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"Hairspray 2" takes on the swinging '60sA bit of musical theater advice: If you live in or near New York or are planning to visit in the next month, and you have not seen Hairspray on Broadway, now is the time. The six-and-a-half year Broadway run ends on Jan. 4, 2009. To send it out in style, Harvey Fierstein is reprising his role as Edna Turnblad, and Marissa Jaret Winokur, the original Broadway Tracy Turnblad, returns next week to close out the show.
However, it seems the end of the Broadway run won’t stop the beat. Apparently, we can expect Hairspray 2: Electric Boogaloo in 2010. According to Adam Shankman, director of the movie version of the Broadway musical (not to be confused with the original John Waters film), there’s a concept and an outline, and it’s “going out to writers.” In the Hairspray sequel, Tracy (Nikki Blonsky) and company will deal with the next wave of '60s music and '60s politics, and Link (Zac Efron) will “channel his inner Austin Powers.” My first reaction is pretty much summed up in an article I found titled, “Hairspray 2: Why, God, Why?” Is a sequel really a good idea? Have there been any good movie musical sequels? The Disney musical sequels have all gone direct to video. Did The Muppet Movie sequels even have songs? And as much as I love Grease 2 — and I love it very, very much — I would never argue that it’s actually a good movie. But I’m trying to keep an open mind. John Waters is involved, as is Queen Latifah. More importantly, it appears that John Travolta will not be back doing his stupid Baltimore-accent-method-acting and not understanding that the role needs a touch of drag sensibility.
If the musical team of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman return, there’s hope that the movie could prove not to be a colossal mistake. But that’s a very low standard, and I fear the worst. The movie musical of Hairspray was entertaining and good enough but, unlike the original movie and Broadway musical, it was not great. The original movie was brilliant. It had the John Waters characters and camp sensibility, but went mainstream by losing Waters' characteristic over-the-top grossness.
The Broadway musical retained most of the camp and enhanced it with music that was a perfect blend of showtunes and '60s pop. The movie musical kept most of the music but lost the camp, and that was a big loss.
First, there was the John Travolta problem. And, compounding that, there was a shift towards earnestness in many of the other characters. The only characters that really retained the little bit of larger-than-life drag-queeniness that usually inhabits most of John Waters’ characters were Allison Janney’s Prudie Pingleton and Christopher Walken’s Wilbur Turnblad. The campiest song in the show — the jailhouse number “Big Dollhouse” — was cut, and the campiest moment that remained was the three Tracys (Ricki Lake, Marissa Jaret Winokur and Nikki Blonksy) singing “Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now” over the closing credits. So, I’m not feeling optimistic that Hairspray is going in the right direction. I guess all I can do is hope fervently that one of the best new musicals of the last decade will not morph into High School Musical 4: The '60s. Are there other Hairspray fans out there? What do you think of this development? Submitted by on December 2, 2008 - 11:00am. |
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sometimes
you need to leave things alone. We have had a good run with the show, and it is time to put away the styles and leave the mystery alone.
Oh I wish I was near Broadway. Oh well maybe I will get a TARDIS
~~
Everywhere I go the cars all follow me, I'm the girl with magnetic tights.
Voulez-vous travailler avec moi ce soir?
Damn Straight!
I was so...so...angry when I found they re-made Hairspray for the mainstream. I was angrier to realize John Waters sold out his vision for money in his pocket when the films he spent his life making never appealed to more than the underground.
They ground it up, took out his social statements almost entirely, and homogenized it enough so the the majority of the white suburban population could accept it. Anyone else notice how they tore most of the civil rights/african american portions of the original clean out? I've never seen anything more blatant in my life. I was appalled and offended. I'm not even african american, and I was offended. If you haven't seen the original, watch it. I won't ruin it for you.
The idea he would greenlight #2 is even worse. Zack Effron? Are you friggin kidding me???! I hated the idea the first time around, but this time it sounds like they're making him an even bigger role. The only saving grace was Queen Latifah if you ask me. She was ideal for the role... I couldn't believe they found someone so great to play it.
John Travolta was a safe move (safe = famous face the mainstream could swallow). God forbid they use a real drag queen. He was a ham, and he knows it. But it's a bad move to take one of the most key players in a film, and trade out a famous face for...who? People who watched the first one may balk at the idea of not seeing Travolta reprise the role.
I take this so much to heart because these films were sort of a "welcome to the family" bonding point with my father. He didn't start watching them with me until he accepted that I really was a lesbian and it wasn't a phase. (Go figure, even gay parents can put you through that messy identity challenge.)
Don't waste your time with this crap. Want to see a good movie? Go buy the originals. And yes, there's more where Hairspray came from. If you think Hairspray was gross, rent Pink Flamingos.... and watch past the end credits. ;)
If you're an upside down purple people eater who happens to believe in aliens and you can get the job done, I'm voting for you. Period.
Ugh.
I like the Musical, and I liked the movie, except for John Travolta *shudder* I'm hearbroken to hear Harvey Fierstein's back on broadway for a couple of weeks and I won't get to see him. I'm still really, really bitter he didn't get the role of Edna in the movie.
I will probably eventually see this, because I love musicals and I enjoyed Hairspray. But I'm expecting to be disapointed. Hey, at least I've still never seen High School Musical 2 or 3. Cause like I said, I love musicals. Not Crap.
WHY?!
There is absolutely NO need for a sequel. I was a disappointed with the first movie, since it lacked most of the edge that the original Waters film had. I can't imagine I'll like number two (which will probably be an excuse for Zac Efron to shake his tiny butt on screen once again).
And don't get me started on Travolta. He was awful.
I hate sequels
I love the one on Broadway and the movie too. But a sequel?!? Seriously?!?! There are very few movies that have a good sequel. I don't know why they keep doing them.
If I watch it, will be only because Queen Latifah is in it.
While I certainly....
....didn't see the remake and won't be lining up for this "vision" either, lets not jump all over The Man aka John Waters....yes he did greenlight both of these and will benefit from a watered down version of his orginal masterpiece lets all remember the words that he himself used to answer why (and i'm paraphrasing here) that the idea that someone would see hairspray (the remake or play) and think "oh that was a cute film, next time we're at the videostore we should get the original. and after having done that, well heck let's try another one, how about this pick flamingos....."
the vision of this occuring many more times than once has warmed the coldest nether-regions of my evil little heart....
ugh
why does hollywood keep making sequels where they aren't needed? miss congeniality 2, princess diaries 2, ocean's 12/13, whole 10 yards, every jaws movie after the first one, speed 2, matrix reloaded/revolutions, cruel intentions 2/3, wild things 2/3, the next karate kid, legally blonde 2 (though i don't hate it cause i love reese witherspoon), dirty dancing havana nights, staying alive, samantha d (donnie darko sequel).....there's alot more but i don't need to name the rest.
if the first one is good, or even if it's not (especially if it's not!), don't make another one!
People watch them, that's why
Everyone complains about them, but then somehow, the box office does well. Clearly even people who are complaining about sequels are going to see them.
Easy way to fix this problem, people. Don't go to see it!
Even if you want to see it, wait until it comes out on DVD and rent it. Until sequels stop doing so well at the box office, we're doomed for more of them.
To be fair, Muppet
To be fair, Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island are both really, really awesome movies.
The most remarkable thing about you standing in the doorway is that it's you, and you are standing in the doorway. - The Mountain Goats