DANG!!!! HAIRSPRAY LOOKS GOOD- Page 2

[allofmylife]

Posted: 4/22/07 at 12:38am

You'd be surprised what you can see when you work in Hollywood. I was up in Canada when it filmed, dealing with cancer (Oh, and I'm gonna be fine) and when that was finished, I came back down here to work. Every morning in Toronto, I walked over to watch them film around town (and took the subway out to Roncesvalles to see the big street scene).

Now I'm back here, I've seen a bit more than the trailer and I'm so impressed.

It's just sad that they didn't go with Harvey, or someone more - how can I put this - openly extravagent - than Travolta. I've seen some pretty trannie men in the role and I enjoyed it more.

As for Amanda Bynes not singing, you haven't heard Nikki Blonsky singing yet. SHE'S amazing.

[*brina-doll*]

Posted: 4/22/07 at 12:42am

I too am rather iffy about seeing John as Edna; but I think he'll do a good job.

(FYI: Whenever anyone asks me who Harvey is, I always say "the dude with the scratchy voice from Mulan" and they instantly go "I remember him from Ms. Doubtfire!" )

[JustChillin8908]

Posted: 4/22/07 at 12:42am

"I'm not all that impressed by Amanda Bynes though"

Seriously, what have we actually seen of Amanda Bynes other than the few scenes in the trailer? She talked once, how can you judge her that quickly? We don't even know what her singing voice sounds like!

"I understand that but...ah forget it."

Was there really a need to post that? The only reason I can think is that you had nothing left to defend your opinion. You wanted to post something to make other people think you had more, but put it in a way that you don't have to say anymore. While that may work in a normal conversation, it doesn't over the internet.

Wow, sorry if I come off as really bitchy today. I don't know what's wrong with me.

[mateo]

Posted: 4/22/07 at 12:43am

I am glad you are doing better allofmylife!

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 4/22/07 at 12:45am

I posted that to show I didn't want to get into a fight...so I'm keeping it that way. I hate being in fights on this board. I like to witness them though.

As for Amanda, I didn't mean it as in her acting or anything..just her look.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 4/22/07 at 12:51am

Specify on that NLS, because her look isn't her fault.

[JustChillin8908]

Posted: 4/22/07 at 12:51am

Oh ok, I understand about her look. She almost looks TOO pretty for the role. I feel like more should have been done to make the transformation at the end more drastic.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 4/22/07 at 12:53am

I think John Trovolta is too pretty for the role.

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 4/22/07 at 12:54am

Basically what JustChillin said is what I meant.

[silent]

Posted: 4/22/07 at 2:56am

Honestly, how many people are going to see this film because of John Travolta?

Hollywood always does this. They automatically go with the big names cause they think folks will see the movie BECAUSE of them. Like these musicals don't have a fan base or back history. SMH. I could care less about Queen Travolta wearing a dress and playing this part. The trailer itself looked exciting to me and I can't wait to see the film. I hope Latifah does justice to her part cause she's not exactly a vocal fit for the part.
Updated On: 4/22/07 at 02:56 AM

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 4/22/07 at 3:17am

You've got to be kidding me.

Yes, let's blame Hollywood, because heaven forfend they don't cast the OBC. Shame on them! Because, look at the box office hits that were Rent and The Producers, which both cast a good amount of the OBC.




Oh, wait.








They WERE'NT box office hits. Huh. Maybe it's because they cast no-names in a musical and expected people to see it.
Please. It's smart of producers to cast stars in these roles. Why do you think Chicago and Dreamgirls did so well. Because the producers were smart and cast well-known people to get the public to see the film. The fan bases of musical do not make a movie sucessful.

Updated On: 4/22/07 at 03:17 AM

[allofmylife]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 2:05am

Thanks Mateo. Three bouts of pancreatitus, an incredibly painful and debilitating disease, three surgeries including removal of the gallbladder, (and the second attack was nearly fatal) THEN when I had fully recovered, the docors tell me they found kidney cancer. But all is now well and I am back in Hollywood, cranking out garbage for the great sucking void that ruins wonderful stage plays, er, the film biz...

On my off time, I went looking for Hairspray. I saw the shoots at the school on Spadina, which BTW is very small. It looks bigger in the film (just down the road from my place), saw most of the cast including Nikki and Zack (who is, BTW also very small) and went to the Roncey street shoot and the studio.

