POV: You just discovered the original Hairspray (1988) and realized the musical left out the funniest parts 🕺💣 “The nicest kids in town… with the biggest hair.” John Waters’ secret weapon? He made a feel-good movie that’s still subversive as hell. #hairspray1988 #johnwaters #rickilake #divine #criterion
The plot is deceptively simple. Tracy Turnblad (Ricki Lake, in her debut role), a pleasantly plump teenager with a heart of gold and hair the size of a satellite, auditions for a local dance show. She gets thrown in jail for protesting, dethrones the rich, skinny queen (played brilliantly by Colleen Fitzpatrick), and integrates the television station. Hairspray -1988-