Hairspray
Short description
Hairspray is set in Baltimore in 1962, where teenager Tracy Turnblad dreams of dancing on the Corny Collins Show, the local television program that every young person in the city watches. Plump, cheerful and energetic, Tracy wins a place on the show and becomes a local celebrity. She then turns her new fame toward the cause she believes in, racial integration, which puts her at odds with the show's former star Amber Von Tussle and Amber's parents, who oppose desegregation. The rivalry between the two girls builds toward the Miss Auto Show competition.
John Waters directed and wrote the film, the seventh in the chronological list of his features, following Polyester (1981) and preceding Cry-Baby (1990). Ricki Lake plays Tracy, Divine appears as Edna Turnblad, and the cast includes Debbie Harry, Sonny Bono, Vitamin C and Leslie Ann Powers, among 120 credited performers. Rachel Talalay produced the film for New Line Cinema and related production companies on a budget of about 2 million dollars; it took roughly 7 million dollars worldwide.
On IMDb the film holds a rating of 7 out of 10 from about 25,000 votes, and on TMDB 6.8 out of 10 from 466 votes. A critics' rating of 7.9 out of 10 from 47 reviews places it higher than the audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- Ricki Lake began to lose weight rapidly due to intensive dance lessons she was taking for the film. She had to eat a lot to maintain her weight.
- The role of Edna was originally written for transgender woman Christine Jorgensen (1926-1989). However, when the role of Tracy needed to be reworked, director and screenwriter John Waters also changed the role of Edna in favor of his close friend Divine (1945-1988).
- Divine died of a heart attack two weeks into Waters and Divine's promotional tour for the film following its release. In memory of Divine, most stage productions of the musical feature men in the role of Edna.
- A scene was filmed where Tracy finds cockroaches in her hair. It was based on an urban legend about a girl whose brain was eaten by cockroaches. Although it didn't make it into the final cut, it explains all the cockroach references in the film's final part.
- Divine passed away two weeks after the film's promotional tour began. In memory of Divine, most stagings of the musical feature men in the role of Edna.
- The role of Edna was originally written for transgender woman Christine Jorgensen. However, when the role of Tracy had to be reworked, director and screenwriter John Waters also changed the role of Edna in favor of his close friend Divine.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
