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Hairspray (PG, 1988) Presented in 35mm Film by The Revival House PerthIn 1962 Baltimore, plus-size teenager Tracy Turnblad (Ricki Lake) dreams of dancing on the popular local television program The Corny Collins Show, despite the show's rigid, narrow-minded beauty standards and its segregated "Negro Day" policy. When Tracy's infectious enthusiasm and natural talent land her a coveted spot on the show, she quickly becomes a sensation, using her newfound platform to challenge both the show's exclusionary beauty ideals and its racial segregation, campaigning alongside her Black friends and classmates to integrate the programme for good. As Tracy's rise to stardom threatens the show's reigning queen bee and the bigoted producer determined to maintain the status quo, her irrepressible optimism and genuine conviction inspire a movement for change that extends far beyond the dance floor.
Director John Waters delivers his most accessible and mainstream work, tempering his signature transgressive sensibility into a vibrant, joyfully satirical celebration of body positivity and civil rights told through the lens of teen dance culture. Ricki Lake's star-making performance radiates genuine warmth and determination, while Divine, in a rare dual role, brings gleeful theatrical energy as both Tracy's mother Edna and the show's villainous station manager. Waters's affectionate, candy-coloured recreation of early-60s Baltimore pop culture balances broad comedy with a sincere, subversive message about inclusion and self-acceptance, all set to an infectious soundtrack of period rock and roll. Blending Waters's cult sensibility with genuine mainstream crossover appeal, Hairspray remains a joyous, big-hearted classic that helped launch the material's enduring legacy on stage and screen.
Original format and audio experience of this film faithfully reproduced by The Revival House. Presented in 35mm film unless noted otherwise.
When: Sunday, November 8th at 7:00PM
Where: The Revival House at the Como Theatre
Rating: PG (The content is mild in impact)
Waters's most accessible film blends candy-coloured satire with genuine heart—experience the original Hairspray on 35mm film.
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Event venue
16 Preston Street Como, 6152, 16 Preston St, Como WA 6152, Australia, Perth
Tickets
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