pingleton motormouth turnblad tussles zadora maybelle tussle velma hairspray ricki crackpot l'il ocasek corny ikettes seaweed 9124 pecker beatnik fredrickson orofino arvin brainwash shaye maniacs fierstein chubby milbourne agoraphobic campiness
when did the original hairspray movie come out
Hairspray ( 1988 film ) - wikipedia Hairspray ( 1988 film ) Jump to : navigation , search <Th_colspan="2"> Hairspray <Td_colspan="2"> Theatrical release poster Directed by John Waters Produced by John Waters Robert Shaye Rachel Talalay Written by John Waters Starring Sonny Bono Ruth Brown Divine Debbie Harry Ricki Lake Jerry Stiller Ric Ocasek Pia Zadora Music by Kenny Vance Cinematography David Boner Edited by Janice Hampton Production company Palace Pictures Distributed by New Line Cinema Release date February 16 , 1988 ( 1988 - 02 - 16 ) ( Baltimore ) February 26 , 1988 ( 1988 - 02 - 26 ) Running time 92 minutes Country United States Language English Budget $2 million Box office $8.3 million Hairspray is a 1988 American dance comedy film written and directed by John Waters , and starring Ricki Lake , Divine , Debbie Harry , Sonny Bono , Jerry Stiller , Leslie Ann Powers , Colleen Fitzpatrick , and Michael St. Gerard . Hairspray was a dramatic departure from Waters 's earlier works , with a much broader intended audience . Hairspray 's PG is the mildest rating a Waters film has received ; most of his previous films were rated X by the MPAA . Set in 1962 Baltimore , Maryland , the film revolves around self - proclaimed `` pleasantly plump '' teenager Tracy Turnblad as she pursues stardom as a dancer on a local TV show and rallies against racial segregation . Hairspray was only a moderate success upon its initial theatrical release , earning a modest gross of $8 million . However , it managed to attract a larger audience on home video in the early 1990s and became a cult classic . Most critics praised the film , although some were displeased with the overall campiness . The film ranks # 444 on Empire magazine 's 2008 list of the 500 greatest movies of all time . In 2002 , the film was adapted into a Broadway musical of the same name , which won eight Tony Awards , including Best Musical in 2003 . A second film version of Hairspray , an adaptation of the stage musical , was also released by New Line Cinema in 2007 , which included many changes of scripted items from the original . Contents ( hide ) 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 3.1 Deleted scenes 4 Reception 4.1 Critical reception 4.2 Box office 4.3 Awards 5 Other works 5.1 Broadway musical 5.2 2007 film adaptation 5.3 2016 live television adaptation 6 Soundtrack 7 Home media 8 See also 9 References 10 External links Plot ( edit ) In Baltimore , Maryland in the year 1962 , Tracy Turnblad and her best friend , Penny Pingleton , audition for The Corny Collins Show , a popular Baltimore teenage dance show ( based on the real - life Buddy Deane Show ) . Penny is too nervous and stumbles over her answers , and another girl , Nadine , is cut for being black ( the show has a `` Negro Day '' on the last Thursday of every month , she is told ) . However , despite being overweight , Tracy is a strong enough dancer to become a regular on the show , infuriating the show 's reigning queen , Amber Von Tussle , a mean , privileged , beautiful high school classmate whose racist parents , Velma and Franklin Von Tussle , own Tilted Acres Amusement Park and have banned African Americans from going there . Tracy steals Amber 's boyfriend , Link Larkin , and competes against her for the title of Miss Auto Show 1963 , fueling Amber 's hatred of her . Tracy 's growing confidence leads to her being hired as a plus - size model for the Hefty Hideaway clothing store owned by Mr. Pinky . She is also inspired to bleach , tease , and rat her big hair into styles popular in the 1960s . At school , a teacher brands her hairstyle as a `` hair - do n't '' and sends her to the principal 's office , from which Tracy is sent to special education classes , where