OLD HAIRSPRAY VS NEW HAIRSPRAY

Last night for the fist time ever we watched 'Hairspray' (original). I have been meaning to see this movie for about 10 years but never seem to see it on the shelf when I go to the video store. We saw the new 'Hairspray' a few weeks ago so I thought we should see both and compare. Personally, I like both versions, but I think old Hairspray has a fuller storyline. And I love the storyline - set in Baltimore in 1963, 'pleasantly plump', big haired teenager Tracy Turnblad (Ricki Lake) and her best friend Penny Pingleton (Leslie Ann Powers) audition to be dancers on the Corny Collins Show. Tracy becomes a regular on the show, which infuriates the show's most popular dancer - Amber Von Tussle (Colleen Fitzpatrick). But Amber is a total bitch, and of course spends most of the film dishing out mean remarks about Tracy's weight. Tracy steals Amber's boyfriend, Link Larkin (Michael St. Gerard) and quickly becomes the most popular dancer on the show - meaning she is in the running for Miss Auto Show 1963 (which only infuriates Amber even more).

Anyway, the story continues and Tracy's Mother, Edna Turnblad (Devine) recieves a telephone call from Mr Pinky - the owner of The Hefty Hideaway Clothing Store - and he hires Tracy as a plus size model. This makes Tracy even more popular and somewhat of a 'Star' in Baltimore. When Link and Tracy are heading downtown on the bus to visit Motormouth Maybelle (Ruth Brown) at her Record Store, the bus stops outside the Hefty Hideaway and Tracy is mobbed by women who want her autograph! Motormouth Maybelle is the host of the monthly 'Negro Day' on the Corny Collins Show - and Tracy meets her son, Seaweed, when she is forced into a Special Education class at school because of a teacher's reaction to her big, ratted hair. Later, Penny starts going out with Seaweed, which freaks out her mother. She locks Penny in her bedroom and calls in a quack psychiatrist (John Waters) to use crazy techniques to get her interested in dating white boys and not Seaweed.

Throughout the film Tracy uses her popularity to try to end racial segregation in Baltimore and on the Corny Collins Show - with the help of Corny Collins (Shawn Thompson) his assistant Tammy (Mink Stole), Motormouth Maybelle and Tracy's Mother, Edna. Tracy is invloved in a race riot and she is arrested and sent to reform school right before she is voted in as Miss Auto Show 1963. Since Tracy is locked up at the reform school, she is unable to accept her crown and the title instead goes to Amber. While Amber is on stage being crowned Miss Auto Show, the Governor of Baltimore pardons Tracy and she and a crowd of her supporters dance their way over to where the ceremony is being held. Amber is stripped of the title and Tracy is crowned Miss Auto Show 1963!

So that is the plot of the 1988 version of Hairspray. The musical version, released in 2007, is a little bit different and stars Nicki Blonsky as Tracy Turnblad. The two films both have great casts - John Travolta is great as Edna Turnblad in the new version. For me personally, Hairspray is probably all I want out of a film! A chubby, teenage female lead that I can relate to, an interesting storyline, a fantastic cast, some great costumes and a 1960's setting! Sooooo, in conclusion, I am rating 'Old Hairspray' 9 out of 10 and 'New Hairspray' 8 out of 10. I only rate Old Hairspray a point higher because I think Ricki Lake is awesome as Tracy and I think the story is fuller and goes into a little more detail. Now I just need to see the Broadway version!

xx c.