Hairspray Reviews Thread--+free screenings July 16 nationwide
07-14-07, 02:53 PM
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Hairspray Reviews Thread--+free screenings July 16 nationwide
Didn't see a thread for this, actually scoring pretty high on Rotten Tomatoes so far 100% on 6 reviews, opens July 20. The first Hairspray movie is great actually, really amazing soundtrack and Divine, Deborah Harry, Sonny Bono, even Pia Zadora and Ric Ocasek, but I've never seen the musical on which this one is based.
Also, New Line has a bunch of free screenings nationwide on Monday, July 16. Sign up here:
http://www.hairspraymovie.com/evitescreening/
The rule on these is always get there early, maybe 45 minutes or so, as they overbook them. Ymmv, if they run out of seats, they usually give you a pass to see something else, but as I said, ymmv.
Cities:
Atlanta
Boston
Chicago
Cincinatti
Cleveland
Dallas
Denver
Detroit
Houston
Kansas
Hollywood
Rancho Cucamonga
Miami
Minneapolis
New York
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Pittsburgh
Portland
Sacramento
San Diego
San Francisco
Seattle
St. Louis
Tampa
Washington DC
Woodland Hills
Also, New Line has a bunch of free screenings nationwide on Monday, July 16. Sign up here:
http://www.hairspraymovie.com/evitescreening/
The rule on these is always get there early, maybe 45 minutes or so, as they overbook them. Ymmv, if they run out of seats, they usually give you a pass to see something else, but as I said, ymmv.
Cities:
Atlanta
Boston
Chicago
Cincinatti
Cleveland
Dallas
Denver
Detroit
Houston
Kansas
Hollywood
Rancho Cucamonga
Miami
Minneapolis
New York
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Pittsburgh
Portland
Sacramento
San Diego
San Francisco
Seattle
St. Louis
Tampa
Washington DC
Woodland Hills
Last edited by misterchimpy; 07-14-07 at 03:14 PM.
07-16-07, 08:00 PM
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Originally Posted by The Bus
No free screening in Baltimore? How did that happen?
maybe they considered DC to be baltimore, haha.
07-16-07, 11:53 PM
#7
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I can't remember the last time I had this much fun at a theater. Travolta is probably the weakest link, but Michelle Pfeiffer comes out of hiding for her best performance in a decade, and just about everything works for this sugar-coated bundle of silly joy.
das
das
Last edited by das Monkey; 07-17-07 at 10:03 AM.
07-17-07, 10:58 AM
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Yeah unfortunately I couldn't make it out to the burbs to see it, but a friend went and loved it. It sounds like this, Knocked Up and Transformers are going to be the surprise hits of the summer.
07-19-07, 10:58 AM
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Originally Posted by The Bus
No free screening in Baltimore? How did that happen?
By BEN NUCKOLS
Associated Press Writer
`Hairspray' returns to Baltimore
BALTIMORE (AP) -- John Travolta didn't show up for the premiere of "Hairspray" in the city that inspired it. Neither did Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah or Christopher Walken.
No matter. Most of the hundreds of screaming fans crammed behind barricades surrounding the red carpet Wednesday night weren't waiting for those A-listers anyway. They were more interested in a new generation of stars: Zac Efron of "High School Musical" and Amanda Bynes of "What I Like About You" and "The Amanda Show."
"It's very flattering," Efron said above the earsplitting shrieks. "It feels great to be bringing this movie back to Baltimore."
Before Bynes and Efron made their appearances, John Waters, the creator of "Hairspray" and a big star by Baltimore standards, soaked up the adulation.
Asked if he'd ever heard so many teenage girls screaming his name, Waters said: "I look over there and many of them could be arrested if they saw my other movies, so times have changed."
Waters was resplendent in a black sport coat, shirt and tie, accented by lime green pants and matching patent leather shoes.
"I try to always wear puke green when I'm in Baltimore because that's my favorite color," said the venerable "Pope of Trash," who hadn't made a PG-rated movie before "Hairspray" - or since.
Waters wrote the original "Hairspray" in the mid-1980s - before several stars of the new version were born - in the bedroom of his threadbare northwest Baltimore apartment.
Now, the musical adaptation has been running on Broadway for five years, and the $75 million movie-musical version opens Friday.
Waters is thrilled with the transformation. The first time he saw the newest "Hairspray," he insisted on being alone in case he hated it.
"It's better than I expected it to be," he said. "I think they reinvented it. They made it new. That's the point, isn't it?"
A few minutes later, Bynes, Efron and Elijah Kelley, a lesser-known performer who radiates charisma as the character Seaweed, greeted Waters like an elder statesman. Newcomer Nikki Blonsky, who stars as the pleasantly plump, dance-crazy Baltimore teenager Tracy Turnblad, referred to him as "Mr. Waters."
"This is a classic piece of John Waters material," said Bynes, who plays Tracy's best friend, Penny Pingleton. "How could I not want to be a part of it? I think any young actress in their right mind would have wanted this part."
Producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan clearly knew what they were doing when they went after Bynes and Efron. While recent big-ticket musicals like "Chicago" and "Dreamgirls" have fared well at the box office, "Hairspray," with its young fans, could have a broader appeal.
Efron is "not only right for the role, but God bless him, he brings with him all of teen idol-dom," Meron said.
Autograph seeker Kellsey Pieples, 13, of Indiana, Pa., said she probably wouldn't have been interested in "Hairspray" if not for Efron's involvement. "Zac drew my attention to `Hairspray,'" she said. Asked why she adored him so much, she pointed to his picture: "Just look at him!"
Director Adam Shankman felt privileged to work with two generations of stars.
"All the actors were my first choices, which is remarkable," Shankman said. "Chris Walken was the last one to commit. I said, `You get to play John Travolta's husband.' He was like, `That's funny. That, I've never been offered before.'"
07-19-07, 11:50 AM
#14
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Originally Posted by misterchimpy
Turns out that they had a 2nd premiere in Baltimore last night...
By BEN NUCKOLS
Associated Press Writer
`Hairspray' returns to Baltimore
BALTIMORE (AP) -- John Travolta didn't show up for the premiere of "Hairspray" in the city that inspired it. Neither did Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah or Christopher Walken.
No matter. Most of the hundreds of screaming fans crammed behind barricades surrounding the red carpet Wednesday night weren't waiting for those A-listers anyway. They were more interested in a new generation of stars: Zac Efron of "High School Musical" and Amanda Bynes of "What I Like About You" and "The Amanda Show."
"It's very flattering," Efron said above the earsplitting shrieks. "It feels great to be bringing this movie back to Baltimore."
Before Bynes and Efron made their appearances, John Waters, the creator of "Hairspray" and a big star by Baltimore standards, soaked up the adulation.
Asked if he'd ever heard so many teenage girls screaming his name, Waters said: "I look over there and many of them could be arrested if they saw my other movies, so times have changed."
Waters was resplendent in a black sport coat, shirt and tie, accented by lime green pants and matching patent leather shoes.
"I try to always wear puke green when I'm in Baltimore because that's my favorite color," said the venerable "Pope of Trash," who hadn't made a PG-rated movie before "Hairspray" - or since.
Waters wrote the original "Hairspray" in the mid-1980s - before several stars of the new version were born - in the bedroom of his threadbare northwest Baltimore apartment.
Now, the musical adaptation has been running on Broadway for five years, and the $75 million movie-musical version opens Friday.
Waters is thrilled with the transformation. The first time he saw the newest "Hairspray," he insisted on being alone in case he hated it.
"It's better than I expected it to be," he said. "I think they reinvented it. They made it new. That's the point, isn't it?"
A few minutes later, Bynes, Efron and Elijah Kelley, a lesser-known performer who radiates charisma as the character Seaweed, greeted Waters like an elder statesman. Newcomer Nikki Blonsky, who stars as the pleasantly plump, dance-crazy Baltimore teenager Tracy Turnblad, referred to him as "Mr. Waters."
"This is a classic piece of John Waters material," said Bynes, who plays Tracy's best friend, Penny Pingleton. "How could I not want to be a part of it? I think any young actress in their right mind would have wanted this part."
Producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan clearly knew what they were doing when they went after Bynes and Efron. While recent big-ticket musicals like "Chicago" and "Dreamgirls" have fared well at the box office, "Hairspray," with its young fans, could have a broader appeal.
Efron is "not only right for the role, but God bless him, he brings with him all of teen idol-dom," Meron said.
Autograph seeker Kellsey Pieples, 13, of Indiana, Pa., said she probably wouldn't have been interested in "Hairspray" if not for Efron's involvement. "Zac drew my attention to `Hairspray,'" she said. Asked why she adored him so much, she pointed to his picture: "Just look at him!"
Director Adam Shankman felt privileged to work with two generations of stars.
"All the actors were my first choices, which is remarkable," Shankman said. "Chris Walken was the last one to commit. I said, `You get to play John Travolta's husband.' He was like, `That's funny. That, I've never been offered before.'"
By BEN NUCKOLS
Associated Press Writer
`Hairspray' returns to Baltimore
BALTIMORE (AP) -- John Travolta didn't show up for the premiere of "Hairspray" in the city that inspired it. Neither did Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah or Christopher Walken.
No matter. Most of the hundreds of screaming fans crammed behind barricades surrounding the red carpet Wednesday night weren't waiting for those A-listers anyway. They were more interested in a new generation of stars: Zac Efron of "High School Musical" and Amanda Bynes of "What I Like About You" and "The Amanda Show."
"It's very flattering," Efron said above the earsplitting shrieks. "It feels great to be bringing this movie back to Baltimore."
Before Bynes and Efron made their appearances, John Waters, the creator of "Hairspray" and a big star by Baltimore standards, soaked up the adulation.
Asked if he'd ever heard so many teenage girls screaming his name, Waters said: "I look over there and many of them could be arrested if they saw my other movies, so times have changed."
Waters was resplendent in a black sport coat, shirt and tie, accented by lime green pants and matching patent leather shoes.
