Just saw Hairspray — Page 2

I REALLY loved this movie, and I thought John Travolta was perfect.
Broadway Blog: Look for my Spoiler-Free Hairspray review

Thank you, Jacob. I've been listening to the CD non-stop since it arrived yesterday, and I have "New Girl in Town" stuck in my head (not that that's a bad thing). It was when I was heating up my lunch at work that it dawned on me where I've heard it before!!

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Good question. Not too sure, as it's not credited in the program and only used as a brief underscore.

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"I was just really squirmy during the whole number."

I'm sure there's going to be whole lot of guys watching and wishing they could Cha Cha Cha with Michelle and getting really squirmy during the whole number, all over the world.

Whenever I start singing 'I Can Wait" from the beginning, I always end up singing "On my own" from Les Miz. Ya know?

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I enjoyed Travolta's performance. You really felt the insecurity and sensitivity of the character, and fully believed that she would need to be coaxed out of the house ("Welcome to the 60's") which I never bought from Fierstein or Divine.

Michelle's vocals aren't particularly strong (she has admitted in interviews that she hadn't trained her voice in years), but she is by no means bad. The way she expressed her annoyance by curling her lip and rolling her eyes was hilarious.

As for "Mama I'm a Big Girl Now"---I read something (maybe it was even on BWW) that said it was decided to cut the song because they couldn't figure out how to film it without using a split screen effect, which they felt would be too much like "The Telephone Hour" in BIRDIE.

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I don't know why everyone hates Michelle's voice. Miss Baltimore Crabs is definitely my favorite song on the soundtrack (I thought it was much more forgettable on the OBCR).

EDIT: Spelling...

Updated On: 7/13/07 at 12:37 AM

I really would've loved to hear Michelle and Brittany do the "C'mon, you Von Tussles, go on, shake your fanny muscles" section of YCSTB, but alas, it was not to be. As much as I LOVED the movie, the decision to cut that part from the finale was disappointing---and ironic, considering the movie preaches a message of inclusiveness. I suppose most audience members would be dissatisfied if Velma and Amber didn't get their come-uppance in the end...

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Updated On: 7/13/07 at 01:27 AM

I don't think it would have worked in the film at all if the Von Tussles joined in "You Can't Stop the Beat". I'm very familiar with the musical and even I wouldn't have bought it.

I was surprisingly pleased by the entire picture. It was truly a delight from start to finish. I can't really say that there were any real negatives for me. I thought the film was filled with charming, energetic performances from the entire cast. Nikki Blonsky is a revelation! She has a delightful voice and a fantastic presence. I don't think they could have discovered a more perfect young lady for this role. I was astounded by how much I enjoyed Travolta. From what I had seen of him so far, I was prepared to strongly dislike his performance. I was pleasantly surprised with what he did with the role. He managed to convincingly bring out both Edna's caring motherly side and her insecure shut in side. His chemistry with the Walken is golden. Pfeiffer was a fitting villain and sang and danced well. James Marsden was also thoroughly charming. This makes me really excited to see him in his next musical project, "Enchanted". Janney is hilarious in the little screentime she has, and John Waters' cameo could not have been more perfect. Shankman, who has never impressed me before, really delivers with strong direction and energetic choreography. Great editing, sets, and costumes.

Congratulations to Marc and the entire team on a job well done. Thankfully this movie is aligned more with Dreamgirls and Chicago than Rent and The Producers. If the audience's reaction tonight was any indication, then this movie has a great chance of being a real crowd-pleasing hit.

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