Alyssa MacDonald

American Cinema

3/13/12

Musical of Choice: Hairspray (2007)

The musical I watched for this writing assignment was the musical Hairspray (2007) directed by Adam Shankman. He had directed and choreographed multiple films.  The setting of the film is 1962 Baltimore Maryland. The film’s main conflict is the racial segregation on a local tv program and in society. The main character is Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) a plump, outgoing teenager who loves to dance and sing. She manages to get on the local television show she loves and eventually helps de-segregate the show with the help of her friends and family. Most of the dance numbers take place in a setting but others are performed on the t.v stage for the program. I like the upbeat songs and the fast pace of the dancing. There are usually multiple dancers involved and a lot of moving to different locations within the same number. The whole movie is colorful and the costumes change constantly. It’s quite stimulating for the viewer. None of the singing is too spectacular but the dancing is the main focus. I like the 1950-60’s style of dancing and it’s fun to watch.