Hairspray (1988)

My Rating: 8/10

Directed & Written by: John Waters

Genre: Comedy, Family

Runtime: 94 Minutes

Although this isn't a musical, but since I did the musical remake I thought I'd review the all dancing original. I loved the remake, and it was the one I seen first. Now I know how much of a brilliant remake it is. It nailed several of the things made in this one and my rating is a little bit higher for this film because of it’s striking originality and comedy. Director John Waters may not be a box-office booming director but his films feel sincere and warm of the craft of filmmaking. He enjoys what he does and what he writes is great. Hairspray (1988) is full of fun comedy that pokes fun at the oddity of the early 60’s, before the Beatles, before LSD’s and hippies. Waters both wrote and directed this film and did a great job at depicting the 60’s. The characters are funny, the story is simple, but shows the discrimination against black people which is the film’s important message towards the end. The film features Ricki Lake, Deborah Harry, Divine and a whole lot of great other actors. It’s a delightful fun film that is comically well written.

"The Corny Collins Show" is a hit with all the teens in the Baltimore of the early '60s. Appearing on the TV dance party as one of the esteemed "Council" is the dream of local fat girl Tracy Turnblad (Ricki Lake). Naturally, her obsession with the show drives her parents (Divine and Jerry Stiller) crazy. As luck would have it, Tracy does become part of the Council. This makes snobby blond Amber Von Tussle (Colleen Fitzpatrick) livid, especially when Tracy steals her boyfriend, Link (Michael St. Gerard). Amber is still intent upon winning the Miss Auto Show Beauty Contest, and her parents (Sonny Bono and Debbie Harry) will stop at nothing to make sure it happens. When racial tensions and integration issues threaten to tear the town apart, Tracy is made a scapegoat and jailed—right before the big pageant.

One thing very early into the film I was laughing about was seeing Divine dressed up as Tracey’s mother. I was unaware that the original had a man cross-dressing as Tracey’s mother, and when I watched the 2007 Hairspray I was thinking, “Whose idea was it do put woman’s clothing on John Travolta?” Well now I know, and while I think Travolta was funny and believable, Divine’s performance is the original and is slightly funnier and more resonant. He also played another character, being the big fat TV producer Alvin Hodgepile. Divine appeared in many of Waters films in the 80’s, but this would be his last. Divine died on February 1988, clearly not long after production and the sad fact is he was only 42 years old. Ricki Lake was just wonderful as the big, blonde and beautiful Tracy Turnblad with a very fabulous presence. The characters are resonant and memorable with sincere and comical flare.

The wonderful thing Waters did was create the whole Baltimore-Hairspray world. From the 2-foot high hairstyles to the classic vintage cars of the 60’s the authenticity Waters nailed greatly. This beautiful inventive style would soon be used in his next film Cry-Baby, a film that mock’s the 50’s/60’s style and also features a young Johnny Depp as Cry-Baby Walker. Many critics who grew up during the 60’s loved this film and basically understood what it was saying, but even though I was not there, I find this film fabulously inventive and funny. In the town of Baltimore there is a shop called Hefty Hideaway’s a clothes store for big framed women, and it’s comical honesty was hilarious. The name itself is cleverly funny is well. Hefty, meaning heavy and hideaway describes overweight people’s escaping. One of the many great things Waters wrote into the story. 

The film has plenty of funny moments and the performances all over where charming and warm. Now knowing what a good director Waters is, I will certainly be checking out more of his films, he may not be the best, but his films are reasonably enjoyable. The actors are best when they avoid exaggeration and remain weirdly sincere. That way, they do nothing to break the vibrant, even hallucinogenic spell of Mr. Waters’ nostalgia. It is charmingly funny and bright and is thoroughly deserving of it’s cult status. Filled with nostalgic music and great comedy it’s a fun film for the ages.

