Musical comedy starring John Travolta and Michelle Pfeiffer.
Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) is an overweight teenager with all
the right moves who is obsessed with the Corny Collins Show.
Every day after school, she and her best friend Penny (Amanda
Bynes) run home to watch the show and drool over the hot Link
Larkin (Zac Efron), much to Tracy's mother E's (Travolta)
dismay. After one of the stars of the show leaves, Corny Collins
holds auditions to see who will be the next person on the Corny
Collins show. With the help of her friend Seaweed (Elijah Kelly),
Tracy makes it on the show, angering the evil dance queen Amber
Von Tussle (Brittany Snow) and her mother Velma (Pfeiffer). Tracy
then decides that it's not fair that the black kids can only
dance on the Corny Collins Show once a month, and with the help
of Seaweed, Link, Penny, Motormouth Maybelle (Queen Latifah), her
her (Christopher Walken) and E, she decides to take action.
From .co.uk
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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 re-make 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
great cast, fabulous new music, and the influence of musical
producer Craig Zadan. What remains constant throughout all three
versions of Hairspray is the story'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 "Good Morning 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
popular television dance shows, big hair, the stigma of being
different, and the first hesitant steps toward racial integration
within a segregated world. The Corny Collins (James Marsdon)
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 rejected 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), her 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 fight and that
sacrifices must be made to effect change. While the message is
serious, Hairspray is first and foremost a comedy with stellar
performances by John Travolta as E 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 Shan, including songs newly composed for the
movie like "Ladies' Choice," "The New Girl in Town," and "Come So
Far," and the awesome vocal talents of Queen 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 fight for what you believe
in. --Tami Horiuchi