Hairspray (1988) New Line/Comedy-Musical RT: 92 minutes Rated PG (language, mild violence, drug references, some drinking, thematic elements) Director: John Waters Screenplay: John Waters Music: Kenny Vance Cinematography: David Boner Release date: February 26, 1988 (US) Cast: Ricki Lake, Divine, Debbie Harry, Sonny Bono, Jerry Stiller, Leslie Ann Powers, Colleen Fitzpatrick, Michael St. Gerard, Clayton Prince, Ruth Brown, Shawn Thompson, Mink Stole, Ric Ocasek, Pia Zadora, Joann Havrilla, Alan J. Wendl, Cyrkle Milbourne, John Waters, Toussaint McCall, Josh Charles, Jason Downs, Holter Graham. Box Office: $8.3M (US)
Rating: ***
Before it was a live television presentation, before it was a hit movie musical, before it was a Tony Award-winning Broadway show, Hairspray was a moderately successful movie written and directed by, of all people, John Waters. He’s the one responsible for 1972’s Pink Flamingos, the ultimate exercise in bad taste that earned an X rating from the MPAA. He’s one of the last filmmakers you’d expect to make a fun, light-hearted, good-natured, PG-rated musical comedy about a “pleasantly plump” teen girl achieving her dream of being a featured regular on a local TV dance show. Who knew he had it in him? If you’ve seen Pink Flamingos (or any of his movies) then you know what I mean.
Set in 1962 Baltimore (the same city in which all of Waters’ movies take place), Tracy Turnblad (Lake, Serial Mom) wants nothing more than to break free of her humdrum existence and achieve fame. For her, this means dancing on The Corny Collins Show, a daily teen dance show (a la American Bandstand) that she and best friend Penny Pingleton (Powers) rush home from school to watch each day much to the annoyance of her overweight, overbearing, agoraphobic mother Edna (Divine in her final role). She’s invited to audition for the show after making an impression on host Corny Collins (Thompson) at a locally held dance.
The audition is overseen by “The Council” which is composed of teens from the show. One of them, reigning queen and overall mean girl Amber von Tussle (Fitzpatrick, better known as pop singer Vitamin C), takes an instant dislike to Tracy. She may be fat, but she sure can dance. In fact, she dances better than Amber. She makes it on the show and becomes instantly popular around town. She manages to steal Amber’s boyfriend Link (St. Gerard), the most handsome boy on the show, as well. It’s a teenage girl’s dream come true. Even Edna loves her daughter’s newfound fame; she appoints herself Tracy’s manager/agent.
Hairspray has a somewhat serious (serious for Waters, that is) side to it with Tracy and a few others pushing for the show to become integrated. Blacks are only allowed to appear on the show one day a month and Tracy’s thinks it’s unfair. With some help and encouragement from record store owner Motormouth Maybelle (R&B singer Brown) and her son Seaweed (Prince), a classmate of Tracy’s, she stirs up controversy by publicly speaking out against segregation. This raises the ire of Amber’s wealthy, racist parents Velma (Blondie lead singer Harry) and Franklin (singer Bono) who plot to sabotage the Miss Auto Show after Tracy and a group of blacks cause a riot at the amusement park he owns and operates.
Like I said earlier, Hairspray is a lot of fun. It’s funny, campy and authentic to the time in which it’s set. Waters has a keen eye and ear for period detail with the cars, clothes, colors and music. He takes it to the next level with the old hair-dos. Tracy is described by her mother as a “hair-hopper” because she rats up her hair. A teacher refers to it as a “hair-don’t”. I love the look of Hairspray; it really does take you back to the early 60s, a more innocent time when kids thought about dancing and dating. This is before LSD, the Vietnam War and hippies. Change is in the air though with idealistic young people questioning the idea of segregation. Waters captures the time exceptionally well.
The cast does a great job mainly because it looks like they’re all having a blast. It does come with a hint of sadness. Drag queen actress Divine, who also appears (credited under his/her real name Glenn Milstead) as the bigoted TV station owner, died about nine days after its national release. It’s nice to see her one last time, especially in such a memorable role. Lake, making her acting debut, is sufficiently perky and nice as Tracy, a kind-hearted girl who’s also good-humored about her size. Even when others try to size-shame her, she doesn’t let it get her down. Fitzpatrick does great as the mean, privileged spoiled brat Amber, the type of girl who deserves to be brought down several pegs. Harry and Bono are fun to watch as her parents. In addition, Jerry Stiller (Seinfeld) plays Tracy’s father, the owner of a joke shop (“The Hardy Har Har Hut”) who wants his daughter to be happy. Waters regular Mink Stole (pink Flamingos) shows up as Corny’s assistant Tammy. Cars lead singer Ocasek and Lonely Lady star Zadora cameo as a couple of beatniks in one hilarious scene. Waters, who appears as a quack psychiatrist, put together a groovy cast.
While Hairspray carries an audience-friendly PG rating, Waters manages to get in a couple of mildly gross gags. Somebody gets a zit squeezed and a girl throws up on an amusement park ride. It’s okay though because it’s meant in fun. Unlike many of today’s so-called comedies, Hairspray doesn’t have a mean bone in its body. It evokes a more innocent time when kids just wanted to dance. Its message about tolerance and equality is a positive one. The old music and dances (e.g. “The Mashed Potato”, “The Pony”, “The Limbo’) are retro-cool. It’s an entertaining movie with a beat albeit a slightly warped one. If you like the musical, you should see this one if you haven’t already.
