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Hairspray

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Hairspray (2007)

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91 %
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Reviews Counted: 198

Fresh: 181

Rotten:17

Average Rating: 7.8/10

Consensus: Hairspray is an energetic, wholly entertaining musical romp; a fun Summer movie with plenty of heart. Its contagious songs will make you want to get up and start dancing.

Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins

Genre: Musical & Performing Arts

Theatrical Release: Jul 20, 2007 Wide

Box Office: $118,823,091

Synopsis: Originally written and directed by filmmaker John Waters in 1988, and then put on Broadway, the camp musical HAIRSPRAY could easily have run its course with viewers. But thanks to playful direction, flashy costumes, over-the-top... Originally written and directed by filmmaker John Waters in 1988, and then put on Broadway, the camp musical HAIRSPRAY could easily have run its course with viewers. But thanks to playful direction, flashy costumes, over-the-top performances, and a positive message of peace, this newest spin proves to be yet another enjoyable incarnation. Set in 1960s Baltimore, the story follows a plump young girl named Tracy Turnblad (played by impressive newcomer Nikki Blonski) on an amazing journey as her dream of dancing on the popular Corny Collins Show becomes a reality. The local television program is a shiny spectacle spear-headed by Corny Collins (James Marsden), a gang of young dancers, and producer Velma Von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer), a seductress ice queen whose manipulative ways ensure her daughter Amber (Brittany Snow) gets more than her fair share of screen time as one of the show's stars. When Tracy shows up at an open call, Velma can barely contain her rage, and sets out to rid the show of Tracy and the talented black dancers who make up the show's popular "Negro Day." Thus begins a war of talent and a battle for justice, with those in favor of integration meeting many obstacles along the way. While less out-there than Waters's original, the film still contains some very quirky humor. John Travolta playing Tracy's overweight mother may seem an odd concept at first, but in this context it works. Scenes that would ordinarily be cheesy are made more interesting due to the odd dynamic between Christopher Walken and John Travolta playing man and wife. As the two dance and woo one another, the strange smile on Travolta's lipsticked lips and the grace of Walken's dancing will be sure to fascinate viewers. Viewers should also watch for cameos by Ricki Lake, and by John Waters as a Baltimore streaker. With all the wacky comedy, it's often easy to forget that the meat of HAIRSPRAY is a battle over racial integration. The film manages to create some touching moments in the midst of sparkling musical numbers. [More]

Starring: Nikki Blonsky, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah

Starring: Nikki Blonsky, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah, Amanda Bynes, Christopher Walken, James Marsden, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley, Brittany Snow, Allison Janney, Paul Dooley, Jerry Stiller

Director: Adam Shankman

Director: Adam Shankman
Screenwriter: Leslie Dixon, Mark O'Donnell
Producer: Neil Meron, Craig Zadan
Composer: Marc Shaiman
Studio: New Line Cinema

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Release:

Nov 20, 2007

[DVD Details]
 
 

DVD Features:

  • Keep Case
  • Full Frame - 1.33

Audio:

  • Dolby Digital 5.1 EX - English
  • Dolby Surround 2.0 - English
  • Subtitles - English, Spanish - Optional
  • Subtitles - English - Closed Captioned

Additional Release Materials:

  • Trailers

Reviews for Hairspray

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1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 >> >|
Arrange By: Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
Ratings Image

I will confess that Travolta totally turned me around. A mountain of a woman in his female fat suit, he commits 150% to the role.

Full Review Source: ReelzChannel.com | comment Comment
08/23/08
Heather Huntington
ReelzChannel.com
Ratings Image

The most refreshing and enjoyable musical of this century%u2014Hairspray.

Full Review Source: Paste Magazine | comment 1 Comment
07/22/08
Tim Basham
Paste Magazine
Ratings Image

Even if the new Hairspray seems a welcome return to camp for Travolta, his mock seriousness is as frozen as ever.

Full Review Source: Bright Lights Film Journal | comment Comment
07/10/08
Matthew Sorrento
Bright Lights Film Journal
Ratings Image

The film works best for me when they are making fun of the racial climate of the 1960s.

Full Review Source: The Scorecard Review | comment Comment
03/03/08
Jeff Bayer
The Scorecard Review
Ratings Image

An amazing cast sings and dances across the screen with such flair and passion its completely infectious.

