Hairspray; musical and sing along film review

The ensemble cast of the musical film 'Hairspray'.
Image: www.myspace.com/hairspray

BIG IS BEAUTIFUL: John Travolta as Edna Turnblad and Nikki Blonsky as Tracy Turnblad in a scene from 'Hairspray'. Photo:www.movies.aol.com/movie/hairspray-2007


Dancing Teen Queen by Linh

'Hairspray' is an adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, which in turn is based on the original John Waters' 1988 film 'Hairspray'.
The story tells of a teenager named Tracy Turnblad who, despite her big hair and big build, achieves her dream of dancing on 'The Corny Collins Show' and succeeds in bringing racial integration to television.

Director Adam Shankman and producers have made wise decisions for the musical film, including losing the campiness which is evident in the Broadway stage version. Songs have been dropped and others added to flow with the film's character development and storylines.

Set in Baltimore during the 1960s, although the majority of the scenes were filmed in Toronto as well as Baltimore, the film recaptures the moment in time when racial segregation was the norm yet acceptance of black Americans into the community was growing.

The characters retain their sparkle and freshness with a strong ensemble cast combining experience with youth and versatility. With sing along sessions screening in cinemas, making 'Hairspray' more enjoyable, it may distract from the action on screen.

Newcomer Nikki Blonsky stars as the big haired and big hearted dance sensation Tracy Turnblad, managing to steal every scene with her wide-eyed innocence and luminous smile. Nikki has excellent diction and vocal projection, with exceptional singing throughout. She gives a dreamy quality to I Can Hear The Bells and exudes enthusiasm in Good Morning Baltimore. Nikki may be in her debut film role, yet she feels and looks comfortable onscreen as she performs alongside seasoned actors including John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer and Christopher Walken.

Star of musical films 'Grease' and 'Saturday Night Fever', John Travolta wears a fat suit to play the role of Tracy's Mum, Edna Turnblad, whose introverted nature keeps her inside the house for over a decade, until Tracy gently coaxes her to head outdoors. John Travolta is uncannily convincing as a woman who loves her food as much as her family. His singing and dancing abilities are as energetic and smooth as his past performances in musicals. He is brilliant in the duet with Tracy in Welcome To The 60s, manages to tango in the moonlight with Christopher Walken in (You're) Timeless To Me and explodes on screen in a fusion of dance, song and colour in the cast anthem You Can't Stop The Beat.

Following a lengthy absence away from the silver screen, Michelle Pfeiffer returns as glamourous vixen Velma Von Tussle, the Station Manager of WYZT, where 'The Corny Collins Show' is filmed. Michelle Pfeiffer gives a husky voiced but alluring performance with (The Legend Of) Miss Baltimore Crabs. She gives a slightly caricatured performance in her Stage Mother antics of pushing her daughter, Amber, into the spotlight, resulting in her own downfall. Michelle Pfeiffer creates a wonderfully nasty character whose bigoted ways provides contrast to the other characters' attempts to bring Negros "into the mix".

Familiar to numerous fans of 'High School Musical' as Troy Bolton, Zac Efron plays the aspiring dancer and singer Link Larkin, the love interest for Tracy. Extremely high on cuteness factor but low on personality, Link needs a character boost from Zac Efron but it comes too late (near the end) in the film.

Other cast members with noteworthy performances include versatile actor Christopher Walken as Wilbur Turnblad, Tracy's caring and comedic father; Amanda Bynes plays Tracy's lollipop-sucking best friend Penny Pingleton who comes out of her shell when she falls in love with Seaweed; Allison Janney is superb as Penny's ultra-religious and overbearing mother Prudy Pingleton and Queen Latifah is divine yet defiant as 'Motormouth' Maybelle Stubbs whose line "brace yourselves for a whole lotta ugly coming at you from a never ending parade of stupid" sums up the attitudes of many white Americans on racial integration during 1960s Baltimore.

'Hairspray' the musical film is currently screening in selected cinemas, with the sing along sessions exclusive to Palace Nova Cinemas.



Nikki Blonsky and Zac Efron appeared on 'Rove' during their visit to promote 'Hairspray'. Source: YouTube.com/GivesYouWings.