John Waters’ Hairspray (1988)
April 6th, 2011 § 2 Comments
The word “camp” was given a redefinition after I read Susan Sontag’s “Notes on Camp” last night. I really didn’t know what to expect before I read the article. For me, “camp” signified a place that was defined by a sense of adventure. An isolated haven; a retreat; which people could escape to. A camp was a place where you take a break to go and kill a few small animals, roast them over a spit and consume them. It was fun. Adventurous. But this NEW “camp” redefined the word to describe the feeling of “cheesiness”, or exaggeration created by watching an overacted, ostentatious movie for example. You know, that feeling when you get when you see an overly eager actor trying too hard? Imagine that; except everyone is doing it. In that sense, Hairspray (delightfully) earned my recognition as being the *campiest* movie I’ve seen. Although I didn’t enjoy the movie very much at the outset, I realized that Hairspray has more serious than it appeared to be when I started doing some background research on it.
The movie was directed by John Waters and was released in 1988. It tells the story of Tracy Turnbald, a plump young teenage dance sensation in 1960’s Baltimore and her showbiz stint that led to the desegregation of a popular teenage dance show. The movie is overly melodramatic and stylized, complete with outrageous hairstyles, deliberate exaggeration, and moments of complete outlandishness. But the story carried a greater significance; that of political and moral change, in its larger-than-life storyline. Inspired by real events and a time of radical change that was sparked by the civil rights movement, Hairspray joined the ranks of movies that sought to create a story that addressed issues such as racism and female empowerment. Personally, watching the movie was less appealing than reading more about its context and understanding the background of this movie.
The movie’s heroine, Tracy Turnbald, is a complete departure from the conventional movie heroine of the time. She is the kind of person who would appeal to those who lived by the adage “bigger is better” or “the bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushin’” (thank you for that Spinal Tap. You are the masters of the universe). Chubby though she was, Tracy personified the very essence of change that characterized the 60’s. She was a woman. She was chubby. And she wanted change. She was the antithesis to the standard movie hero and ordinary white Southerner that the 60’s and 70’s were used to seeing. Change was going to come. And Tracy Turnbald was going to dance her way to making that happen.
Tracy in all her glory.
Kim Newman of Empire Magazine says that Hairspray was “thoroughly deserving of its cult status”. I personally hate musicals, so I didn’t really enjoy watching the movie and its over-acted antics. But looking back on its context, I can see how the film would have made an impression on a lot of people. It was an underdog story. Here was a girl who everyone would hardly ever notice (except at the lunch counter), getting out there, giving the downtrodden some hope, and the unrealistic klutzes some sense. It was an adventure just like heading out to real a camp. Cheesy it might have been, but I don’t have any scruples with something with a timely and feel good message like that.
Or a hairstyle like that!
I know Hairspray had larger meanings, social change, inspiring the outcast and all that, but because of its campiness, I guess I sometimes found myself ignoring those messages and focusing more on the ridiculous nature of the characters, the costumes, of the Miss Auto Show competition. I just found these distracting from any message that might have been there so the “feel good” happy ending was not believable in my opinion.
I myself don’t mind camp, but I felt that it can become overzealous and overwhelming quickly. To me being campy means that a film can be forgive for its lack of refinement, not that a film is given a license to revel in its overbearing rejection of all that is classy. This film was not terribly handled, but I too abhor musicals (we forgot to write that on the chalkboard) or anything tangential to them. I thought at times this film was barely a step above a Van Wilder sequel level of sophistication.