Hairspray

Forever interested in the kitsch built into past eras, director John Waters chooses the TV dance show craze of the early '60s for his playful focus in Hairspray. Ricki Lake plays Tracy Turnblad, just one of several alliteratively named characters coming of age in 1962 Baltimore, where "The Corny ...more

Given his fondness for unrestrained envelope pushing, including one of the most graphic films ever to receive wide release (1973's Pink Flamingos), Hairspray seems like a real departure for John Waters, in content if not sensibility. Even with its PG rating and overarching cheeriness, it's still not for everyone -- and Waters wouldn't have it any other way. Future talk show mainstay Ricki Lake has Waters to thank for her breakthrough into popular awareness, and has rewarded him with several ...more