Hairspray 1960 film | |
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Theatrical release poster
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Directed by | John Waters |
Produced by | John Waters Robert Shaye Rachel Talalay |
Written by | John Waters |
Starring | |
Music by | Kenny Vance |
Cinematography | David Boner |
Edited by | Janice Hampton |
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Distributed by | New Line Cinema |
Release date
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Running time
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92 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $2 million |
Box office | $8.3 million |
Hairspray is a 1988 American romantic comedy film written and directed by John Waters, and starring Ricki Lake, Divine, Debbie Harry, Sonny Bono, Jerry Stiller, , Colleen Fitzpatrick, and Michael St. Gerard. Hairspray was a dramatic departure from Waters' earlier works, with a much broader intended audience. Hairspray's PG is the mildest rating a Waters film has received; most of his previous films were rated X by the MPAA. Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the film revolves around self-proclaimed "pleasantly plump" teenager Tracy Turnblad as she pursues stardom as a dancer on a local TV show and rallies against racial segregation.
Hairspray was only a moderate success upon its initial theatrical release, earning a modest gross of $8 million. However, it managed to attract a larger audience on home video in the early 1990s and became a cult classic. Most critics praised the film, although some were displeased with the overall campiness. The film ranks #444 on Empire magazine's 2008 list of the 500 greatest movies of all time.
In 2002, the film was adapted into a Broadway musical of the same name, which won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical in 2003. A second film version of Hairspray, an adaptation of the stage musical, was also released by New Line Cinema in 2007, which included many changes of scripted items from the original.