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Hairspray Anna SmolikHagen Theatrical Arts and Society: Section 01 Neal Jacobs December 12th, 2018

Director:

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John Waters “Pope of Trash” “Prince of Puke” (Apr. 22, 1946) John Waters grew up in Baltimore obsessed with violence. In the 60s, his friends agreed to be his cast for his short films. He would show these in church, with his audience being drawn in completely by word of mouth. As his knowledge grew and his talent became more apparent, his film “Pink Flamingos”, which came out in 1972, helped his become more known. He continued making low budget movies that shocked audiences. He achieved Hollywood success when his film “Hairspray” came out in 1988. John also dabbled in stand up comedy, acting, and visual art throughout his lifetime. I think that John Waters was a very interesting man. He was constantly challenging societal norms, and I believe that is what made him successful. (1, John Waters)

Production Designer & Art Direction: Vincent Peranio (1945) Vincent was born in Baltimore and worked closely with John Waters at the beginning of his career. His first three projects were on John Waters movies. He is most known for his more recent work in “Cry-Baby”, “A Filthy World”, and the T.V. series “Unforgettable”. He is married to Dolores Deluce. I thought it was really interesting that he worked so closely with John Waters. I think that because Waters had such a unique film style tat once he found someone for a job that he liked, he would continually use the. If that is the case, it is clear that Waters holds respect for Vincent. (2, “Photo of Vincent Peranio”)

Director of photography/Cinematographer: David Insley David’s first project was on a film called “Polyester” in 1981. However, his most well known films were “Body of Lies” in 2008, “Species II” in 1998, and “The Sentinel” in 2006. David has also filmed for many T.V. series including “Blue Bloods” filmed from 2012-2013 and “Person of Interest” filmed in 2013-2015. Hairspray was David’s third movie. There was not much information on David which I thought was odd considering he worked on so many films with John Waters. Costume design: Van Smith (Aug. 17, 1945-Dec. 5, 2006)

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Van went to the Maryland College of Art in the 1960a before starting his career as a costume designer. He started out doing many films with John Waters. However, his passion was for drag queens. He worked closely with Divine (Edna in Hairspray) creating all of his costumes for films. Some of Van’s most well known films include Serial Mom, Cry-Baby, and Hairspray. Van died at the age of 61 due to a heart attack. Van was the only person that I did research on that went to college and graduated. I think this is interesting considering he was doing costume design. Composer: Kenny Vance (Dec. 9, 1943) Kenny, unlike other collaborators for “Hairspray,” did not regularly work with the group. This is because most of the other films that were produced by the group did not require lyrics or music. His more popular films are “Animal House” (1978), “The Warriors” (1979), and “Manhattan” (1979). Most of those films he was the music supervisor. However, for “Hairspray” he was in charge of the soundtrack and composed songs in it too. Kenny also acted in films and produced his own CD. I really liked this sound track and it is really different from the newer one. I think that Kenny is a very compelling musician and very talented. (3, Doo-Wop Spectacular Featuring Bobby Rydell and Kenny Vance-2)

Principal Actors: Vitamin C “Amber” (Jul. 20, 1972) Vitamin C was born in New jersey as Colleen Fitzpatrick. She was known for her orange hair, however in “Hairspray”, she was blonde. She went to college in Manhattan. Her career was solely based on singing. She was on Broadway a few times, but did not star in any other big movies til the early 2000s. She also released two albums around that time. In addition to that, in 2000, she was voted a “Fun and Fearless Female” by Cosmopolitan. I think that Vitamin C sang really well in this film. She had a lovely voice, and her voice and acting matched the part well. (5, Divine, Debbie Harry, Ricki Lake, and Vitamin C in Hairspray)

Divine “Edna” (Oct. 19, 1945-Mar. 7, 1988) Divine was originally born as Harris Milstead. Divine went

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to high school in Baltimore with John Waters, and in the late 60s they started to work together on low budget movies including “Eat Your Makeup” (1968). Divine became the famous transvestite actor that his was from Waters film “Pink Flamingo” (1972). Divine started performing in many films, but the more famous he got, the more his health went down hill. He eventually died in his sleep due to his obesity right after finishing filming “Hairspray”. I really enjoyed learning about Divine because his story is really interesting. Not only was he a popular, accomplished actor, but he also sang and danced. Another neat fact about Divine is that he would play both male and female characters as he did in “Hairspray”. However, my favorite thing that I learned was that the character Ursula from “The Little Mermaid” was based off him. (6, Divine in Female Trouble) Michael St. Gerald “Link” (Jan. 22, 1961) Michael grew up in New York Mills quickly developing a love for acting. He started out in Japanese commercials up until his first big film “Senior Week” (1987). His next movie was “Hairspray”, and this would be considered his ‘big break’. In his next two films, young Michael, got the privilege to play Elvis. Producers loved Michaels impression of Elvis and his stunning resemblance to him, and this, then, provided him many more jobs in movies as Elvis. Unfortunately as he grew older he no longer was considered the hunky actor he once was. This eventually led him out of the acting scene and into the religious department. He eventually became a pastor in the Harlem area. I think that Michael was the perfect person for this role. His handsome looks stole the show and gave teenage girls a dreamy guy to fall in love with which helped with “Hairspray”’s popularity. (4, Michael St. Gerard in Great Balls of Fire)