she meets several black classmates who have been put there to hold them back academically . The students introduce Tracy to Motormouth Maybelle , an R&B record shop owner and host of the monthly `` Negro Day '' on The Corny Collins Show . They teach Tracy , Penny , and Link dance moves and Penny begins an interracial romance with Motormouth Maybelle 's son , Seaweed . This horrifies Penny 's parents , Prudence and Paddy , who imprison their daughter in her bedroom and try to brainwash her into dating white boys and oppose integration with the help of a quack psychiatrist , Dr. Fredrickson out of fear that Seaweed will hurt Penny . Seaweed later helps her break out of the house and run away . It is implied that she will never return , as she has finally broken free from her parents . Undeterred , Tracy uses her newfound fame to champion the cause of racial integration with the help of Motormouth Maybelle , Corny Collins , his assistant Tammy , and Tracy 's agoraphobic , slightly overbearing , and overweight mother , Edna . After a race riot at Tilted Acres results in Tracy 's arrest , the Von Tussles grow more defiant in their opposition to racial integration . They plot to sabotage the Miss Auto Show 1963 pageant by planting a bomb in Velma 's bouffant hairdo . The plan literally blows up in Velma 's face when the bomb detonates prematurely , resulting in the Von Tussles ' arrest by the Baltimore police after it lands on Amber 's head . Tracy , who had won the crown but was disqualified for being in reform school , dethrones Amber after the governor of Maryland pardons her ; Tracy then shows up at the competition , integrates the show , and encourages everyone to dance . Cast ( edit ) Ricki Lake as Tracy Turnblad , an optimistic , aspiring teenager who hopes to dance on a TV show as well as promote desegregation . Divine as Edna Turnblad , Tracy 's kind , plus - sized mother who is ashamed of her obesity . Debbie Harry as Velma Von Tussle , Franklin 's wife and Amber 's mother . Sonny Bono as Franklin Von Tussle , Velma 's husband and Amber 's father . Jerry Stiller as Wilbur Turnblad , Tracy 's loving , funny and encouraging father . Leslie Ann Powers as Penelope `` Penny '' Pingleton , Tracy 's shy best friend . Colleen Fitzpatrick as Amber Von Tussle , snobby dancer on The Corny Collins Show . Michael St. Gerard as Lincoln `` Link '' Larkin , a teenage heartthrob and Amber 's ex-boyfriend . Clayton Prince as Seaweed J. Stubbs , Motormouth Maybelle 's son who loves to dance . Seaweed is Penny 's main love interest . Cyrkle Milbourne as L'il Inez Stubbs , Seaweed 's little sister . Ruth Brown as Motormouth Maybelle Stubbs , a friendly and strong - willed African American and mother of Seaweed and L'il Inez . Shawn Thompson as Corny Collins , the eccentric host of The Corny Collins Show . Mink Stole as Tammy , an employee and personal assistant to Corny Collins . Joann Havrilla as Prudence Pingleton , Paddy 's wife and Penny 's overprotective controlling mother who does n't approve of Penny dating Seaweed . Doug Roberts as Patrick `` Paddy '' Pingleton , Prudence 's husband and Penny 's no nonsense father who wants to protect Penny from Seaweed . Alan J. Wendl as Mr. Pinky , the owner of the Hefty Hideaway clothing store . Divine as Arvin Hodgepile , the TV station owner who is against racial integration for his studio . Toussaint McCall as himself John Waters as Dr. Fredrickson , a psychiatrist who helps Prudence and Paddy try to brainwash Penny into only dating white boys . Council members Josh Charles as Iggy Jason Downs as Bobby Holter Graham as I.Q. Jones Dan Griffith as Brad Regina Hammond as Pam Bridget Kimsey as Consuella Frankie Maldon as Dash Brooke Stacy Mills as Lou Ann Levorowski John Orofino as Fender Kim Webb as Carmelita Debra Wirth as Shelly Special appearances Ric Ocasek as the Beatnik cat Pia Zadora as the Beatnik chick Production ( edit ) John Waters wrote the screenplay under the title of White Lipstick , with the story loosely based on real events . The Corny