Hairspray (2007)

Pleasantly plump teenager Tracy Turnblad teaches 1962 Baltimore a thing or two about integration after landing a spot on a local TV dance show.

Director:

Adam Shankman

Writers:

Leslie Dixon (screenplay), John Waters

Stars:

John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Nikki Blonsky

Nominated for 3 Golden Globes. Another 21 wins & 41 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Travolta	...	Edna Turnblad
Michelle Pfeiffer	...	Velma Von Tussle
Christopher Walken	...	Wilbur Turnblad
Amanda Bynes	...	Penny Pingleton
James Marsden	...	Corny Collins
Queen Latifah	...	Motormouth Maybelle
Brittany Snow	...	Amber Von Tussle
Zac Efron	...	Link Larkin
Elijah Kelley	...	Seaweed
Allison Janney	...	Prudy Pingleton
Nikki Blonsky	...	Tracy Turnblad
Tayla Parx	...	Little Inez (as Taylor Parks)
Jayne Eastwood	...	Miss Wimsey
Paul Dooley	...	Mr. Spritzer
Jerry Stiller	...	Mr. Pinky

Storyline

Tracy Turnblad, a teenager with all the right moves, is obsessed with the Corny Collins Show. Every day after school, she and her best friend Penny run home to watch the show and drool over the hot Link Larkin, much to Tracy's mother Edna's dismay. After one of the stars of the show leaves, Corny Collins holds auditions to see who will be the next teen regular. With the help of her friend Seaweed, Tracy is chosen, angering evil dance queen Amber Von Tussle and her mother Velma. Tracy then decides that it's not fair that black kids can only dance on the show once a month (on "Negro Day"), and with the help of Seaweed, Link, Penny, Motormouth Maybelle, her father, and Edna, she's going to integrate the show.....without denting her 'do.

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Plot Keywords:

tv dance show | racial tension | racial segregation | racial integration | remake | 

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Taglines:

Remember when a movie can make you dream, make you dance, and make you feel on top of the world?

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Musical | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for language, some suggestive content and momentary teen smoking

Did You Know?

Trivia

John Waters: The flasher in the opening 'Good Morning Baltimore' sequence.

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Goofs

During "Ladies Choice", Seaweed is shown dancing with a white girl despite his explicitly stating earlier in the scene that the dance is segregated.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Tracy Turnblad: [singing] Oh, oh, oh, woke up today, feeling the way I always do. Oh, oh, oh, hungry for something that I can't eat. Then I hear that beat. That rhythm of town starts calling me down. It's like a message from high above. Oh, oh, oh, pulling me out to the smiles and the streets that I love. Good morning, Baltimore!

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Alternate Versions

USA Network and ABC broadcasts often remove a few scenes including Queen Latifah's musical number, in order to keep the film in a two hour time-slot.

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Connections

Featured in 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2009)

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Soundtracks

The Nicest Kids in Town (Reprise)
(2001)
Music by Marc Shaiman
Lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman
Performed by James Marsden
© 2001 Winding Brook Way Music (ASCAP)/Walli Woo Entertainment (ASCAP)
All Rights Reserved

User Reviews

Travolta revolta

Hairspray was an excellent Broadway musical and a quirky original film, but this movie musical was a disappointment.

Travolta may have been able to dance in a fat suit, but his accent is truly revolting and distracting (to give you an idea, 'diet' is pronounced 'dot'), and his acting comes from the Renee Zellweger school of eye-crinkling and mouth-pursing. Two pivotal songs, 'Momma, I'm a Big Girl Now' and 'The Big House' were trashed to make room for another Michelle Pfeiffer number, who also sang poorly (surprising from someone who did her own songs for the Fabulous Baker Brothers). It's as if the producers were star-struck and got talked into making star-based rather than correct decisions.

James Marsden was a real treat to watch and listen to, Walken can do anything, and Blonsky was better a better singer than Winokur, although not as good an actress.

The romance is muzzled, but should have been central to the theme of discrimination.

Too bad!

Hopefully they'll remake it in another decade, with a real Hefty Hideaway female in the role of Tracy's mom; drag is SO pass/e (although Harvey Fierstein was FABulous, darling).

For the best of both worlds, watch 'Sugarbaby' and listen to the Broadway soundtrack of Hairspray.

Details

Country:

USA UK Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 July 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hairspray

Filming Locations:

Lakeview Restaurant, 1132 Dundas Street. W, Toronto, Ontario

Box Office

Budget:

$75,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$27,800,000, 22 July 2007

Gross USA:

$118,871,849

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$203,552,922

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Line Cinema, Ingenious Film Partners, Zadan / Meron Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1