Hairspray (1988)

A 'pleasantly plump' teenager teaches 1962 Baltimore a thing or two about integration after landing a spot on a local TV dance show.

Director:

John Waters

Writer:

John Waters

Stars:

Sonny Bono, Ruth Brown, Divine

7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sonny Bono	...	Franklin von Tussle
Ruth Brown	...	Motormouth Maybelle
Divine	...	Edna Turnblad / Arvin Hodgepile
Deborah Harry	...	Velma Von Tussle (as Debbie Harry)
Ricki Lake	...	Tracy Turnblad
Jerry Stiller	...	Wilbur Turnblad
Colleen Fitzpatrick	...	Amber von Tussle
Michael St. Gerard	...	Link Larkin
Leslie Ann Powers	...	Penny Pingleton
Clayton Prince	...	Seaweed
Mink Stole	...	Tammy
Shawn Thompson	...	Corny Collins
Ric Ocasek	...	Beatnik Cat (special apperances)
Pia Zadora	...	Beatnik Chick
Joann Havrilla	...	Prudence Pingleton

Storyline

'Pleasantly Plump' teenager Tracy Turnblad achieves her dream of becoming a regular on the Corny Collins Dance Show. Now a teen hero, she starts using her fame to speak out for the causes she believes in, most of all integration. In doing so, she earns the wrath of the show's former star, Amber Von Tussle, as well as Amber's manipulative, pro-segregation parents. The rivalry comes to a head as Amber and Tracy vie for the title of Miss Auto Show 1963.

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Plot Keywords:

integration | dance | civil rights | irreverence | cross cultural relations | 

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Taglines:

The 60's Comedy That Shows No Mercy!

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Genres:

Comedy | Music | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 February 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

White Lipstick

Filming Locations:

Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$6,671,108 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Line Cinema, Stanley F. Buchthal, Robert Shaye Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Waters cast Pia Zadora because he was impressed with her performance in Voyage of the Rock Aliens.

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Goofs

When Corny introduces himself at the auto show, the audio is not in sync with his lips.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Tracy Turnblad: Come on! Come on!
Penny Pingleton: Okay, all right.
Tracy Turnblad: Will you hurry up?

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Crazy Credits

During the ending credits, there are footsteps moving to the beat of the song playing in the background.

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Connections

Spoofs Grease (1978)

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Soundtracks

"Shake A Tail Feather"
Written by Verlie Rice, Otis Hayes, and Andre Williams
Performed by The Five Du-Tones
Courtesy of Onederful Records

User Reviews

Nostalgia gone askew

John Waters reveals a somewhat more sentimental side with "Hairspray", a movie several people have told me they absolutely hated. I wondered what it was about Waters' style as a filmmaker that could provoke such anger? I think it's his affection for '60s movie-clichés transposed through nostalgia and Waters' own gross-out sensibilities (and his particular brand of humor, which can be quite wicked). I didn't much care for the film the first time I saw it, but I gave it a second chance and it grew on me. The reckless amateurishness is off-putting at first, but you have to meet "Hairspray" halfway. There is much to enjoy here, not the least of which is Divine as Ricki Lake's mom (and also as a bigoted network bigwig); wheeling and dealing after her daughter finds TV fame, Divine becomes a coiffed society queen, twisting away in front of the television and tossing off jaded quips like, "It's the times...they're a-changin'." The performances are all happily hammy, colorful and amusing, and the lightweight story comfortably shoehorns-in relevant political issues to counterbalance the slapstick. Ricki Lake is very appealing in her debut; also hilarious, Pia Zadora as a beatnik and Debbie Harry as the mother of Lake's main rival ("1-2-cha-cha-CHA, 1-2-cha-cha-CHA!"). It's not a seamless, polished picture, but it does have heart and charm and this sold me--but on the second time around. *** from ****