Collins Show is based on the real - life Buddy Deane Show , a local dance party program which pre-empted Dick Clark 's American Bandstand in the Baltimore area during the 1950s and early 1960s . Waters had previously written about The Buddy Deane Show in his 1983 book Crackpot : The Obsessions of John Waters . Principal photography took place in and around the Baltimore area during the summer of 1987 . The school scenes were filmed at Perry Hall High School with set locations including the library , a first - floor English class , and the principal 's office . In the scene set in the principal 's office , the Harry Dorsey Gough ( see Perry Hall Mansion ) coat - of - arms that once hung in the main lobby can be seen through the doorway . The scenes set at Tilted Acres amusement park were filmed at Dorney Park in Allentown , Pennsylvania . The film was Divine 's final film ; he died three weeks after the film 's release . Hairspray was his only film with Waters in which he did n't play the lead . Originally , Divine was considered to play both Tracy Turnblad and her mother Edna . Executives from New Line Cinema , the film 's distributor , discouraged this concept , and it was eventually dropped . Instead Divine played Edna Turnblad and Arvin Hodgepile , racist TV station owner . Deleted scenes ( edit ) A handful of scenes were cut while in post-production , some of which explained certain elements seen in the film . The first scene occurs before Tracy and Penny go the Parkville VFW record hop . Tracy is required to start her first shift working in the Hardy - Har Joke Shop . But after managing to scare away all her customers she is excused to go to the hop . The joke shop customers are still listed in the end credits of the final cut . Another involves Tracy skipping school , stealing shoes from the Etta Gown Shop , and breaking into the Von Tussles ' home , using Amber 's hair bleach to bleach her hair in Amber 's sink , thus explaining Tracy 's change of hair color later in the film . Another deleted scene involved live roaches crawling out of Tracy 's hair at Tilted Acres . The actual filmed scene of the cockroach crawling out of Tracy 's hair is cut , but still included is Amber 's horrified reaction . However , she is presumed to be joking and / or lying . When discussing his decision to ultimately cut the scene , Waters explained `` Bob Shaye , the head of New Line , probably correctly , said , ' This does n't work . What is this , a Buñuel movie ? ' ( ... ) And he was probably right . '' A further excised scene sees Penny and Seaweed trying to take refuge at Nadine 's home after Penny 's escape . The final deleted scene was a musical number which involved the teens performing an obscure 1960s dance called `` The Stupidity '' at the auto show just prior to Tracy being released from reform school , but again , Waters ultimately decided it was n't appropriate , stating , `` ( B ) asically , I thought , you know , you do n't want your leading man to look stupid right in the big finale . '' Reception ( edit ) Critical reception ( edit ) Hairspray received three stars from critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert . The film currently holds a 98 % `` fresh '' rating on Rotten Tomatoes ; it is Waters ' second - highest - rated film ( behind Multiple Maniacs ) ; the site 's consensus states `` Hairspray is perhaps John Waters ' most accessible film , and as such , it 's a gently subversive slice of retro hilarity . '' John Waters wrote that his all - time favorite review of Hairspray was David Edelstein 's in Rolling Stone : `` A family movie both the Bradys and the Mansons could adore '' . Box office ( edit ) Hairspray opened on February 26 , 1988 in 79 North American theaters , where it grossed US $ 577,287 in its opening weekend . On March 11 , it expanded to 227 theaters , where it grossed $966,672 from March 11 -- 13 . It ended its theatrical run with $8,271,108 . Awards ( edit ) The film was nominated for six Independent Spirit Awards , and the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival . Other works ( edit ) Broadway musical ( edit ) Main article : Hairspray ( musical ) In mid-2002 , Margo Lion teamed with writers Marc Shaiman and Thomas Meehan to turn Hairspray into a Broadway musical production . The show opened on August 15 , 2002 starring Marissa Jaret Winokur as Tracy and Harvey Fierstein as Edna . The show went on to win eight Tony Awards , including Best Musical , in 2003 . The show closed on January 4 , 2009 . 