Hairspray (1988)

I was a fan of the 2007 remake, so I was very eager to watch this movie. The best part is the main character, Tracey. I really find myself rooting for her and her boyfriend. I think the only reason I didn't give this a higher rating is because I find the 2007 version to be superior. It seems to have better songs and actors. I mean, I was blown away by all the stars that appeared in that film. Sadly, I don't know that many people here. It's also a little too short. That being said, it's still a good movie done in great spirits with a lot of energy. This was actually filmed at Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom! I used to go there all the time I lived in Pennsylvania! Glad to end Cult Month with a good movie and now we're onto TV Month! ***

'Hairspray' to me is one of John Waters' best. It is also his most accessible films, where Waters tones things down compared to most of his other films and stylistically and such it doesn't fall prone to excess.As a Waters film, 'Hairspray' is a delight and splendidly kitsch, a classic if you will. It has its minor flaws, a few scenes and strands are resolved a little too easily and Michael St Gerard is a bit bland compared to the rest of the cast. These minor flaws are far outweighed by the numerous elements that 'Hairspray' does right.One thing that 'Hairspray' particularly excels in is the casting. Divine, in his last film before his premature death shortly after, gives a performance of sheer brilliance, and Waters regulars Sonny Bono and Mink Sole are similarly electric. 'Hairspray' was the film that rose Ricki Lake to stardom and she does a wonderful job and more than holds her own against the more experienced cast members, just for the record am not a fan of her talk show but her performance may have initial non-fans being converted. The rest of the cast are great too.It's a good looking film too, well photographed and colourfully designed. The soundtrack is another highlight of 'Hairspray', delighting constantly. The script has some lovely black humour and there is a lot of wit.While not the busiest of stories, the story in 'Hairspray' has a lot of heart and has a darker undercurrent too with the exploration of racism. Waters' direction is wisely restrained in a film that called for a toned down and less excessive approach.Overall, a classic. On a side note, a few people have been less than charitable towards the 2007 musical remake and one being pretty insulting towards anybody who liked it better. Count me in as someone who loved the 2007 film, while loving both versions in their own ways for different reasons. 9/10 Bethany Cox

What a joyful and heartfelt movie this is, and totally different from many other US productions, thanks to John Waters ability to dare to stand out. First of all, this is the final movie from the late (great) Divine, who sadly passed away a short while after the film was released. He is really good in this film, and plays one of the lead characters with humour, passion and with a heart. The film has, as John Waters other films too, many funny, and strange cameo appearances, who are amusing and entertaining. Debbie Harry shows her acting talent in this film too. The story is light and cheerful, but underneath it has a message who deals with a more serious matter, racism. John Waters brings back a world of 50-music and Dance in this film, and it's very well done. This is so much better than the remake and no one can play Edna better better than Divine although John Travolta did his best. Ricky Lake does a good job here, but is not the films biggest asset. A must see.

Hairspray marks something of a departure for director John Waters; a man best known for his 'bad taste' pictures such as Pink Flamingos and Female Trouble. The film still features Waters' style, but the bad taste is massively toned down and the whole feel of the movie could be described as 'John Waters Lite'. The film is set in 1962 Baltimore and music is the major focus of the film. Waters obviously realised that the style of it would be the major attraction; and as such has taken time to lay it on as thick as possible, and this blends well with the music and storyline. The plot focuses on a corny music show enjoyed by the teens in Baltimore. 'Pleasantly plump' Tracy Turnblad is one of the many obsessed by this show and sets out to get a role as one of the dancers. She achieves her goal and soon becomes a local hero, but she loses some friends when she decides to use her success in order to speak out for what she believes in - namely social integration.While John Waters' style is one of the best things about the movie, in another way it's one of the worst. In his earlier films, the content is generally distracting enough for the audience not to really notice the rather boring directorial style; but this film doesn't have that, and while the style is a big enough distraction at first; it soon becomes clear that the plot is rather lacking and the film becomes dull before we even reach the halfway point. Hairspray stars Ricki Lake in the lead role, and she does a rather good job with it. The role doesn't require any great acting talents, but she is at least bright and breezy for the duration. The rest of the cast is filled out nicely by an eclectic list of names, which includes Debbie Harry, Divine, Pia Zadora and even the director himself in an amusing role as a psychologist. The message regarding segregation may well be a good one; but really it's not all that interesting and isn't put forward particularly well, and that's where the film falls down. Overall, I do like the style of the film and appreciate the ideas behind it; but it's not well executed and I don't rate it among Waters' best efforts.