Songs, Dances and Big Hairs
Hairspray was big during my late-elemetary-early high school days. Ito yung panahon na mayroong contest ang mga kababaihang estudyante kung sino ang may pinakamataas na bangs. Ito rin yung panahon na pinag-isipan ng mga school officials na maglagay ng maximum height limit information sa bawat pintuan ng paaralan. Napapadami kasi ang nauuntog ang bangs and there is this fear that this may cause cancer. I do think that it takes certain skill sa mga kababaihan para maptayo nila ang kanilang bangs as humanly possible. It also takes dedication — as I do think they need quite some time bago makakuha ang perfectly sculpted bangs. Buti na lang at limpias din ang craze na ito. All that is left are embarrassing photos/videos and a huge hole in the Earth’s Ozone layer.
Then came – Hairspray – a film-turned-musical-turned -film. A musical set in the early 60’s in Baltimore, Maryland. Frankly – I am not familiar with the musical Harspray nor seen the 80’s original film version. I am also not aware of any song from this musical. But seeing John Travolta in a fat suite playing a 60’s woman – well — that is something that can make me let go of my hard earned SGD$9.00. In preparation to this musical foray - I decided to first listen to the film’s OST. Surpsingly – the soundtrack is quite good. It’s like Grease with additional cellulites. After the OST review I am quite sure that I am ready to see Hairspray!
Last Sunday – I roped a friend to accompany me watch Hairspray in Shaw Lido. I am pleasantly surprised that I liked the film. It was really very entertaining. There are no boring moments. It’s one great scene to another. The dance sequences are great. Parang puro professional dancers ang sumasayaw. I have newfound respects to the actors. John Travolta is perfect as Edna Turnblad. Nakakatawa talaga siya. Much is expected from him – and he truly delivered! Michelle Pfeiffer as Velma von Tussle is good as expected. Yun nga lang – she seems too skinny – which is actually perfect for the role she’s playing but not real life. Queen Latifah exudes royalty in every scene. I still prefer her as Matron Mama Morton in Chicago but she is also damn fine as Motormouth Maybelle. Her rendition of I Know Where I’ve Been is very touching. Zac Efron’s as Link Larki is like Troy Bolton in the 60’s. Not much difference really – maybe because his High School Musical character have certain similarities with his character in Hairspray. To his credit – he sings and dances really well. Kailangan lang nya magdiversify ng roles or else he will be stereotyped to this kinds of roles. Newcomer Nikki Blonsky as Teracy Turnblad is a revelation. She is very likeable. She dances really well. Parang balewala lang yung excess weight nya! Sabi nga nung kasama ko – she’s like a young Kathy Najimy. As for the songs – all the songs are great – but I particularly like John Travolta and Christopher Walken’s “Your’e timeless to Me”, Nikki Blonsky’s “Good Morning Baltimore” and the final song “You Can’t Stop the Beat”.
Behind the songs, dances and big hair – the movie primarily tackles discrimination. The segregation of the white from the he black is a very sensitive topic. The movie ends with the show being an integrated show – black people and white people can dance together in the show. No more “ Negro day”. Color of the skin is no longer an issue — or so it seems. Personally – even in the current time – discrimination is still present. And it is not only the black people now – Asians are discriminated as well. We Filipinos have been the recipients of discriminations. I think that to say discrimination is gone is a big fat lie. It is still there – and I don’t think it will disappear. Natatakpan lang ito ng “Tolerance”. Of course we cannot deny that much has changed… pero I d o think that we have still a long way to go… maybe a few hundred more years bago mawala nang tuluyan ito.
Opps… sobra nang seryoso yan. And I don’t want to end this blog on a so-serious note. Anyway — kung kayo ay feeling blue… or may free time … and does not abhor singing….. I suggest that you watch Hairspray. Bilang closing – one sign during the “big march” scene states “Television is Black and White”…… fastforward to today …. television is in Technicolor….. but it seems that nothing much has changed …… discrimination is still existing …. nadagdagan lang ng kulay….. Hmmm.. something we all have to think about.
More Hairspray info on following links :
http://www.hairspraymovie.com/
http://www.hairspraymovie.com/blog
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427327/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairspray_%282007_film%29
