Hairspray

Hairspray
February 26, 1988
New Line Cinema
Comedy, Musical, Historical
VHS
B+

This remains a lot of fun, so much fun that I've resisted seeing the musical remake, onstage or screen.  Although this may not be a musical per se, the music is an integral part of the story, and there are some wonderful oldies and oddities.  The dancing is a joy to watch, especially when Rikki Lake (as heroine Tracy Turnblad) struts her stuff.  The dialogue, particularly anything Divine says, is endlessly quotable.  The movie is well cast, nowhere more so in the stunt casting.  (Divine is married to Jerry Stiller here, while other couples include Deborah Harry & Sonny Bono and Pia Zadora & Ric Ocasek.)  I also enjoy Leslie Ann Powers as Tracy's loyal best friend Penny and Michael St. Gerard as her sexy but sensitive boyfriend Link.

John Waters, in his first PG movie, manages to send up a lot of genres at once, while at the same time paying loving tribute to his hometown of Baltimore, and making some half-serious points about society.  The pacing and energy do fall off in the last half hour.  I understand the inclusion of the governor, but this part of the story seems to have needed editing and tightening, as does much else around then.  Still, there's so much to enjoy overall that the movie is easily in my Top Five for the '80s.

Note: one of my later movie crushes, Josh Charles (then 16) makes his debut here, as Iggy.

Roadie

Roadie
June 13, 1980
United Artists
Comedy, Romance, Musical
VHS
C-

The general idea for this movie isn't bad: Meat Loaf (as Travis W. Redfish) has inherited his father Art Carney's mechanical aptitude (the Redfish house is full of all kinds of gizmos, like a moving phone booth) and thus becomes, despite his reluctance, the greatest roadie in the world.  Unfortunately, the movie is too meandering and there's a very annoying leading lady, Kaki Hunter as Lola Bouillabase.  Also, the various musicians aren't given much to do other than show up, although Deborah Harry has a moment when she's eating with Mr. Loaf that shows what the movie would've been like if she'd been the love interest.  (She'd have a more interesting role in Hairspray, much later in the decade.)  Another performer who makes a slight impression is Soul Train's Don Cornelius, as concert-promoter Mohammed Johnson, who late in the movie decides to try to become the first black President.  It's a throw-away line, without follow-up, like much of the movie, except for Lola's tedious plans to lose her virginity to a seemingly indifferent Alice Cooper.  The only musicians who redeem themselves are Cheap Trick, twice singing the song with the Redfish motto, "Everything Works If You Let It."

Alice Cooper's wife Sheryl appears as herself, and she was in Sgt. Pepper as a dancer.  Hank Williams, Jr. also appeared in that movie.  Lenore Woodward would play a little old lady again, in Hamburger-- The Motion Picture.  Richard Portnow, who's First New York Wino, would be Sy in Radio Days.  This time Hamilton Camp plays Grady.