I’ve run into a slight problem while trying to write a review for this film. I still remember it very clearly, so that’s not the problem. I hit a roadblock in trying to compare this movie-musical to its original incarnation, which I have not seen. Hairspray is a movie-musical based off of a Broadway musical which was based off of a non-musical cult film from Director John Waters. Waters is one weird dude and his films typically reflect that. Waters had little to no involvement with this musical version and I think that was a mistake.
Even though I have never seen the original Hairspray and have only seen bits and pieces of Waters’ work, I was expecting more of his signature weirdness to come through. Instead, we’re treated to a glitzy Broadway confection that fancifully portrays a coming-of-age story during the early days of civil rights and integration. It’s bright, it’s loud, and it’s Broadway.
If you're new to my site, allow me to point out to you that I am not a big Broadway fan. At least not neo-Broadway. Movie musicals based on bright fluffy Broadway hits don’t turn my stomach, but they bore me to tears. I’ve never been a big glitz and glam kind of guy and all the Hollywood tricks that serve to cheese up an already cheesetastic production grow on my nerves with amazing quickness. Silly transitions, extra digital grading, overdone lighting- it’s all just too much for me to appreciate.
Combining the excesses of Broadway with the excesses of Hollywood grinds my gears. It’s gross, it’s gaudy, and it’s gratuitous. People complain about the excess of blood, gore and nudity in today’s string of successful torture porn films, like the Saw and Hostel series. Yet, nobody calls films like Hairspray on their needless excesses. In fact, most embrace them. Hypocritical, paradoxical- I don’t quite know what to call it. Basically, the excess of schmaltz and camp pull me out such films.
While I understand that Broadway likes vibrant colors and crisp looking costumes, I found myself unable to get past the fact that virtually all of the clothing in the film looked like it had never been worn before. The colors I can get past, because I don’t know if those styles didn’t exist back in the day, but when only a few characters actually look like they live in those clothes, my suspension of disbelief checks out.
The inclusion of John Travolta as an obese, middle-aged woman also didn’t earn any points with me. I do know that in the original version of Hairspray, a notorious cross-dresser played the part now played by Travolta, but Travolta just seems to be there for the yuck-factor. Of course it’s funny to see a famous actor dress up like a woman, but the joke overstays its welcome rather quickly. After the first few scenes, seeing Travolta in a fat suit had no effect on me.
Overall, it just feels like this film is missing something and I think it’s the edge that John Waters’ films are known to contain. By adding songs and removing Waters from the creative process, it seems like they watered down the tone of an otherwise better film. And we all know that hairspray and water don’t work well together.
To really give an accurate review I’ll need to watch the original Hairspray and then re-watch this version. Until then, my rating is mostly subjective.
I’ve run into a slight problem while trying to write a review for this film. I still remember it very clearly, so that’s not the problem. I hit a roadblock in trying to compare this movie-musical to its original incarnation, which I have not seen. Hairspray is a movie-musical based off of a Broadway musical which was based off of a non-musical cult film from Director John Waters. Waters is one weird dude and his films typically reflect that. Waters had little to no involvement with this musical version and I think that was a mistake.
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