2007 film adaptation ( edit ) Main article : Hairspray ( 2007 film ) In 2006 , New Line Cinema joined forces with Adam Shankman to adapt the Broadway show into a movie musical . The film was released July 20 , 2007 , starring John Travolta as Edna , Michelle Pfeiffer as Velma , Christopher Walken as Wilbur , Amanda Bynes as Penny Pingleton , Brittany Snow as Amber Von Tussle , Queen Latifah as Motormouth Maybelle , James Marsden as Corny , Zac Efron as Link , and newcomer Nikki Blonsky as Tracy . The film had a $75 million budget and earned over $200 million worldwide . 2016 live television adaptation ( edit ) Main article : Hairspray Live ! NBC aired an special television event of the acclaimed musical on December 7 , 2016 , starring Harvey Fierstein as Edna , Ariana Grande as Penny Pingleton , Kristin Chenoweth as Velma , Martin Short as Wilbur , Dove Cameron as Amber Von Tussle , Jennifer Hudson as Motormouth Maybelle , Derek Hough as Corny , Garrett Clayton as Link , and newcomer Maddie Baillio as Tracy . It was well received by critics and was seen by 9.05 million viewers , with a ratings share of 2.3 in the 18 -- 49 demographic , and a 5.9 overnight household rating . Soundtrack ( edit ) Main article : Hairspray ( 1988 soundtrack ) The soundtrack was released in 1988 by MCA Records . The album featured one original song by Rachel Sweet and eleven other songs mostly from the early 1960s by Gene Pitney , Toussaint McCall and The Ikettes , among others . Two songs , `` You Do n't Own Me '' and `` Mama Did n't Lie '' , came out in 1964 and 1963 respectively . Additional songs Other songs appear in the film , but are not on the soundtrack , due to licensing restrictions , because many of the songs listed were on Cameo Parkway Records , a recording label owned by Allen Klein . `` Limbo Rock '' -- Chubby Checker `` Let 's Twist Again '' - Chubby Checker `` Day - O '' -- Pia Zadora `` Duke of Earl '' -- Gene Chandler `` Train to Nowhere '' -- The Champs `` Dancin ' Party '' -- Chubby Checker `` The Fly '' -- Chubby Checker `` The Bird '' -- The Dutones ( not to be confused with The Five Du - Tones , who are also featured on the soundtrack ) `` Pony Time '' -- Chubby Checker `` Hide and Go Seek '' -- Bunker Hill `` Mashed Potato Time '' -- Dee Dee Sharp `` Gravy ( For My Mashed Potatoes ) '' -- Dee Dee Sharp `` Waddle , Waddle '' -- The Bracelets `` Do the New Continental '' -- The Dovells `` You Do n't Own Me '' -- Lesley Gore `` Life 's Too Short '' -- The Lafayettes Home media ( edit ) Hairspray was issued for the first time on VHS and LaserDisc in 1989 by RCA / Columbia Pictures Home Video . New Line reissued the film on VHS in 1996 . The film was released on DVD by New Line in 2002 . The disc included an audio commentary by John Waters and Ricki Lake and a theatrical trailer . It was released on Blu - ray on March 4 , 2014 . See also ( edit ) 1980s portal Television in the United States portal Comedy portal Cross-dressing in film and television Racial integration African - American Civil Rights Movement in popular culture Multiculturalism References ( edit ) Jump up ^ `` HAIRSPRAY ( PG ) '' . British Board of Film Classification . 