hairspray!

after thursday's failed attempt to see the new hairspray movie i finally got to see it last night. i am generally a little weary of musicals - they tend to be really corny (yes, pun intended) - but somehow they made this work. probably because the original movie is so out there that adding some songs to it couldn't make it any weirder. and after seeing it i know exactly how i'd describe it - american dreams + rocky horror picture show = the new hairspray.

and i knew that john waters had to make a cameo in the movie. i had no idea where or as who - but i knew he just had to be in it. who can forget his showing as the crazy psychiatrist penny's parents hire in the original?! it was a perfect role for him. and just as perfect was his role in the opening number in the remake.

so in case you didn't know this current movie is based on the musical that's currently (?) on broadway. and that musical is based on the 1988 movie with the same name. and in general this movie stayed true to the original, but definitely had it's own flair. they incorporated all of the quirks from the original without making it the exact same movie with a new cast.

and speaking of the cast - it's a good one! michelle pfeiffer plays an excellent evil velma (but did anyone else notice how sickly thin she looked??). and i was surprised at how well brittany snow (the good girl, meg, from american dreams) played her villainous daughter, amber. missing in the remake was mr. von tussle, but they did touch on his unfortunate fate in a late night magic shop scene.

i nearly didn't recognize zac efron as link. in all the press shots i've seen of him lately he looks very secreast-y w/ his tanning bed glow and ironed straight hair. and i've never seen anything else with him in it so i couldn't tell if he really can't act or if that was just part of the movie. however, his dancing partner really hit it out of the park. newcomer nikki blonsky played an excellent tracy turnblad.

amanda bynes was perfect for tracy's friend penny pingleton. she nailed the aloof, lollipop obsessed sidekick. as for her lunatic mother, i was sad allison janey didn't have more of a presence in the movie. the scene of mrs. pingleton running through the ghetto screaming like she was being murdered was one of my favorite scenes from the original.

and then there was john travolta as edna turnblad. granted i'm not the biggest john travolta fan, but i have to give credit where credit's due. he played an excellent drag queen. and while the accent was a little much at times (think a more feminine mike myers' austin powers), it was perfect for the level of ridiculousness that is hairspray. and then there was his/her husband, wilbur, played by christopher walken. he always kind of creeps me out a little, which means he was perfect for the role!

and i think the last of the known actors would be queen latifah. but, you knew she would be excellent as motormouth maybelle. especially since she was already in another successful onscreen musical - chicago. and i have a feeling we'll be seeing more of the girl who played little inez - she was great!

and now i'm off to see bourne III. two movies in one weekend - it definitely feels a lot like christmas.