Ricki Lake “Tracy” (Sept. 21, 1968) Ricki switched from the regular school system to the Professional Children's school after her sophomore year. She went to work on her acting as she had been singing professionally since she was nine. At the end of her freshman year in college, she was called to try out for “Hairspray”. After landing the lead roll in this movie

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her career took off. She had 15 more movies then hit a point where she did not get any auditions. She decided to take charge of her life and lost over 125 lbs. Her career took off again with her own talk show in 1992. She partook in the remakes of “Hairspray” in 2007 and 2016. Ricki executed her role brilliantly. Her performance in “Hairspray” made it very difficult to top. She invented Tracy’s personality that all actresses in the future performances had to match. (5, Divine, Debbie Harry, Ricki Lake and Vitamin C in Hairspray)

Movie Studio and location: ● Baltimore, Maryland ● Allentown, Pennsylvania (including Wild Water Kingdom and Dorney Amusement Park) ● Perry Hall High School, Perry Hall, Maryland *No studio used *Filmed June 1, 1987- July 23, 1988 It was a smart move using Baltimore as the setting for this movie as Waters knew his way around it. He actually filmed most of his movies there, so it makes sense that “Hairspray” was filmed there. Review/Critique: “Brilliant film on many levels. Our kids (9 and 6) loved the singing and dancing and my wife and I thought the broader themes were also terrific. We've seen it about 6 times! Exceptionally well done.”-Stephen Davis I do agree that the film is well made and has some great life lessons in it, however, I do not think that it is appropriate for children that young. “Hairspray is a fun movie to watch, but be warned, it's not for younger kids. Lots of sexual innuendos and body language. I would not recommend it to children under 13. That being said, you know your own children. If you choose to let them watch it, be prepared to discuss it!”Antoinette I think that this review is good. Antoinette shares her opinion on the movie, and accurately describes the inappropriates scenes in it. However, she also makes it clear that in the end it is viewers choice. She does mention that it should be rated PG13, which I also agree with. “This movie should be rated PG-13. I watched it when I was 11 and I was shocked at the differences in content from this one and the 2007 remake. Parents should read about it more before letting their children watch this.”-12 year old kid I think it is fascinating that even a child was able to take away that this movie was not appropriate for her. “Hairspray” targets a more mature audience, and it was refreshing reading that kids were aware of that. Remakes: Between all of the different remakes Hairspray remains a popular, well executed movie.

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There has not been a version that has not been successful although, some have been more than others. There are other remakes than what I have listed, but it is very clear, considering the continued remakes, the success of the film. I, personally, prefer the live NBC 2016 version or 2007. I think that those are my favorite versions because they’re most relatable as those came out during my childhood. However, My mother prefers the 1988 version because it is relatable for her.

Director

1988 Original

2002 Broadway

2007 Film

Directed by John Waters

Written by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan Directed by Jack O’Brien

Directed by Adam Shankman

(6, Hairspray Filming Location: Stella’s Bridals, Eastern Avenue Baltimore)

(7, *No Title)

(8, 2007_12_2_hut)

(9, *No Title)

(10, The Musical Hairspray)

(11, 635886069317406863407796552_ Hairspray-Movie)

“Hairspray”, “The Madison Time”, “I’m Blue”, ‘Mama Didn’t Lie”, “A Town Without Pity”, “The Roach”, “Foot Stompin’”,”Shake Your Tail Feather”, “The Bug”, “You’ll Lose a Good Thing”, “I Wish I Were a Princess”, “Nothing Takes the Place of You”

“You Can’t Stop The Beat”, “Good Morning, Baltimore”, “Big, Blonde, and Beautiful”, “It Takes Two”, “Timeless to Me”, “Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now”, “Without Love”

“You Can’t Stop the Beat”, “Good Morning, Baltimore”, “Big, Blonde, and Beautiful”, “It Takes Two”, “The Legend of Miss Baltimore Crabs”, “Timeless to Me”, “Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now”, “Without Love”, “Cooties”, “Come so Far”, “Hairspray”, “I Know Where I’ve Been”, “Run and Tell That”, “I Can Hear the Bells”,

Setting

Actors

Music

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“Ladies’ Choice”, “The New Girl in Town”, “Welcome to the 60s”, “The Nicest Kids in Town” Screen worthiness: This film is obviously very screen worthy. It was made into a Broadway musical in 2002, a new film in 2007, and then again in 2016. All of this results in a clearly timeless plot and soundtrack, ultimately resulting in a timeless movie. I believe that this move could be remade years into the future and still be popular. Tweeks to the script, costume, and scenery might need to be made, but the basics of the plot line and the amazing music will continue to stand time.

