Hairspray (Soundtrack to the Motion Picture) [SOUNDTRACK] [ENHANCED]

Marc Shaiman (Composer), John Travolta (Performer), Zac Efron (Performer), Nikki Blonsky (Performer), Michelle Pfeiffer (Performer), James Marsden (Performer), Brittany Snow (Performer), Queen Latifah (Performer), Christopher Walken (Performer), Elijah Kelley (Performer)

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 10, 2007)
• Original Release Date: July 20, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack, Enhanced
• Label: Watertower Music
• ASIN: B000PUAID4
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (169 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,124 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

What fun! This soundtrack of the film adaptation of the Broadway musical overflows with glossy, ol' fashioned '60s-style pep. It won't win any awards for innovation, but it may well be one of the most feel-good releases of the year. While not quite as super-energetic as the original Broadway cast, the new crew ain't too shabby: Nikki Blonsky delivers as Tracy Turnblad and Zac Efron (High School Musical) makes for a devoted boyfriend, and the supporting cast gleefully embraces the show's silly-but-generous spirit. John Travolta (who gets to utter the particularly ironic line "it's been years since someone asked me to dance") goes drag as Tracy’s mom, Edna, while Michelle Pfeiffer's slight stiffness is appropriate for her uptight character, especially on the cha-cha "(The Legend of) Miss Baltimore Crabs." After Mama Morton in Chicago, Queen Latifah puts in another brassy turn as Motormouth Maybelle ("Big, Blonde and Beautiful," which is then reprised by Travolta and Pfeiffer). The show's authors, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, have written three new numbers for the movie: the rollicking (and first single) "Ladies' Choice," "New Girl in Town" and "Come So Far." In addition, the CD also includes two tracks that aren't in the film but were in the show: "Cooties," sung by Aimee Allen, and "Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now," sung by all three Tracy Turnblads: Blonsky, Ricki Lake (from the source movie) and Marissa Jaret Winokur (from the original Broadway cast). --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Product Description

The Hairspray soundtrack will feature 17 songs from the film, including three original numbers that were created specifically for the film version of the hit Broadway musical - "Ladies' Choice," "New Girl In Town," and "Come So Far." Also featured on the soundtrack are the songs "Good Morning Baltimore," "Welcome to the `60s," "Nicest Kids In Town," and "You Can't Stop The Beat." The songs are performed by cast members John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, Amanda Bynes, Brittany Snow and Elijah Kelley among others.

The Hairspray soundtrack is produced by Marc Shaiman and features music by Shaiman and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman. It features tracks mixed by Ed Cherney (Rolling Stones, Bette Midler) and Peter Mokran (Pussycat Dolls, Christina Aguilera).

Sixteen years after the release of the original film, New Line Cinema is bringing a feature film adaptation of the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of Hairspray to life. Featuring new and original material based on John Waters' 1988 cult classic about star-struck teenagers on a local Baltimore dance show, the comedy features a remarkable collection of talent including John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, Allison Janney, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley, producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Chicago), and director Adam Shankman (Bringing Down The House). The new screenplay for Hairspray was written by Leslie Dixon (Freaky Friday, Outrageous Fortune).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome. Seriously. Un-freaking-believably awesome., July 31, 2007

By	M J Heilbron Jr. "Dr. Mo" (Long Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This is an outstanding CD from an outstanding musical film!

I totally loved the movie. "Hairspray" makes a seamless, wonderful transfer from the Broadway stage to the silver screen.

The soundtrack perfectly captures the film, including all the music and snippets of dialogue, creating a complete satisfying experience.

It is impossible to overstate what a find Nikki Blonsky is. Watching her is like shaking a bottle of Pepsi, and waiting for it to fizz. Bubbly is an understatement. Her vocal performance matches her screen performance beat for beat.

"Good Morning Baltimore" launches us into this very specific (60's, working-class, Baltimore) era, using hysterical lyrics and time-capsule-like music.

