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Hairspray (1988 film)

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This article is about the 1988 film. For the 2002 stage musical, see Hairspray (musical). For the 2007 film, see Hairspray (2007 film).
Hairspray
Directed byJohn Waters
Written byJohn Waters
Produced byJohn Waters
Robert Shaye
Rachel Talalay
StarringSonny Bono
Ruth Brown
Divine
Debbie Harry
Ricki Lake
Jerry Stiller
Distributed byNew Line Cinema
Release dates
February 26, 1988
Running time
92 min.
CountryUnited States United States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$2 million
Box office$6,671,108

Hairspray is a 1988 comedy written and directed by John Waters. The film features Divine, Ricki Lake, Sonny Bono and Debbie Harry. Hairspray was a dramatic departure from Waters' earlier works, with a much broader intended audience—most of his previous films were rated X by the MPAA, and, in fact, Hairspray's PG is the lowest rating a Waters film has received. Set in 1962 Baltimore, the film revolves around self-proclaimed "pleasantly plump" teenager Tracy Turnblad as she simultaneously pursues stardom as a dancer on a local TV show and rallies against racial segregation.

Hairspray was only a moderate success upon its initial theatrical release, receiving a modest gross of $8 million. However, it managed to attract a larger audience on home video in the early '90s and became a cult classic.[1][2] Most critics praised the film, although some were displeased with the overall campiness. In 2002, Hairspray was adapted into a Broadway musical of the same name, which won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical in 2003. A second film version of Hairspray, an adaptation of the stage musical, was released by New Line on July 20, 2007 — which included many changes of scripted items from the original.

Plot

Set in 1962 Baltimore, Tracy Turnblad (Ricki Lake) is an optimistic, self-proclaimed "pleasantly plump" high school student. She endures a day's worth of boring high school classes so that she and her best friend Penny Pingleton (Leslie Ann Powers) can race home to view their favorite TV program, The Corny Collins Show. The program, a dance show featuring teenagers aimed at the youth group demographic, is broadcast from Baltimore's station WZZT on weekday afternoons and is a huge success. Some dancers featured on the show attend Tracy’s high school, including Amber Von Tussle (Colleen Fitzpatrick), who is extremely wealthy, beautiful, popular, and (according to Tracy) "stuck up". Amber's on-and off-air boyfriend is Link Larkin (Michael St. Gerard), a heartthrob and Tracy's idol, with whom she is madly in love and desperate to be with.

However, after referring to Tracy as a "trash can", in front of Corny Collins (Shawn Thompson) Amber is given demerit points and loses Link to Tracy after he becomes sympathy toward her and eventually falls in love. Tracy uses her newfound fame to champion the cause of racial integration with the help of her equally plus size, obnoxious but loving and well-meaning mother Edna Turnblad (Divine). She is also aided by Penny and her new boyfriend Seaweed (Clayton Prince) as well as his mother Motormouth Maybelle (Ruth Brown), the monthly host of Negro Day on The Corny Collins Show. Meanwhile, Velma (Debbie Harry) and Franklin (Sonny Bono), Amber's parents, plot to blow up the celebration, but with Tracy's winning of the title of "Miss Auto Show 1963" and the integration of The Corny Collins Show, the town erupts into a huge celebration and the Von Tussles' plan is foiled.

Cast

Production

John Waters wrote the screenplay under the title of White Lipstick, deriving the film partly from real events. The Corny Collins Show is based on the real-life The Buddy Deane Show, and the film's climax is based on an actual event that took place on that show in the summer of 1963.[3].

The scenes in/at Tilted Acres Amusement Park were filmed at Dorney Park in Allentown, Pennnsylvania.

A number of scenes were filmed, but eventually cut, including:

  • Tracy breaking into the Von Tussles' home after Franklin and Velma leave and making her hair blonde (which is seen later, but not explained) and messing up Amber's room.
  • Nadine's refusal to let Penny and Seaweed into her basement after their escape from Penny's house.
  • A rumble which includes Tracy spraying hairspray into the eyes of toughs.
  • After Wilbur and Edna see Tracy on TV the second time, Prudence chases Penny around the Turnblads' living room before going out the door.
  • Corny making an announcement at the Record Hop that Penny should call her mother immediately if she is in the hall.
  • Tracy having actual roaches in her hair.

Reception

Box office

Hairspray opened on February 26, 1988 in 79 North American theaters, where it grossed $577,287 ($7,307 per screen) in its opening weekend. On March 11, it expanded to 227 theaters, where it grossed $966,672 ($4,258 per screen) from March 11–13. It ended its theatrical run with $8,271,108.[4] The film was nominated for six Independent Spirit Awards, and the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.[5]

Broadway musical

Main article: Hairspray (musical)

In mid-2002, New Line teamed with writers Marc Shaiman and Thomas Meehan to turn Hairspray into a Broadway musical production. The show opened on August 15, 2002 starring Marissa Jaret Winokur as Tracy and Harvey Fierstein as Edna. The show has gone on to win 8 Tony Awards, including Best Musical in 2003.

2007 remake

Main article: Hairspray (2007 film)

In 2006, New Line joined forces with Adam Shankman to make the Broadway show into a movie musical. The film was released on July 20, 2007 and stars John Travolta as Edna, Michelle Pfeiffer as Velma, Christopher Walken as Wilbur, Queen Latifah as Motormouth Maybelle, James Marsden as Corny Collins, Zac Efron as Link, and newcomer Nikki Blonsky as Tracy. The film cost $75 million to make and went on to make $200,624,851 worldwide.[6]

Merchandising

Soundtrack

Main article: Hairspray (1988 soundtrack)

The soundtrack was released January 1, 1995 by MCA Records. The CD featured one original song by Rachel Sweet and eleven other songs mostly from the 1960s by Gene Pitney, Toussaint McCall, among others.

Additional songs

There are other songs not on the soundtrack that are used in the movie.

Home video releases

VHS

The film was released on video in 1994 by Sony.

DVD

The film was released by New Line on DVD in 2003. The disc included an audio commentary by John Waters and Ricki Lake and a theatrical trailer.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Hairspray (1988)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2007-06-12.
  2. ^ Hairspray at Rotten Tomatoes; last accessed May 5, 2007.
  3. ^ Polar Levine. "Hairspray's Revolting History". Mediachannel.org.
  4. ^ Box Office Mojo
  5. ^ "Awards for Hairspray". IMDB.
  6. ^ Hairspray at Box Office Mojo
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