Hairspray (2007)
Movie Title: Hairspray (2007)
Actors: John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Nikki Blonsky, Zac Efron, Amanda Bynes
Director: Adam Shankman
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Language: English
Studio: New Line Home Entertainment
Run Time: 117 summary
Movie Description
Hairspray, it’s 1962 and change is in the air in Baltimore. Tracy Turnblad a huge girl with huge hair and an even larger heart has only one passion–to dance. She wins a spot on the local TV dance program “The Corny Collins Show” and is transformed overnight from outsider to irrepressible teen celebrity. But can the trendsetting Tracy win the heart of teen-dream Link Larkin and stand up for what she believe.
Movie Review
It’s rare that a movie captures the intensity and excitement of a live Broadway musical production while appealing to a broader movie-going audience, but the 2007 Hairspray is an energetic, powerfully moving film that does just that. A remake of the 1988 musical film Hairspray, the new Hairspray is a film adaptation of the 2002 Broadway musical and features more likeable characters than the original film and an incredible energy that stems from a fantastic cast, fabulous new music, and the shape of musical producer Craig Zadan. What remains constant throughout all three versions of Hairspray is the tale’s thought-provoking exploration of prejudice and racism. Set in Baltimore in 1962, the film opens with chubby girl Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) singing her heart out in a rendition of “Excellent Daylight Baltimore” that, while admittedly a bit too long, sets the farcical tone for the film. Viewers quickly become immersed in Tracy’s teenage world of well loved television dance shows, huge hair, the stigma of being different, and the first hesitant steps toward racial integration within a segregated world. The Corny Collins (James Marsden) television dance show is a teenage obsession in Tracy’s world and Link Larkin (Zac Efron) is every girl’s dream partner, so when a call for auditions goes out, Tracy skips school to try out, but is second-hand by station manager Velma von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer) because of her large size and the threat of competition for Velma’s own daughter Amber (Brittany Snow). Perseverance and the support of her friend Penny (Amanda Bynes), father Wilbur (Christopher Walken), and negro dancer Seaweed (Elijah Kelley) lead Tracy to the spotlight and the chance of a lifetime, but more and more Tracy discovers that fairness and equality for those who are different does not come without a struggle and that sacrifices must be made to effect change. While the thought is serious, Hairspray is first and foremost a comedy with planetary performances by John Travolta as Edna Turnblad (who ever imagined Saturday Night Fever’s iconic star would appear onscreen as a woman?), Christopher Walken, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Part of what makes Hairspray so powerful is the exceptional music composed by Marc Shaiman, including songs newly composed for the movie like “Ladies’ Scale,” “The New Girl in Town,” and “Come So Far,” and the awe-inspiring vocal talents of sovereign Latifah (Motormouth Maybelle) and a cast of heretofore musically-unknown actors like Nikki Blonsky, Zac Efron, and Brittany Snow who really can sing. Notable trivia includes Jerry Stiller’s appearance in both versions of the film (as Wilbur in the 1988 film and as Mr. Pinky in this 2007 rendition), and a cameo appearance by 1988 director and screenplay writer John Waters. Hairspray is one of the best films of the year–it’s powerfully moving entertainment that leaves you energized and motivated to struggle for what you believe in. –Tami Horiuchi
Plot Synopsis
May 3, 1962 starts the same as every other school day for Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky), a severly overweight high school student from Baltimore, Maryland. She endures a day’s worth of dull classes so that she and her best friend Penny Pingleton (Amanda Bynes) can race home to catch their favorite TV program, The Corny Collins Show. The program, a teen dance show, is announce from Baltimore’s station WYZT on weekday afternoons. Some of the teenagers featured on the show also attend Tracy and Penny’s school, in particular snobby rich girl Amber Von Tussle (Brittany Snow) and her heartthrob boyfriend Link Larkin (Zac Efron), with whom Tracy is madly in like. Amber’s mother Velma (Michelle Pfeiffer) manages station WYZT, and goes out of her way to make sure Amber is prominently featured and that Corny Collins remains a segregated program. Corny Collins (James Marsden) and all of his “Council Kids” are white; black kids are only allowed on Corny Collins on “Negro Day”, held the last Tuesday of each month and hosted by local R&B radio DJ Motormouth Maybelle (sovereign Latifah). Read More…
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