Wonderfulwizard11, I have no problem with stars and I even initially had no problem with Travolta, but now, I'm a bit worried that what has been lost is the pantomime feeling of having a big gay (or at least fey) man playing Edna. Travolta seemed to be rather small in the role, both physically and metaphorically. Harvey F and many of the "ladies" who followed him dominated the scene. Travolta is big a la fatsuit but seems small in personality.

I am realy going to be pulling for this one. It's not too late to add a few feet of over-the-top John Travolta. You go girl!!!

And BTW, The Producers and Rent didn't fail because they used original cast members. They failed because THEY WERE SH*T!!!!!

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 2:09am

Oh, allofmylife, I wasn't responding to you. I was responding to silent.

And yes, while Rent and The Producers were not good, it didn't help that the cast were virtual no-names.

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 2:18am

I didn't know that Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, Roger Bart, Will Ferrell and Uma Thurman were all no names! That's news to me!

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 2:20am

Ferrel and Thurman are names, Lane and Broderick are B/C list, and Bart is less known than Lane.Broderick.

[NathanLaneStalker]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 2:25am

Oh come on, Broderick is A list. Lane is B (on Broadway he's A though) and I would say Bart is B or C. People know Bart now with The Stepford Wives and Desperate Housewives. He a well known face at least.

[Ghosthost999]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 3:26am

Theres no way Broderick is on the same level as lets say a Johnny Depp or a Hallie Berry

[DickonDefysGravity]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 3:42am

Amanda Bynes is my biggest concern. Hope she doesn't 'showboat' for screentime.

[dgjbear]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 3:45am

I Just find it strange that in the trailer, Travolta is hardly featured at all - not a good sign.......

[mateo]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 3:50am

I am so glad you are doing better allofmylife. That sounds so painful. I wish you continued health.

as far as 'A List'

If you mention an actor by last name and EVERYONE knows whom you are referring to- then they are 'A-list.'If you have to mention their first name- they are just not 'A.'

Updated On: 4/23/07 at 03:50 AM

[musicman117]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 5:16am

Just because Travolta isn't in the trailer that much doesn't mean that his performance is bad. It's not a "bad sign"

I think it was smart of the producers to only show a little bit of Travolta's scenes. Despite what you guys say, he is one of the main reasons people will come see this movie. The preview gives you just enough to see Travolta as Edna but not too much. It makes me want to see more from him. You wouldn't want to give away the most anticipated scenes (for most people, the scenes with Edna) in the trailer.

I think John Travolta will be great. Give him a chance.

Besides, I think they are trying to make this version much less campy than the original John Waters film. As great as Harvey was (and yes, I saw him in the role), I don't think that he would fit in well with this cast.

[wickedfan]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 11:21am

NLS- you've got to be kidding me. A lot of people don't know who Broderick is and you have to say "He played Ferris Bueller" for them to remember him. Lane is falls somewhere on the bottom of the B-list. And Roger Bart?! Roger Bart does not even fall on the radar. I'm sorry, but Desperate Housewives and The Stepford Wives did nothing to boost his fame level.

[Wildcard]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 11:27am

What I have liked so far about how Hairspray is being handled is that it doesn't try to hide the fact that it is a musical. Of all the recent movie-musicals, it makes it obvious that people are singing and dancing a lot, not just in the TV studio but out on the streets (and elsewhere) as well.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 11:31am

I'll say this for Travolta: he's a very, VERY talented actor, singer/dancer. That being said, he's not exactly a funny guy, Vinnie Barbarino and Chilli Palmer aside, but in both roles, he played it straight for laughs which were very deserved. Edna really is a sly pantomime role and I was hoping they'd get a man who understands drag. Harvey was so knowing in his performance. John Travolta not so much.

[Kitzarina]

Posted: 4/23/07 at 11:45am

I kinda hate all these "middle America" comments. I've lived in Kansas for most of my life and I'm one of the biggest theatre geeks I know. Plus the fact that I can name off the top of my head at least 30+ people who will jump at the chance to see this movie.

Middle America might not be as "cultured" as the coasts, but you should give some credit. We're not all NASCAR lovin' hicks out here.