My Reflections on Hairspray

My oh my, Hairspray actually made me (a typical, fervent anti-musical dissenter) appreciate a good Musical film when I see one. It had a certain flavor to it, which sparked my initial interest (after thinking to myself: Wow, that exuberant, obese, fashionable babe can actually dance and sing like a jewel!) and kept the fire going with all its whimsical humor and delectable melodies that fit the scenes perfectly like a glove.


Frankly, between me and you, the sheer number of Musicals in the film borders on the obscene, and the characters are quite unbelievably cherub (everyone smiles and perks up with an uncomfortable, unnatural Mickey Mouse Can-do attitude!).


However, I must say, it was the outbursts of torrential musicals and the flamboyance of the characters that were poignant, striking and added dimensions to an otherwise, trite film. Many deep cultural dynamics were interplaying throughout the film, like the most obvious Black Racism, the American Dream, Teenage Idolatry, the omnipotence of the Mass Media in the early 1960s, which was brilliantly depicted and well-orchestrated by the cast.


What really interest me, however, was what/who the real “prize/winner” really was in this film. Was it the prize of being a “regular” on the Corny Collins’ show? Or the celebration of America (or Baltimore) embracing the black community at last, when Seaweed’s (Elijah Kelley) sister Little Inez (Taylor Parks) won Miss Teenage Hairspray Pageant Queen with a surprising twist at the end? Or the blossoming of true, unadulterated, unrestricted love broadcasted with Penny’s (Amanda Bynes) beautiful lip-locking session with Seaweed live on National Television?





My favorite quotes from the film:


“More people are breathing Aerosol than oxygen!”


“This adventure is a little too BIG for me…”




Enjoy


=)