Filled with retro tunes, bigger-than-life drama and even a modern poster boy, Hairspray is one of the most talked-about films of the summer.
Filled with retro tunes, bigger-than-life drama, and even a modern poster boy, Hairspray is one of the most talked-about films of the summer. Kidzworld's got the lowdown on the musical remake of this cult classic, now out on DVD!
Hairspray - Big Boned Bravado
Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky), who was played by daytime diva Ricky Lake in the original, is a plus-sized high school kid in the early '60s who has a dream of dancing on The Corny Collins Show. She and her best friend Penny Pingleton (Amanda Bynes) are dedicated fans of the show until they realize that the show is blatantly racist. Because of the movie's pre-civil rights setting, the show only allows white teens to dance on the show, with the exception of a once-a-month "Negro Day" hosted by Motormouth Maybelle (Queen Latifah).
Hairspray - Dancing to a Different Beat
Tracy gets a chance to appear on The Corny Collins Show after being spotted during a dance competition. She uses the opportunity to show off the moves she learned from the black kids in detention. The sour, spiteful and bigoted station manager Velma Von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer) doesn't like black kids or fat girls, so she really isn't cool with Tracy's performance - especially when Tracy's dancing starts to distract from the star dancer, Amber (Brittany Snow), who just happens to be Velma's daughter. But that's not all! Amber's boyfriend (Zac Efron) is starting to take notice of Tracy too!
Hairspray - Hair-Raising Fun
Things really start to kick off - with riots, civil rights marches and plenty of singing and dancing! All the while, Tracy's mom (John Travolta in drag and a fat suit) watches the action sedately at home. The fast-paced action and drama races all the way to the finish line!
Hairspray - DVD Features
If you missed Hairspray in theatres, you can check out the two-disc "Shake and Shimmy" edition DVD! It's chock-full of bonus features like deleted scenes, a step-by-step dance guide, sing-along songs and a new musical number called I Can Wait that wasn't in the movie!
Hairspray - Bottom Line
Hairspray is a deliriously upbeat film that manages to cover a pretty heavy topic without getting preachy or dull. Its flamboyance and bubblegum charm will win over all but the grumpiest of audiences. This is an instant classic that puts its own twist on the original cult hit, and it's sure to leave you dancing in the theater's aisles!
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