"I try to always wear puke green when I'm in Baltimore because that's my favorite color," said the venerable "Pope of Trash," who hadn't made a PG-rated movie before "Hairspray" - or since.
Waters wrote the original "Hairspray" in the mid-1980s - before several stars of the new version were born - in the bedroom of his threadbare northwest Baltimore apartment.
Now, the musical adaptation has been running on Broadway for five years, and the $75 million movie-musical version opens Friday.
Waters is thrilled with the transformation. The first time he saw the newest "Hairspray," he insisted on being alone in case he hated it.
"It's better than I expected it to be," he said. "I think they reinvented it. They made it new. That's the point, isn't it?"
A few minutes later, Bynes, Efron and Elijah Kelley, a lesser-known performer who radiates charisma as the character Seaweed, greeted Waters like an elder statesman. Newcomer Nikki Blonsky, who stars as the pleasantly plump, dance-crazy Baltimore teenager Tracy Turnblad, referred to him as "Mr. Waters."
"This is a classic piece of John Waters material," said Bynes, who plays Tracy's best friend, Penny Pingleton. "How could I not want to be a part of it? I think any young actress in their right mind would have wanted this part."
Producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan clearly knew what they were doing when they went after Bynes and Efron. While recent big-ticket musicals like "Chicago" and "Dreamgirls" have fared well at the box office, "Hairspray," with its young fans, could have a broader appeal.
Efron is "not only right for the role, but God bless him, he brings with him all of teen idol-dom," Meron said.
Autograph seeker Kellsey Pieples, 13, of Indiana, Pa., said she probably wouldn't have been interested in "Hairspray" if not for Efron's involvement. "Zac drew my attention to `Hairspray,'" she said. Asked why she adored him so much, she pointed to his picture: "Just look at him!"
Director Adam Shankman felt privileged to work with two generations of stars.
"All the actors were my first choices, which is remarkable," Shankman said. "Chris Walken was the last one to commit. I said, `You get to play John Travolta's husband.' He was like, `That's funny. That, I've never been offered before.'"
07-19-07, 09:37 PM
#16
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
I saw this last Thursday at a screening hosted by my job. I agree with Das, it was so much fun. I was in a really bad mood and it just lifted my spirits.
Everything worked for me, I liked Travolta, loved the music. I will be getting the soundtrack.
Everything worked for me, I liked Travolta, loved the music. I will be getting the soundtrack.
07-19-07, 10:17 PM
#17
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by The Bus
No free screening in Baltimore? How did that happen?
07-19-07, 10:25 PM
#18
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by das Monkey
I can't remember the last time I had this much fun at a theater. Travolta is probably the weakest link, but Michelle Pfeiffer comes out of hiding for her best performance in a decade, and just about everything works for this sugar-coated bundle of silly joy.
das
das
Can't think of a more glowing review. You know, I loved the original. But not a fan of musicals. Especially Broadway. But I saw that HBO Behind the Scenes show on "Hairspray" and it definitely made me want to see it. I'm glad you thought Pfeiffer shined. I didn't think her part was that big. But I'm a huge fan of hers. Can't wait.
07-20-07, 02:57 PM
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I loved this movie... just fun from start to finish. Great songs, great dancing and the pace was fine IMO. Travolta was better than expected, Blonsky did a great job and I love almost anything Amanda Bynes does, so that didn't hurt either. Probably not Oscar material, but this was a hell of a lot more enjoyable than Dreamgirls was. If you're looking for a toe-tapping good time and a nice break from the sequel monotony, check this one out!
edit to add that I LOVED the John Waters cameo - perfect!
edit to add that I LOVED the John Waters cameo - perfect!
Last edited by mdc3000; 07-20-07 at 07:57 PM.
07-20-07, 07:07 PM
#21
DVD Talk Legend
Absolutely terrific! This actually feels more like the original John Waters movie than the Broadway show does - I noticed that the end credits say "based on the John Waters screenplay" before "based on the Broadway musical".
There are one or two musical numbers that I felt never really worked in the stage version, but they work fine here. And the cast, from top (Michelle Pfeiffer's performance is a comic masterpiece, and Travolta really does manage to bring something quite different to the role) to bottom (with such veterans as Jerry Stiller and Paul Dooley in small but pivotal roles) really stands out.
Already looking forward to seeing this again ....
There are one or two musical numbers that I felt never really worked in the stage version, but they work fine here. And the cast, from top (Michelle Pfeiffer's performance is a comic masterpiece, and Travolta really does manage to bring something quite different to the role) to bottom (with such veterans as Jerry Stiller and Paul Dooley in small but pivotal roles) really stands out.
Already looking forward to seeing this again ....
07-20-07, 10:27 PM
#22
DVD Talk Limited Edition
This is a must-buy on HD-DVD 
07-21-07, 09:13 AM
#25
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by JPRaup
My friend from college is good friends with Nikki Blonsky, its pretty cool. They went to the same high school together. I may see it now :/ I previously had no interest
I still have no interest in seeing the movie though.