Thinking Big
I’m really excited about Hairspray, which comes out this weekend. I realize it’s got the drawback of Travolta in a fat suit (the Onion review says he sounds like Truman Capote and looks like his face is melting) and I also realize the John Waters movie is fantastic in its own right, but I am excited nonetheless. (Also, the soundtrack has a bonus track of Nikky Blonsky, Ricki Lake, and Marissa Jaret Winokur singing “Mama I’m A Big Girl Now” and how awesome is that?)
It’s got teen heartthrob Zac Efron hooking up with a fat chick who loves to dance, which makes me think that the High School Musical set will see this film, and will get a positive message out of it. Plus, Zac Efron isn’t afraid to say he likes big girls:
He says, “I actually go for girls like her (Blonsky) in real life. I like girls that are happy and healthy.”
And Nikki Blonsky. Is that girl cute as a button or what?
“She’s very pretty, and she had extraordinary confidence. She seemed to love the way her body was and demonstrated all of Tracy’s kind of unabashed zeal,” Shankman said. “What you’re seeing on that screen is who Nikki is. I didn’t want anyone to have to act like Tracy.”
The article also talks about agents who pressured her to lose weight (of course, because what we need in Hollywood are more thin celebrities that we can zip into fat suits) and her philosophy about haters.
“I was constantly teased and made fun of and called every name in the book because I was short and curvaceous,” Blonsky said. “My parents and my grandparents told me from a very young age, people make fun of you because they’re insecure about themselves. So I came up with the motto of, well, if I can help people, this is the way I’m going to help. If they need to make fun of me to make themselves feel better, then they should feel better. Because frankly, I don’t care if you make fun of me or not. It’s not going to do anything to me.”
I am going to vote with my wallet, and I encourage you to do the same. I hope Hairspray blows that Dane Cook crap out of the water.
Posted by mo pie
i haven’t seen it but just by the previews, i think i’d like the original better… and i’m not a huge fan of travolta but my niece LOVES zac (as well as every other teenage girl in the world)… :o)
I’m a big fan of the stage musical and I hope the movie is great. Hairspray is one of my favorite cast recordings and I adore the message it sends.
i saw a sneak preview about a month ago, here in LA. the movie is so GREAT!!! i am a big girl, and i felt so happy and encouraged when i saw it. it is the most fun i’ve had at a movie in a long time. there are a few brief moments where there’s a cheap, stereotypical joke about a fat woman loving food in an extreme way (but it’s done in a lighthearted and joking way, not in a vicious way; and let’s face it, some fat women – just like some thin and average sized women – really love them some food!)–but for me the overwhelmingly positive message of the rest of the movie blew was the only thing i walked away with. i recommend it to all people of every size and shape and gender and color and category!!!
the original film was my favorite for the longest time (along with muriel’s wedding) simply because i had never seen the fat girl get the guy…i was apprehensive about seeing the musical on broadway, but ended up loving it…i definitely plan on seeing the film!
I just can’t…John Travolta in drag…I just can’t.
Scary Travolta or no, I will willingly spend the money to see this!!
I saw it and it was AWESOME!!! I thought travolta would be horrible, but he was actually pretty good! oh, and Zac Efron is HOT!
I’m officially in love with Nikki Blonski. I have never had a crush on anyone of the opposite sex before, especially not someone from HollyWARGH.
Saw the movie on opening night. It is FABULOUS! John Travolta captured the whole insecure, sweet naivete of the mother. I love it when she uses her size to protect her daughter. The oneliners in this are terrific. Christopher Walken is not a favorite of mine, but I loved him in this. All the kids were gorgeous and the talent just spilled out of all of them. Queen Latifah was just icing on an already multi-layered cake. GO SEE IT!
Okay…I think I want to see this now. All this gushing you know. :)
I knew nothing of this movie going into it and was blown away by its awesomeness. There were a couple of cringeworthy moments — one very brief one when Tracy steals a pastry from a teacher and shoves it in her mouth and sings with her mouth open — and one when Travolta slams into a door clumsily as Edna — but overall, it was so positive about being happy, healthy, fabulous, and in love at any size and in any color and so glorious that I think everyone should see it right this minute. Everyone in the entire world. That’s how much I loved it.
I saw it yesterday and I agree with you totally (except I think Michelle Pfeiffer sounded very un-Zanoni, or maybe that song just sucked). I listened to a bunch of the songs on the elliptical today, and Travolta somehow made Edna sweet and vulnerable. But dude, it was great. I agree everyone should go!
You cant stop my happiness
‘Cause I like the way I am
And you just can’t stop my knife and fork
When I see a Christmas ham
So if you don’t like the way I look
Well, I just don’t give a damn!
‘Cause the world keeps spinning
‘Round and ’round
And my heart’s keeping time
To the speed of sound
I was lost til I heard the drums
Then I found my way
‘Cause you cant stop the beat
Ever since this old world began
A woman found out if she shook it
She could shake up her man
And so I’m gonna shake and shimmy it
The best that I can today
‘Cause you cant stop
The motion of the ocean
Or the sun in the sky
You can wonder if you wanna
But I never ask why
And if you try to hold me down
I’m gonna spit in your eye and say
That you cant stop the beat!
It’s a huge bummer that they cut “Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now” from the flick, though. ;-(