Leslie Ann Powers

The Corny Collins Show is based on the real-life Buddy Deane Show, a local dance party program which pre-empted Dick Clark's American Bandstand in the Baltimore area during the 1950s and early 1960s.

Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the film revolves around self-proclaimed "pleasantly plump" teenager Tracy Turnblad as she pursues stardom as a dancer on a local TV show and rallies against racial segregation.

Hairspray was a moderate success upon its initial theatrical release, earning $8 million.

In 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, overweight teenager Tracy Turnblad dreams of appearing on The Corny Collins Show, a popular local television program featuring a "council" of teenagers dancing to popular songs.

One night, she and her best friend Penny Pingleton sneak out to a record hop emceed by the show's host Corny Collins.

Though the event is segregated, she impresses guest judge Motormouth Maybelle Stubbs, who co-hosts the program's monthly "Negro Day".

After she and her partner Fender win that night's dance contest, narrowly beating council dancers Amber Von Tussle (the show's reigning queen and a mean, conventionally attractive high school classmate whose racist parents, Velma and Franklin, own Tilted Acres Amusement Park which bans African Americans) and her boyfriend Link Larkin, Corny invites her to audition for his program at the WZZT television studio the next day, inspiring her to bleach, tease, and rat her big hair.

At the audition, Penny nervously stumbles over her answers, and another girl, Nadine Carver, is cut for being black.

Tracy's dance moves and stellar performance during the "mock interview" challenge earn her a spot on the council, beginning with that afternoon's taping.

After mocking Tracy's weight, Amber is suspended for the day by Corny.

Having previously disapproved of her daughter's hairstyle and incessant obsession, Tracy's slightly overbearing and equally overweight mother Edna eventually revels in her daughter's newfound fame and takes her shopping at Hefty Hideaway, a clothing store for plus-size women.

The owner, Mr. Pinky, recognizes Tracy and hires her as his model.

At school, Tracy is sent to the principal's office for violating the student hairstyle policy; the principal then assigns her to special education classes, where she befriends black classmates who have been sent there to be held back academically.

She and Link fall in love as she competes for the title of Miss Auto Show 1963, fuelling Amber's jealousy towards her.

Later, Tracy, Penny, and Link are invited to Maybelle's R&B record shop on North Avenue, where the trio meet Maybelle's daughter, L'il Inez, and learn dance moves such as "The Bird" and "The Dirty Boogie".

Penny begins an interracial romance with Maybelle's son Seaweed, horrifying her parents, Prudy and Paddy, who imprison her in her bedroom and hire quack psychiatrist Dr. Frederickson to brainwash her into only dating white boys.

Undeterred, Tracy uses her newfound fame to advocate for racial integration.

Meanwhile, Maybelle organizes a protest at Tilted Acres as Corny hosts a live special taping, during which Amber falsely claims that Tracy's hairdo is infested with cockroaches.

Both black and white protestors storm the park, inciting a race riot that interrupts the taping; Tracy is arrested, Link is severely assaulted, and the Von Tussles' opposition to racial integration increases.

Later, Seaweed, who was also wounded during the riot, helps Penny break out of her house and escape from her parents, who furiously disown her.

Corny hosts another special broadcast at the Miss Auto Show 1963 pageant, but Tracy is unable to attend as she is stuck in reform school, while Link is now using a wheelchair.

Franklin conceals a bomb in Velma's towering bouffant wig, planning for her to throw the bomb should Amber lose.

Meanwhile, Maybelle and L'il Inez handcuff themselves to the governor, refusing to leave until he frees Tracy.

When Miss Auto Show is announced, WZZT station manager Arvin Hodgepile reveals that although Tracy is technically the winner, she has been disqualified, and Amber is crowned instead.

As Amber celebrates her victory, the governor simultaneously exonerates Tracy, who ventures to the pageant.

Disregarding Arvin's mandate, Corny announces the show is now integrated, after which Tracy changes into a dress embroidered with roaches and introduces a dance called "The Bug", with Link standing up from his wheelchair to join her.

As L'il Inez confiscates Amber's crown, the bomb in Velma's wig spontaneously detonates and the burning hairpiece lands on Amber's head, causing the Von Tussles' sabotage plot to backfire, and the police arrest both Franklin and Velma.

Tracy claims her rightful crown and encourages everyone to dance.

Council members

Special appearances

Waters wrote the screenplay under the title of White Lipstick, with the story loosely based on real events.

Hairspray is a 1988 American comedy film written and directed by John Waters, starring Sonny Bono, Ruth Brown, Divine, Debbie Harry, Ricki Lake in her film debut, and Jerry Stiller, with special appearances by Ric Ocasek in his final film and Pia Zadora.

Hairspray was a dramatic departure from Waters's earlier works, with a much broader intended audience.

Hairspray's PG is the least restrictive rating a Waters film has received; most of his previous films were rated X by the MPAA.

However, it managed to attract a larger audience on home video in the early 1990s, and it became a cult film.

In 2002, the film was adapted into a Broadway musical of the same name, which won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical in 2003.

A second film version of Hairspray, an adaptation of the stage musical, was also released by New Line Cinema in 2007, which included many changes of scripted items from the original.

In 2022, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

The film received critical acclaim and ranks at No. 444 on Empire magazine's 2008 list of the 500 greatest films of all time.

This is Divine's final film released during his lifetime as he died three weeks after its release.