Who didn't think Hairspray was *that* great?- Page 4

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 3:37pm

I don't think ben4 is going out of his way (like some do) to blast the film. He isn't being nasty for nasty's sake.

He didn't like the movie, and he's entitled to not like it as loudly as anyone who did like it here. And I think he's backed up his "dislike" pretty well, even if I don't see eye to eye with him on it.

Just take a breath, and try not to take it as a personal attack.

[ben4]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 3:40pm

thanks, I also wanna point out that I have only been posting in the negative hairspray threads (the one about razzies and this one about people who didn't like it). And so if anyone is really bothered by my opinion or doesn't want to participate in a discussion about why I didn't like the movie then you probably shouldn't post in these threads... just a suggestion.

[StageFan2]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 4:00pm

I didn't think it was as good as the raves it received. It was enjoyable enough, just not grand. I found it moderately funny and Travolta completely creeped me out, sorry I can't explain why. I'm glad I saw it, but once will be enough.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 4:26pm

Best12-
I think I agree with your dad (O/T I can't find my thread that I started).

I was bored through a vast majority of the film. The opening number was sooooo illogical, why were the people of Baltimore not singing with her?

Someone said that this was the type of old fashioned movie musical, and I would agree. However, it was directed by someone who clearly does not understand musical theatre. There was no life to the musical numbers, I can't remember one specific thing I liked in them.

The deletion of the jail warden really really screwed up both "I Know Where I've Been" (Not as powerful as it should have been), and "Without Love" (Trunk? Car? PICTURE?)

Casting wise, I actually enjoyed most of the cast, Allison Janney was underused, Zac Efron and John Travolta suprisingly good. Nikki Blonsky got on my nerves. She was just too, earnest all the time. She never felt real, almost a mild parody. Queen Latifah, while talented, wasn't jaded enough.

At least on the soundtrack I can skip over to the songs I enjoy, and not have to sit through the bad cinematography (sp?)

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 4:57pm

I don't know where your thread went either, Husk.

It musta gotten ugly in there.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 5:56pm

I posted before work, and it was gone before I got home.

[LoringsGuy]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:10pm

"The opening number was sooooo illogical, why were the people of Baltimore not singing with her?"

Husk, Adam Shankman actually addressed this in an interview. They decided to not have the people on the streets of Baltimore singing along with Tracy because this particular song is describing Tracy's view of the world, not necessarily everyone else's. If you watch the scene, you can see that everyone else is going about their mundane lives, which contrasts sharply with Tracy's sunny optimistism. If everyone was singing along happily, it wouldn't have nearly the same impact.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:31pm

Husk, I very much agree with your comment on "Without Love," I found it to be quite sloppy.
Maybe I don't have a heart or I'm too cynical but I was utterly bored by most of the film. There were some highlights of course, Alison Janney was great even if her acting was so campy that it seemed a bit out of style with the rest of the film, I enjoyed Elijah Kelley and James Marsden as well. Queen Latifah indeed didn't seem jaded enough but her "I Know Where I've Been" was one of the few moments were I was completely involved in the film.
One thing that I thought was great about the movie that DREAMGIRLS failed to do is the fact that it ends with a bang, it gets my kudos for having one of the most upbeat, exciting finales of any movie musical that I've seen. I think in many ways that is what the critics remembered though.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:34pm

I pretty much agree with you Ray. You Can't Stop The Beat WAS very fun.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:37pm

Lorings-
That's fine he can justify it, but personally, it didn't get the film off to a rousing start, and left it with nothing to build from.

[jimnysf]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 12:13am

"The opening number was sooooo illogical, why were the people of Baltimore not singing with her?"

The people in the background don't always join in. In fact, they mostly go about their business as if no one was singing and dancing. Check out "The Sound of Music", for example. When Julie Andrews sings "I Have Confidence" she is running around and there are people all around her. When she is on the bus, looking out the window and singing at the top of her lungs, no one even notices her.

[broadwaybaby086]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 12:33am

I agree with everything Anakela had to say. I don't know what I was expecting, though, but I was not as wowed by the film as others were. But I did have a mostly fun time. Elijah Kelley was the highlight for me, as was the simple shock of Jerry Stiller (who can add yet another cameo appearance to his resumé). I have only recently seen the stage version and have never seen the original film, but I personally wasn't crazy about the changes made from the stage show. I wanted Amanda Bynes to really bust out during "Without Love." But I loved the choreography; I found myself drawn to the dancers in the background more so than to the main action.

