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Hairspray

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Hairspray: The higher the hair, the closer to God [ENG/ESP]@ibet276d

How's it going, community? Here I am again for the second time this week, and this time I'm going to talk about another musical that has a slightly different origin, since it's not an adaptation of a musical, but rather a film released in 1988 that was adapted into a Broadway musical and then adapted into another film released in 2007. I've been really curious about this movie for a long time, and I finally got around to watching it. So, today I'm going to talk about Hairspray.

¿Que tal comunidad? Aquí estoy yo de nuevo por segunda vez esta semana y, esta vez tambien voy a hablar de otro musical que su origen es un poco distinto, ya que esta no es una adaptación de un musical, sino que primero fue una película estrenada en 1988 que a esta se le hizo adaptación a musical en Broadway y luego se hizo la adaptación de dicho musical a otra película estrenada en 2007, sinceramente le tenia mucha curiosidad a esta película desde hace tiempo y al fin me dispuse a verla, asi es, hoy hablaré de: Hairspray.

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At first glance, Hairspray may seem like a very simple plot. We have Tracy Turnblad, a very confident girl who dreams of joining the dance program on The Corny Collins Show and who, despite her non-mainstream appearance, manages to become a star when she gets on the show. Set in Baltimore in 1962 and with plenty of hairspray involved, Hairspray is much more than just a movie about a girl who wants to get on a dance show. It touches on issues that were relevant at the time, the most notable of which is the racial segregation that existed in the United States at that time.

Hairspray al principio puede parecer una trama muy simple, tenemos a Tracy Turnblad que es una chica muy segura de si misma que sueña con entrar en el programa de baile de The Corny Collins Show y que, pese a su no hegemónica apariencia, consigue convertirse en una estrella cuando logra ingresar al programa. Ambientada en el Baltimore de 1962 y con mucha laca de por medio, Hairspray es mucho mas que una simple película donde una chica quiere entrar en un programa de baile, toca temas relevantes en la época, la cual la que mas destaca es el tema de la segregación racial que se vivía en ese momento en Estados Unidos.

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I must say that the original film and the musical are very similar but, at the same time, very different, since they deal with the same themes. However, I feel that in the original film they are very much on top of things, while in the musical it is done in a rougher way, without, of course, losing that touch of comedy and good vibes of a musical of this style. I think the villains have a touch more evilness, and, in general, it is a little more developed in my opinion, obviously without detracting from the original material. Another thing I like is that Tracy's personality does not change in either version; she is still a very determined and self-confident girl who does not hesitate for a second to go after what she wants.

Debo decir que la película original y el musical son muy parecidos pero, a la vez muy diferentes, ya que tocan los mismos temas, pero, siento que en la película original están muy por encima mientras que en el musical se hace de forma mas ruda, claro esta que sin dejar ese toque de comedia y de buenas vibras de un musical de este estilo. Creo que las villanas tienen un toque mas de maldad, y, en general, esta un poco mas desarrollado en mi opinión, obviamente sin demeritar a el material original. Otra cosa que me gusta es que la personalidad de Tracy no cambia en ninguna de las dos versiones, sigue siendo una chica muy decidida y segura de si misma y que no duda ni por un segundo en ir a por lo que quiere.

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I'm glad I took a look at this movie (although, well, I saw the original and the musical). It may seem like a very simple plot, but when you think about it deeply, it touches on a very serious issue of the time and does so with great humor, but without being disrespectful. I hope you'll be inspired to see this movie very soon. For now, I'll say goodbye. Thank you very much for reading, and see you later in another post ❤️

Que bueno que le di un vistazo a esta película (aunque bueno, vi la original y la película musical), puede parecer una trama muy simple pero pensando a profundidad, toca un tema muy serio de la época y lo hace con mucha gracia, pero, sin faltar el respeto. Espero que te animes a ver esta película muy pronto, yo por ahora me despido, muchas gracias por leerme y nos vemos luego en otro post ❤️

Translated by DeepL

Traducido por DeepL

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›Film Review: Hairspray (2007)@drax647d

One of the strengths of Hollywood is its ability to build on its own legacy, even if it does so in a roundabout way. An example can be provided by Hairspray, the 1988 period comedy directed by John Waters. Despite being the least transgressive and most mainstream of all films in Waters' career, Hairspray managed to obtain cult status. In 2002, this cult status turned into a popular, Tony-awarded Broadway musical, which was five years later adapted into a feature film directed by Adam Shankman.

Set in 1962 Baltimore, Hairspray follows the journey of Tracy Turnblad, portrayed by Nikki Blonsky, an overweight teenager with aspirations of dancing on the Corny Collins Show, a local television dance programme. Despite her less-than-ideal proportions, Tracy's impressive dance moves capture the attention of television host Corny Collins (played by James Marsden), who invites her onto the show. This decision does not sit well with Amber Von Tussle (played by Brittany Snow), the show's lead female dancer. Tensions rise further when it becomes clear that Amber's boyfriend, Link (played by Zac Efron), is becoming attracted to Tracy. Adding to Tracy's challenges is Amber's mother, Velma (Michelle Pfeiffer), the TV station manager determined to make life difficult for Tracy. Nevertheless, Tracy stands firm not only for her own dreams but also for her beliefs in racial integration during a time marked by social upheaval in America.

As one of the more light-hearted films of its era, Hairspray is likely to entertain a wide audience. However, whether viewers fully enjoy it may depend on their familiarity with Waters’ 1988 version. Those who have seen the original might find that while Shankman’s film boasts many qualities, originality is not one of them. The musical adaptation feels somewhat redundant; much of its narrative already revolved around music and dance. While the opening number "Good Morning Baltimore" effectively sets an upbeat tone, many subsequent musical numbers lack memorability and contribute to an unnecessarily extended runtime.