1988 - 05 - 31 . Retrieved 2012 - 11 - 05 . ^ Jump up to : `` Hairspray ( 1988 ) '' . Box Office Mojo . Retrieved 2007 - 06 - 12 . Jump up ^ Hairspray at Rotten Tomatoes ; last accessed May 5 , 2007 . Jump up ^ `` Empire Features The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time '' . Empireonline.com . Retrieved August 14 , 2011 . ^ Jump up to : John Waters ; Ricki Lake ( November 5 , 2002 ) . `` ' Hairspray ' DVD Commentary by : John Waters and Ricki Lake '' . New Line Home Video . Jump up ^ Robert Maier ( 2011 ) . Low Budget Hell : Making Underground Movies with John Waters . Davidson , North Carolina , U.S.A. : Full Page Publishing . pp. 273 -- 297 . ISBN 978 - 0 - 9837708 - 0 - 0 . Jump up ^ David Marks . `` Perry Hall 's Schools : The Heart of the Community '' . Archived from the original on January 1 , 2009 . Jump up ^ `` Fun Facts About Perry Hall '' . Archived from the original on 2009 - 07 - 09 . Jump up ^ Egan , James . John Waters : Interviews ( Paperback ed . ) . University Press of Mississippi . pp. xxiii . ISBN 9781617031823 . Jump up ^ `` Hairspray '' . Chicago Sun - Times . Jump up ^ Hairspray at Rotten Tomatoes Jump up ^ Waters , John ( 1 November 2007 ) . `` Finally , Footlights on the Fat Girls '' . Crackpot : The Obsessions of John Waters . Simon and Schuster . ISBN 978 - 1 - 4165 - 9124 - 5 . Retrieved 27 September 2017 . Jump up ^ `` Hairspray ( 1988 ) '' . Box Office Mojo . Retrieved August 14 , 2011 . Jump up ^ `` Awards for Hairspray '' . IMDB . Jump up ^ `` Hairspray ( 2007 ) '' . Boxofficemojo.com . Retrieved August 14 , 2011 . Jump up ^ https://www.amazon.com/Hairspray-Blu-ray-Divine/dp/B00GGT4OK6/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1393101203&sr=8-10&keywords=hairspray External links ( edit ) Hairspray on IMDb Hairspray at Box Office Mojo Hairspray at Rotten Tomatoes Hairspray at Metacritic `` Interview with John Waters on the making of Hairspray '' . MovieLine . February 19 , 1988 . Archived from the original on April 29 , 2012 . Retrieved February 7 , 2016 . <Th_colspan="2"> John Waters Feature films Mondo Trasho ( 1969 ) Multiple Maniacs ( 1970 ) Pink Flamingos ( 1972 ) Female Trouble ( 1974 ) Desperate Living ( 1977 ) Polyester ( 1981 ) Hairspray ( 1988 ) Cry - Baby ( 1990 ) Serial Mom ( 1994 ) Pecker ( 1998 ) Cecil B. Demented ( 2000 ) A Dirty Shame ( 2004 ) Short films Hag in a Black Leather Jacket Roman Candles Eat Your Makeup The Diane Linkletter Story Musical productions Hairspray Cry - Baby Productions Hairspray ( 2007 film ) This Filthy World Hairspray Live ! Other Til Death Do Us Part `` The Creep '' Dreamlanders Divine Trash Divine Waters Edith 's Shopping Bag `` Homer 's Phobia '' I Am Divine Love Letter to Edie <Th_colspan="2"> Hairspray Productions 1988 film 2002 musical 2007 film Hairspray Live ! ( 2016 ) Albums 1988 film soundtrack 2002 musical album 2007 film soundtrack Songs `` Good Morning Baltimore '' `` I Can Hear the Bells '' `` ( The Legend of ) Miss Baltimore Crabs '' `` Ladies ' Choice '' `` Welcome to the 60 's '' `` Run and Tell That '' `` Big , Blonde and Beautiful '' `` Without Love '' `` I Know Where I 've Been '' `` You Ca n't Stop the Beat '' See also Hairspray : The School Musical The Buddy Deane Show Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hairspray_(1988_film)&oldid=819334657 '' Categories : 1988 films English - language films 1980s romantic comedy films American films American romantic comedy films American satirical films American teen comedy films American teen romance films Films directed by John Waters African - American Civil Rights Movement ( 1954 -- 68 ) in film Culture of Baltimore Films adapted into plays Films about race and ethnicity Films about television Films set in Baltimore Films set in 1962 Films shot in Baltimore Films shot in Maryland American independent films Films about interracial romance New Line Cinema films Hidden categories : Film articles using image size parameter All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from March 2010 Wikipedia articles needing clarification from January 2016 Talk Contents About Wikipedia تۆرکجه Català Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Español فارسی Français Italiano עברית 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Русский Simple English Svenska Türkçe Edit links This page was last edited on 8 January 2018 , at 20 : 25 . 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