Overall, a good movie. Nowhere near a favorite of what I've seen in the past year (only 5 or 6 movies). I was almost more excited to see Julie White in the trailer for "The Nanny Diaries" than I was seeing anything during the actual film.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 12:42am

jimnysf
Yes, and it worked in Sound of Music because you don't notice the other people in the background. Here, you do, she walks in front of, and around them, and several turn and notice.

[LoringsGuy]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 12:10pm

Right---and that WORKS because the contrast between this cheerful, sunny girl traipsing through the streets singing and the people just looking at her like she's crazy is what makes it funny. The point of the song is that we need to see what sets this girl apart from everyone else, which is her unwavering optimism and excitement. If EVERYONE was singing and dancing along with her in that opening scene, it wouldn't work.

[Albin]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 12:19pm

"Great" No. But it still gets two "thumbs up" from me. I had a smile on my face from the first "Bum Da Dum" of GMB to the closing credits. A nice way to spend a summer's evening.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 12:24pm

I thought it was okay, with one glaring piece of latex-encrusted miscasting.

Here's my review: www.roscoewrites.blogspot.com

[ashbash1990]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 12:51pm

twas OK, i wouldn't spend $111 to see it live, though...

[Andante]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 1:11pm

John Travolta and Zac Efron were the only bad apples in this film. The rest of the characters were enjoyable; of course I lip-synched every song and my toes were tapping. The energy was great, but I took a bit of offense to the fact that they changed some of the keys for the songs (particularly the beginning of "Good Morning Baltimore" and some of "You Can't Stop the Beat"), and changed the storyline as a result of cut songs.

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 1:13pm

Offense - Why would anyone take offense?

[Albin]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 1:17pm

John Travolt's makeup didn't bother me half as much as Zac's. He too looked like he belonged in a wax museum.

[mateo]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 1:39pm

"The opening number was sooooo illogical, why were the people of Baltimore not singing with her?"

Here is what Adam had to say in the Hairspray Companion Book:

"With Good Morning Baltimore" I was asked, do you want to have the chorus, the people on the streets, lip - sync the background vocals? I struggled with that, thinking, if they didn't sing, then where would all those voices come from?" Yet he didn't really want the passersby to sing- it felt too theatriccal - so he invented a plausible source for the singing: "My idea was that the first time we hear an outside choral voice, it's coming from the TV. Tracy turns on the TV, and it's playing a show called 'Good Morning Baltimore.' Our song is the theme song."

"Once you've heard the voices, hopefully you just buy that they keep going, only in her head. She walks down the street, and no one pays attentiuon to her while she's singing, other than the people she acknowledges. And you understand that she's this incredible happy, cheery girl who hears life as a song. It's like her imaginary world..."

Updated On: 7/24/07 at 01:39 PM

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 2:33pm

I actually liked the extra scene between Velma and Wilbur to set up YOU'RE TIMELESS TO ME. I always felt it was a great song in the musical that you sort of expect but it doesn't do much to advance the plot.

I was actually surprised by Travolta's performance. And Michelle Pfeifer was hot hot hot in that wig. There were some funny moments I felt were lost. Like Velma's "communicable diseases" line and if you noticed Efron's face during the dance when he walks off camera. But he was so far down in the bottom corner you would have missed his reaction (I think to dancing with "those" people).

I happened to really love the way they made fun of the singing - like Tracy missing the bus because she is too busy singing. I also liked I CAN HEAR THE BELLS and her slamming the guys against the locker. Also, Link singing to Tracy's picture (and her picture singing back).

And Edna cooking him a ham (?).

I liked that they didn't have the street people singing. I think NOT ANOTHER TEEN MOVIE says it best, "You'd never know that everyone in this school is a professional dancer." (or something like that) Updated On: 7/24/07 at 02:33 PM

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 5:00pm

mateo-
But the show IS theatrical. The camp factor was missing, and it would have upped it.

I still stand by my opinion, it does not work for me. It wasn't rousing, there was no moment that grabbed me.

Besides, I firmly believe that a directoral choice that needs explanation, is a bad choice.

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 5:03pm

I didnt feel that the camp factor was missing, I thought it was ardently present.

and

I didn't see/feel any directorial choice that I feel needed explaining.

What are you referring to in those cases exactly?

[LoringsGuy]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 5:03pm

Husk, I guess we'll just have to agree to disgree on this one.