"Hairspray"

I went with the DMTC crew to see the new movie musical at the Regal Cinema in Davis. Since I know little about musicals, in general, I was quite curious about this movie, in particular, since it was clear from events like last year's Flying Monkeys Benefit that it had seized the affections of all the young musical theater aficionados.....

"Hairspray" made me get all teary. Movies rarely do that to me. The last time I remember getting all teary at a movie was seeing "Room With A View", in 1985. Really, "Hairspray" is one of the best - perhaps the best - movie musical, ever! A classic!

Superb casting! No weaknesses, anywhere! Michelle Pfeiffer seemed to me to be the best player, but really, everyone was at their very best here.

America was giddily optimistic in the brief 'New Frontier' period, lasting from 1961 to 1963 - two and a half years, max. The optimism was so strong it almost qualified as a collective delusion. This movie caught the halcyon spirit of that strange, fleeting time remarkably well.

It is very difficult to deal adequately with racial politics in any movie, without getting all didactic, or heavy, or without offending anyone, or patronizing anyone, or getting hopelessly entangled with difficulties. To handle such matters in a musical (could there be a less-suitable art form?) would seem to be almost impossible - easier to grab a wheelchair and roll up Mt. Everest instead. This movie musical does the trick, though, assisted by all kinds of clever writing, energy, spirit, and skill.

Two quotes from imdb (except I adjust the last one according to my memory):

Motormouth Maybelle: If we get any more white people in here this is gonna be a suburb.
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Motormouth Maybelle: [to Seaweed and Penny] You two better brace yourselves for a whole lotta ugly coming from a whole lotta stupid.
Penny Pingleton: Oh, so you've met my mom.
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Go check it out for yourself!