Hairspray (1988) - John Waters 

When you hear the name John Waters a few words come to mind. Trash is usually the first, and his films have remained some of the most envelope pushing and filthiest films ever made. No one will ever forget the end of Pink Flamingos and with a breakthrough like that few would imagine Waters ever going near conventional water. Hairspray on the surface appears to be a straightforward film, with a surprising PG rating. However the film doesn't shy away from making us cringe even with a PG rating, after all how disgusting was the "kids" show Ren and Stimpy?

Like nearly all great films Waters' Hairspray is speaking to us on more than one level. Sure it is a nostalgic look at Baltimore in the 60s, which for some reason Waters always seems to be fond of. Yet the film turns teenage trauma and pop culture of the time into a tale of a country divided and an open story of class division and integration. You may think Rikki Lake's Tracy was not made for TV, but based on some of the voting policies of many fan based shows today, I could easily see her a fan favorite. Tracy like nearly every other main character has an alliterate name, certainly commenting on many of the names present of the time. Perhaps for royalty sake, but Waters fills this film with some of the least known dance songs of the era, but they all fit so perfectly within the show that we're convinced we've heard them before. 

The film is of course the subject of a new remake, starring John Travolta of all people in the Tracy role. Somehow I can see him doing it. After all Divine plays Tracy's mother, as an excellent foil to her dad played by Jerry Stiller. Divine also doubles as the producer of the show and his presence just situates this so firmly in Waters' territory. Of course equally important is the setting, and like all of his films, this was also shot in Baltimore. Waters takes us all around the city, to the carnival, auto show, TV studios, and of course a trip to the black ghetto doesn't hurt. The good and bad guys are made into comic book like cartoon characters, but its all for our benefit. The main villains even come equipped with a threatening "Von" in their names, played brilliantly by Sonny Bono and Debbie Harry, of course two icons in their own right laughably poking fun at themselves.

Above all else in this film, the picture is fun, and sometimes that's what movies are about. This might not make you gag or look away, but it will make you cheer for Tracy Turnblad.