Ratings:

Screenplay/Story: 8.6/10

Characters: 8.4/10

Emotion: 8/10

Direction & Cinematography: 8.3/10

Visual & Editing: 8.5/10

Music: 8.2/10

Overall: 8.4/10

Cry-Baby (1990)

My Rating: 7/10

Directed by: John Waters
Genre: Comedy, Musical
Runtime: 76 Minutes

Cry-baby mocks the cliché teenage social scene and is actually a very funny and enjoyable movie. This is one of Johnny Depp’s early roles and he did an excellent job in this corny musical comedy. The humour was excellent because of how it poked fun at the typical teenagers and exaggerates things. Film has great characters and a few good songs. Some of the songs are deliberately exaggerated, and the film has a hint of the film Hairspray in it. The 50’s I suppose was the time when the traditional innocent kind of living was broke by rebellious teenagers, from riding motor bikes to wearing leather jackets.

The film takes place during the 1950’s. Meet Cry-baby walker, the cool, hip teenager and ‘rebellious teenager’. This leather jacket wearing cool kid is played by Depp wonderfully as he mocks openly at how teenage Idols are just plain annoying. The film opens with the song ‘Cry-baby’ and we see a middle school with kids getting injections. We see all of Cry-baby’s crew and boy is one of them ugly!  We have the pregnant girl, the ugly one and the 'slutty' one. There are two different sides of Baltimore. The Squares, and The Drapes. Cry-baby is a Drape. He meets a young typical girl who is a square and from there onwards the film is a big hilarious journey.

Depp as 'Cry-baby'.

During the time Depp was seen as a teen Idol on the show 21 Jump Street. Depp didn’t like how he was this because he wanted to rely on his skills to do well in Hollywood rather than his looks. He also did not want to look like a typecast Idol also. In the Johnny Depp biography book I’m reading it said he said ‘I don’t want to rely on my looks to be successful. That’s just the lazy way out’. Well it seems that this role truly was for Depp to give him a chance to do something against the teenage look.

The Characters:

Cry-baby Walker: Depp plays Cry-baby a classic hipster of the teenage world. With this leather jacket and his new fancy motorbike. His nickname is Cry-baby because of his parents’ death which has caused him to do one bad thing each day, but he sheds a tear for it. It’s a strange concept, but bearable.

Alisson: Our antagonist if you will, of the story. The beginning of the film she is seen as a typical popular school girl, but soon has the desire to date one of the squares (Being Cry-baby). Surprisingly, Cry-baby and his rebel pack welcome her into the gang and let her attempt in being ‘bad’. Amy Locane did a great job as Allison, and really brought the character to life.

Hatchet-face: This foul creature from the black lagoon is a friend of Cry-baby in his little crew of rebels. Her name says it all. This character is hilarious because of how she acts. In one scene while trying to get Cry-baby out of prison a bunch of people are watching Creature from the Black Lagoon with 3D glasses on. A great parody because the film did come out in 3D. Then Hatchet-face jumps out which scares the hell out of everyone and they sit and scream on the ground.

Hatchet-face in that very scene.

 Ramona Ricketts: Ramona is the mother of Cry-Baby who is another hilarious character. She’s a hillbilly hard ass mother who loves her children.

Hairspray Theme:

The film feels very Hairspray themed for some reason. Not only because of the time placement, but the atmosphere and characters too. First off, it takes place in Baltimore, same as Hairspray. Pepper also reminds me of Tracey Turnblad in the 2005 version of Hairspray. John Waters, the director of this film, also directed the original 1988 Hairspray. So overall it felt like a very authentic 50’s zone and Watters presented it well.

The Music:

The music in the film is great. Most of the songs where enjoyable and we even have the song ‘Mr Sandman’ in there. My favourite was ‘Please, Mr Jailor!’ It is clear they were all meant to be cliché but that doesn’t stop them being enjoyable. Overall the soundtrack was great and the songs are very catchy.

Overview:

The film has some wonderful and hilarious characters, with it’s funny moments and some of the songs are reasonably enjoyable. My favourite would be ‘Please! Mr Jailer’ Because of how nicely sung it is. The film is pretty short excluding the director’s cut, but for it’s 76 minute (true duration) it is an enjoyable vintage ride. The film isn't initially trying to be anything more than a fun, spoof musical of a film and that's what makes it so pleasant. Overall the film feels very authentic to the 1950’s and is a reasonably bright and entertaining film.

Ratings:

Screenplay/Story: 7.6/10

Characters: 7.7/10

Emotion: 7.2/10

Direction & Cinematography: 7.4/10

Visual & Editing: 7.5/10- Loved the 50's look.

Music: 7.5/10

Overall: 7.5/10