Works Cited 11. Bazelli, Bojan. “635886069317406863407796552_Hairspray-Movie.” MovieSmackDown, 2007, http://www.moviesmackdown.com/2007/08/hairspray-2007/. Accessed 6 December 2018. 4. Beato, Affonso. “Michael St. Gerard in Great Balls of Fire.”IMDb, 1989, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0820544/mediaviewer/rm3186166784. Accessed 4 December 2018. Brumburgh, Gary. “Michael St. Gerard.” IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0820544/bio ?ref_ =nm_ql_1. Accessed 1 December 2018. “Dave Insley Biography.” IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0409392/?ref_= ttfc_fc_cr10#cinematographer. Accessed 1 December 2018. [email protected]. “Divine Biography.” IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm000

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1145/bio?ref_=nm_ql_1. Accessed 1 December 2018. “Hairspray Filming & Production.” IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095270/locations? ref_=ttfc_sa_4. Accessed 1 December 2018. 6. “Hairspray Filming Location: Stella’s Bridals, Eastern Avenue Baltimore.” Movie-Locations, 1988, http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/h/Hairspray-1988.php. Accessed 6 December 2018. Hischak, Thomas S. Broadway Plays and Musicals : Descriptions and Essential Facts of More than 14,000 Shows through 2007. McFarland & Amp; Co., 2009. 9. Insley, David. No Title. Ktismatics, 1988, https://ktismatics.files.wordpress.com/2008 /01/picture-1.png. Accessed 6 December 2018. 1. Kambouris, Dimitrios. “John Waters.” IMDb, 2017, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm000 0691/mediaviewer/rm1800748288 Accessed 29 November 2018. “Kenny Vance Biography.” IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0888536/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cr9. Accessed 1 December 2018. 5. New Line Cinema. “Divine, Debbie Harry, Ricki Lake, and Vitamin C in Hairspray.” IMDb, 1988, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001442/mediaviewer/rm707841024. Accessed 4 December 2018. 2. “Photo of Vincent Peranio.” MUBI, https://mubi.com/cast/vincent-peranio. Accessed 29 November 2018. 3. Poster, Patch. “Doo-Wop Spectacular Featuring Bobby Rydell and Kenny Vance-2.” Patch, 2013, https://patch.com/new-jersey/bloomfield/doowop-spectacular-featuring-bobbyrydell -and-kenny-vance. Accessed 1 December 2018. “Reviews for Hairspray.” CommonSenseMedia, https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie -reviews/hairspray/user-reviews/adult. Accessed 7 December 2018. 7. Rodriguez, Diana. No Title. WashingtonPost, 2014, https://www.washingtonpost.com/ community-relations/northwoods-hairspray-encapsulates-love-tolerance-in-60s-settingwith -energized-characters-strong-message/2014/12/19/da2f0f48-8795-11e4-a702fa31ff4ae98e _story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.031ca159c1a9. Accessed 6 December 2018. Sun, Lyna. “Ricki Lake Biography.” IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001442/bio ?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm. Accessed 1 December 2018. 10. “The Musical Hairspray.” Variety, 2002, https://variety.com/gallery/hairspray-cast-photosthen-now/#!1/hairspray-live. Accessed 6 December 2018. “Van Smith Biography.” IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0810249/bio?ref_ =nm_ov_bio_sm. Accessed 1 December 2018. “Vincent Peranio Biography.” IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0672781/bio? ref_=nm_ql_1. Accessed 29 November 2018. “Vitamin C Biography.” IMDb,https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004923/bio?ref_=nm_ql_1. Accessed 1 December 2018.

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6. Waters, John. “Divine in Female Trouble.” IMDb, 1974, https://www.imdb.com/name/ nm0001145/mediaviewer/rm756892416. Accessed 4 December 2018. Young, Stewart. “John Waters Biography.” IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm 0000691/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm. Accessed 29 November 2018. 8. “2007_12_2_hut.” Torontoist, 2007, https://torontoist.com/2007/12/reel_toronto_to/. Accessed 6 December 2018....