Full Review Source: Oscar Guy | comment Comment
02/02/08
Wesley Lovell
Oscar Guy
Ratings Image

Caso tivesse 20 minutos e alguns números musicais a menos, Hairspray poderia ser uma surpresa tão divertida quanto o original (que tampouco é um clássico). Inchado como ficou, porém, é apenas um passatempo pouco memorável.

Full Review Source: Cinema em Cena | comment Comment
01/16/08
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena
Ratings Image

Like your high school's production of "Grease": A musical about sex with a chastity belt strapped to its waist.

Full Review Source: Film Snobs | comment Comment
12/11/07
Stephen Himes
Film Snobs
Ratings Image

One's enjoyment of Adam Shankman's motion picture will largely depend on one's tolerance for conflict-less, feel good musicals.

Full Review Source: Bangitout.com | comment Comment
12/06/07
Jordan Hiller
Bangitout.com
Ratings Image

Some magical balance between the cast members, the set design, the songs and director Adam Shankman makes it work.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
12/06/07
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid
Ratings Image

Though colorful, cheery and energetic, there's something missing from this song-and-dance routine.

Full Review Source: Lessons of Darkness | comment Comment
11/30/07
Nick Schager
Lessons of Darkness
Ratings Image

Travolta as bosomy mom Edna in perky fat suit, with flab-infatuated spouse Walken never far behind, pretty much steals the show from everybody else as he impressively shakes his bountiful booty across the dance floor.

Full Review Source: NewsBlaze | comment Comment
11/26/07
Prairie Miller
NewsBlaze
Ratings Image

On almost every level, Hairspray surpasses expectations and is probably one of the best studio musicals to come out in years.

Full Review Source: DVD Review | comment Comment
11/19/07
Felix Gonzalez Jr.
DVD Review
Ratings Image

...how can you not like a movie in which John Travolta and Christopher Walken sing a love song to each other? And you believe it!

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
11/07/07
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com
Ratings Image

The main point of a movie musical is the song and dance, and that's where the relentlessly happy "Hairspray" packs a knockout punch.

Full Review Source: Spectrum (St. George, Utah) | comment Comment
10/22/07
Bruce Bennett
Spectrum (St. George, Utah)
Ratings Image

Unlike many of the hairdos on display in the film, "Hairspray" is anything but stiff.

Full Review Source: Cinemaclips.com | comment Comment
09/13/07
Roger Tennis
Cinemaclips.com
Ratings Image

One of those stage-to-film adaptations that leave very little doubt that as good as everything is in the film, it was consistently better on stage.

Full Review Source: Antagony & Ecstasy | comment Comment
09/12/07
Tim Brayton
Antagony & Ecstasy
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
09/07/07
Sydney Morning Herald
Ratings Image

Thinking big is exactly what this extravaganza of a musical does to perfection, as it brings the Broadway musical hit to the screen with aerosol cans filled with energy, joy and star power

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
09/06/07
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
Ratings Image

...[a] refreshingly jubilant spin on filmmaker Waters' classic tongue-in-cheek tune-maker Hairspray...spirited pizzazz and a peppy ode to retro-artistic sentimentality

Full Review Source: TheWorldJournal.com | comment Comment
08/31/07
Frank Ochieng
TheWorldJournal.com
Ratings Image

The young and old cast division creates a colourful world of people and ideals. It's an abstraction of an era made resonant, contemporary, and purely joyful.

Full Review Source: Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia) | comment Comment
08/29/07
Mark Palermo
Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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Latest News for Hairspray

July 25, 2008: Weekly Ketchup: Anchorman 2, Dracula: Year Zero, Twilight Zone and Much More
In this week's Weekly Ketchup we've got the latest on plenty of remakes and sequels coming your way. Plus, check back Monday for an extra special edition of the Ketchup, in... More...

July 24, 2008: John Waters Opens Another Can of Hairspray Opens in new window
It's gone from movie to musical and back again -- and now Hairspray is getting a sequel, with creator John Waters on board to write a treatment for New Line. More...

June 02, 2008: 2008 MTV Movie Awards Winners
Forget to tune into the 17th annual MTV Movie Awards last night? No problem -- here's a list of the evening's winners, including the coveted Best Summer Movie So Far award! More...

May 06, 2008: 2008 MTV Movie Award Nominations Announced
It's almost time to hand out some golden popcorn -- the nominations for the 2008 MTV Movie Awards have been announced! More...

See More Topics...

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