Despite these concerns, Shankman's direction is commendable. The substantial budget allocated for this production has been well-utilised to recreate early 1960s Baltimore convincingly. The vibrant colours and detailed set designs immerse viewers in a nostalgic yet exaggerated version of the era. Shankman successfully captures the essence of the time while maintaining a playful tone that aligns with the film’s overall spirit.

One aspect that initially appears to elevate this version above Waters’ original is its cast. Nikki Blonsky shines as Tracy Turnblad, infusing her performance with charm and energy reminiscent of Ricki Lake's portrayal in the original film. Blonsky’s ability to embody Tracy’s vivacity and resilience makes her a relatable protagonist who resonates with audiences.

Michelle Pfeiffer delivers a strong performance as Velma Von Tussle, effectively portraying the villainous character with a blend of charm and malice that adds depth to her role—something that has been relatively rare in her filmography. Christopher Walken also excels as Tracy’s father, providing comic relief while grounding the film with his endearing presence.

However, John Travolta’s casting as Edna Turnblad has sparked considerable debate among critics and audiences alike. While some praise Travolta for his bold choice to take on a female role requiring extensive prosthetic makeup and drag performance, others find his star power distracting. Critics argue that Travolta’s presence serves as a constant reminder of the film's big-budget Hollywood production values rather than evoking the nostalgic charm associated with Waters’ original vision. In comparison to Divine’s iconic portrayal in 1988, Travolta appears somewhat less natural, which detracts from the authenticity of Edna's character.

Upon its release, Hairspray was met with enthusiasm from critics and achieved impressive box office results. Yet despite its success as a light-hearted family-friendly musical—akin to those that had previously won Oscars—it failed to replicate the awards success of Chicago, which had set a precedent for musicals at prestigious ceremonies. Some speculate that controversies surrounding alleged homophobia and Travolta’s affiliation with the Church of Scientology may have influenced this outcome—a curious irony considering that director Shankman and many cast members are openly gay.

Hairspray emerges as an enjoyable musical that successfully captures the exuberance of its source material. Its strong performances—particularly from Blonsky and Pfeiffer—combined with vibrant direction make it a memorable cinematic experience.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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›Film Review: Hairspray (1988)@drax1507d

There are cult films and there are cult films that reach top levels of cultness. Among the latter belongs Hairspray, 1988 period comedy directed by John Waters, which is, ironically, the most commercially successful and most mainstream title in the filmography of a director known for campiness and transgressive content in his filmography.

Like many of Waters’ films, plot takes place in his native Baltimore. The year is 1962 and the protagonist, played by Ricki Lake, is Tracy Turnblad, cheerful teenage girl whose life revolves around The Corny Collins Show, immensely popular local television show that features Baltimore teenagers dancing to the latest pop music tunes. Tracy and her best friend Penny (played by Leslie Ann Powers) come to the audition for new cast members, but it is Tracy who, despite being plump, that wins the spot due to her impressive dance skills. Her success infuriates show’s top dancer, arrogant Amber Van Tussle (played by Collen Fitzpatrick) who is further hurt when Tracy steals her boyfriend Link Larkin (played by Michael St. Gerard) and challenges her for the title of Miss Auto Show 1963. In the meantime, Tracy and Penny go to black section of Baltimore to study dance moves where Penny begins romancing young black man Seaweed (played by Clayton Prince). This inspires Tracy to start fighting for the The Corny Collins Show to get integrated and allow black and white teenagers to dance together on screen. That prospect infuriates racists, including Amber’s parents (played by Sonny Bonno and Debbie Harry).

In this film Waters maintains his love of kitsch and fondness from the outcasts from “proper” society, whether those who practice “wrong” lifestyles, have “wrong” colour of skin or, in the case of the protagonist, “wrong” body type. However, there is hardly anything transgressive or outrageous in Hairspray; Waters frames his approach within the limits not only of Hollywood mainstream, but also family friendly film content. Like so many films made at the time, it relies heavily on Boomers’ nostalgia towards early 1960s and Waters takes great effort to reconstruct the period with proper costumes, hairstyles, music and dance styles. Divine, famous drag queen, Waters’ good friend and star of his previous films, appears in Hairspray in the double role of Tracy’s mother Edna and racist television station owner. However, his role isn’t particularly impressive despite Divine being quite obese (a condition that probably played part in his tragic death from heart attack two weeks after the premiere). The real star is Ricki Lake, young actress who actually had major problems maintaining her plumpness due to gruelling physical demands of her dance routine. She radiates youthful confidence and has plenty of charms, convincingly showing a character that, despite her unusual physique, could earn respect of fellow dancers, get boyfriend and successfully lead fight for social change. She easily overshadows all other cast members, although in some cases it wasn’t hard due to their characters being poorly written (like the crazed psychiatrist played by Waters himself); only Pia Zadora stands out as parody of proto-counterculture beatnik girl. Some critics have accused Waters of treating the serious issue of 1960s civil rights movement in Southern USA in a nonchalant comedic way, but such approach works in the context of nostalgic Hollywood fantasy which has entertainment as its main purpose. Hairspray is very funny and likeable film and it was recognised as such by the audience; although its box office success was modest, it became big hit on home video and its cult status continued to grow. In 2002 Hairspray had the honour of being into adapted into hit Broadway musical which itself became basis for 2007 feature film version starring Nikki Blonsky.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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