What if Jack O'Brien and Jerry Mitchell stuck with the Hairspray film?

I think it would have been ok.

Neil Meron and Craig Zadan would still have their vision and probably gone with a big name for Edna. So that wouldn't change- although there would probably have been a bigger push for Harvey.


OBC? I don't know. I think Jack and Jerry would have realized that everyone would be too old for the big screen.

I think their vision would remain faithful to the stage production. I can't imagine them being able to look at the material in a new way, forgetting what they did on stage.

I think it would be a lil lighter and not as grounded in the '60's. May be even more 'Little Shop.'

The choreography would probably be just an enhanced version of the original choreography.

I think Adam had a very clear take on the movie. Jack and Jerry's version- I think it's safe to say would have been COMPLETELY different than the film made.

Not bad (I mean, we will never know)it could have been great- but definitely different.

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I think inherently Jack and Jerry would have expanded what they created on stage.

Now Craig and Neil are all about reinvention - forgetting that the stage play ever happened. So they probably would have demanded that changes still be made.

But really im just guessing - Jack and Jerry may have had a brand new approach aside from the show- but it is still coming from their minds- and it is hard to recreate your own creation.


No Harvey was never considered- but my feeling is that Jack and Jerry are good friends with him so they may have pushed for his being cast a little more.

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Updated On: 8/11/07 at 04:55 AM

I thought O'Brien and Mitchell dropped out because they were pushing for co-director status and no studio wanted to pay for two directors.

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Oh, I remember them saying that, too. I hope you don't think I was arguing what you said.

I just remember reading an article way back that said O'Brien wanted Mitchell as his co-director and the studios weren't buying it. And then the project seemed to remain in limbo for a few months before Shankman was brought on and then things seemed to get rolling.

From what I recall, Travolta was rumored for the part when O'Brien and Mitchell were still attached. But, it was a "he MAY play the part" kind of thing. It was a long while after then that he was confirmed.

Then, for a brief period, there were rumors that Rob Marshall was going to do it. But, that lasted for like a week.

I don't even know if it was hearsay or if Marshall was actually approached about it.

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Harvey said he was never asked!

I think they would have stuck with what they did onstage too much- think of Stroman and 'The Producers'.

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I wasn't a big fan of the movie, so I might have liked it. You can never know, either director/choreographer (would have) had a good chance of making a turkey, or a classic.

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Billy Crystal was, according to Marc Shaiman, planning to do the film but then backed out for undisclosed reasons.

John Travolta was the studio's ONLY choice for Edna. They essentially would not back the film unless Travolta committed to the project, as he was the only male star in Hollywood with a proven film musical track record.

After reading Shankman's online Hairspray diaries, I think Hayden Panatierre (sp?) would have ended up playing Amber had she not been committed to Heroes. I'm reading between the lines a little bit, but it sounds like Shankman favored her initially but then settled on Brittany Snow due to the scheduling conflict.

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Updated On: 8/13/07 at 01:45 PM

Did I miss something? Accoding to LoringsGuy, Brittany Murphy played Amber?

Regardless, it's not as good a film as John Water's original. I find it strange that Waters was better at filming dance numbers than Shankman!

Updated On: 8/13/07 at 02:48 PM

JohnBoy2, and others, you all have to stop comparing it to the original. The original was and is a cult classic and this version was and always will be different. John Water's told O'Brien and Mitchell "make it your own" when they did the stage-version and he said the same thing to Shankman.

It is just the third way of telling this story that will never grow old.

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