teen whose only dream is to dance on the "Corny Collins Show," an "American Bandstand" knock-off that airs on a local Baltimore TV station in 1962 and features an all-white cast of dancers.
I can't recall another young newcomer grabbing onto a role with such gusto as Blonsky does here. Keisha Castle-Hughes' equally commanding performance in The Whale Rider comes to mind, but Blonsky goes up against a handful of veteran Hollywood stalwarts and knocks it out of the ballpark with a performance for the ages. Shankman and screenwriter Leslie Dixon combine Waters' original story of teen rebellion and racial integration with the high energy and musical fun of the Broadway play to create a new incarnation that will have you tapping your toes long after you've left the Cineplex.
After learning that the Corny Collins show will hold auditions for kids wanting to dance on the show, Tracy picks up some new dance moves from her black classmates – led by Seaweed (Elijah Kelley) - and uses her newfound skills to attract the attention of Corny Collins (James Marsden) himself. Against the wishes of her 54EEE laundress mother, Edna (John Travolta in drag), Tracy joins the show and decides to use her rapidly rising popularity to incite change. Not only does she encourage her mother – who hasn't been out the house in over a decade – to lead a more glamorous lifestyle, she also steps forward in support of integrating the Corny Collins show. So far, the extent of the show's integration plans has been to run "Negro Day" programming once a month hosted by Motormouth Maybelle (Queen Latifah).
Hoping to foil Tracy's plans are the sharp-tongued Velma Von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer) the station manager and her daughter, Amber (Brittany Snow), the show's reigning Miss Teenage Hairspray. Velma ends up canceling "Negro Day" which leads to a protest that puts Tracy's short-lived popularity in jeopardy.
A big question going in was how the director of such claptrap as Cheaper by the Dozen 2 and The Pacifier would handle the high-energy choreography and clever comedy of this ambitious reinvention. But Shankman's roots as a dancer and stage choreographer come through in grand fashion with some scenes that'll surely go down in cinematic history right alongside many of the MGM movie musical classics. He gets nearly perfect performances from every actor, whether it's a song and dance number from Christopher Walken as Tracy's sympathetic father (who would have ever thought Walken could be so charming?), or surprising dance talents of Marsden, better known as Cyclops from the X-Men movies. One memorable sequence stands out with the acrobatic talents of Kelley as he leads a troupe of dancers to Run and Tell That. The four-minute sequence moves from the detention center at the high school, onto a school bus and ends at Motormouth's record shop. One song, three distinctly different scenes executed with flawless continuity. How can anyone deny that the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice?
Travolta's shtick in 50+ pounds of fat-suit latex initially seems like a cheap gimmick meant to go for tranny humor and juvenile laughs. But as the story plays out, and as Edna begins to regain her public confidence, the actor wins us over as he brings a quiet dignity to not only his Edna, but to all people of size. Travolta has a way of pronouncing some of his words that seems a bit tricked-up and silly at first, bit it becomes one of those things that you'll find yourself laughing at even though you can't explain why.
Hairspray is undeniably a great movie that features career performances from a diverse cast of newcomers and veterans. But there's no doubt the whole thing belongs to Blonsky. Her infectious smile and big voice do as much for the film as her physique will most assuredly do for raising the confidence of pleasantly plump young girls everywhere.
"Soon you'll be in jail, fighting the whores for cigarettes!"
"Dancing is not your future. One day, you're going to own Edna's Oxidental Laundry."
"If you want to be famous, learn how to take blood out of car apholstery. That's a move you can take right to the bank."
"You can fight it or you can rock out to it."
"You two better brace yourselves for a whole lotta ugly."
InsuranceMan says:
Aug 22. 2007 20:39
"I have seen the movie twice, once in Orange county and once in San Diego. The second time I think there was a scene missing where they go to an artists house and her and her boyfriend talk to them for a few moments after the march scene. It was not in the movie the second time. Am I going crazy?
Cassie says:
September 9. 2007
This movie is a 1960's remake of the original musical. Its about a girl, Tracy Turnblad (played by breakout broadway star Nikki Blonsky) who loves to dance, and wants to appear on the Corny Collins show. The best part of the movie is that even if you aren't the most popular person you can still be your own star. John Travolta plays Edna Turnblad who is Tracy's mom in the movie, and Christopher Walken plays Wilmer Turnblad who is married to Travolta in the movie. Other big casting roles include James Marsden, Queen Latifuh, and Michelle Pffier, also Britney Snow, Zac Efron, Amanda Bynes, Ellijih Kelly, and Indroducing Nikki Blonsky!!!!! The first time I saw this movie I loved it when I went to go see it with my mom. I loved it so much that I saw it four times. It is a great movie a great musical and has a great cast. Alot of the actors are going to be discovered now that they were in the movie "Hairspray". Stars such as Amanda Bynes, Ellijih Kelly, Zac Efron and stars that are now making their film debut stars like Nikki Blonsky who was a star on Broadway stages everywhere. These stars have great stars to look up to such as John Travolt, Michelle Pffier, Queen Latifuh, James Marsden, and Christopher Walken. I highly reccomend this movie if you love music, you love musicals, and if you just love movies that have any music at all in it. Well I hope you post my review on your site!!!!!!!! Well, good bye!!!!
Screen formats: Widescreen Anamorphic 2.35:1
Subtitles: English; Spanish; Closed Captioned
Language and Sound: English: Dolby Digital 5.1
Other Features: Color; interactive menus; scene access; trailer; deleted scenes; director's commentary; making-of featurette; alternate ending.
Commentary
1- with director Adam Shankman and actress Nikki Blonsky
2 - with producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron
Featurettes
"Hairspray Extensions" (37:10)
"Step by Step: The Dances of Hairspray" (12:43)
"You Can't Stop the Beat: The Long Journey of Hairspray" (1:18:00)
Documentary - The Roots of Hairspray
Deleted Scenes - five scenes that didn't make the final cut for a total of nine minutes, 30 seconds of addityional footage with a "play all" feature.
Trailers - Numerous sneak peeks at other films.
DVD-Rom Component
Number of discs: - 2- Keepcase Packaging with a 2-disc flapper and printed cellophane sleeve.
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