The music of "Hairspray" sounds like every single early 60's pop song you can name off the top of your head dumped into a blender, and then poured over a CD. Motown, Brill Building, surf, Spector, Stax, Sinatra, girl groups, doo-wop...seriously...it's all here.

It's like one day,you unexpectedly have the best chocolate milk shake you've EVER tasted. You had tons of 'em before, but MAN was that one good!

Same here. Instantly familiar yet wholly original and of the utmost quality. The tunes are more infectious than head lice at preschool. The lyrics are smarter than you are.

Anyways...back to Blonsky. Her showcase songs, "Baltimore" & "I Can Hear The Bells" , along with her cast pieces like "Without Love" and "You Can't Stop The Beat" reveal her to be a world class entertainer. Her character's personality spills out of your speakers like the foam of a root beer float filled too full.

The entire cast is a dream. James Marsden (Cyclops? Really? Is that you?) fully imbues his plastic Corny Collins character with a winking shine; he knows he's considered superficial but he also know he isn't.

Zac Efron will get all the tweens/teens aflutter, but he's great. Honestly. "Ladies' Choice" positively thunders out of my car stereo, and is merely one of several, cardiac-arrhythmia-inducing energizing moments during the show.

Queen Latifah, as usual, is nothing but pure class. She as regal as her name. Powerful vocals without being overpowering.

And what about Travolta? He's terrific in the movie. As Tracy's mom, Edna, he goes for something different than the previous incarnations. Before, they were clearly big men in drag. Loud ad abrasive. Here, Travolta goes for a different tack. It's clearly Travolta, but his Edna has this pig-eyed sweetness, this down-trodden nobility, that I haven't seen before. It works like gangbusters. His vocal input here is limited, and that's perfectly OK.

Michelle Pfeiffer represents evil in this movie, and it comes across in her "Miss Baltimore Crabs" song. Listen, I love Miss Pfeiffer. She's my favorite. I'm her number one fan. Love her to death. I would lie down in front of a moving train for her.
But she's positively horrible here...and in the best possible way. She is so good at being so bad, her input here is unpleasant. Which is a roundabout high compliment. I never have to listen to her songs again. I'll just go back to "Ladyhawke" or "Baker Boys."

The REAL find her might be Elijah Kelley. During the film, you can't take your eyes off of him. On this soundtrack, he soars. Every time he shows up, you KNOW it. "Run and Tell That" is frankly amazing. It moves and grooves with such delightful energy, you cannot avoid doing that weird looking dance you do while sitting in your car with your seatbelt on.

The best moment, of dozens, is "You Can't Stop The Beat." When I say people were dancing as we left the movie theater, that is not hyperbole or exaggeration. It is fact. It is what people were doing, filing out the exits.
They were dancing.

To this song.

An unbridled tornado of musical electricity, "You Can't Stop..." shake you from your very foundations, finding some deep, repressed desire to shake your booty that may have been hidden long along, and brings it, uncontrollably, to the surface. I felt like somebody clamped a car battery to my tail bone. The ensemble singing will lift you off of your chair (I'm warning you: pull over if you listen to this in your car), and the band exhibits such crisp, tight musicianship, coupled with a healthy, wild abandon...it is futile to resist.

The ending is simply thrilling with the stop-start chorus and explosive band breaks.

I'm spent just RECALLING the experience!

One other thing. Definitely check out the last song on the disc. "Mama, I'm A Big Girl Now" is a song from the original show that didn't make it into the film. Rikki Lake (from the original non-musical film), Marissa Jaret Winokur (the original Broadway Tracy Turnblad) and Nikki Blonsky come together to do a hilarious, fun, riotous version of this very funny song. There's a brief, hysterical vocal cameo by...well...I'll save THAT for you to discover on your own.

A higher recommendation does not exist. Thanks for taking the time to read this...

32 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars YOU CAN'T STOP THE BEAT, July 16, 2007

By	Robert F. Powers "show maniac" (Quincy, Ma USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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I refuse to compare the Broadway Cast with the Soundtrack Cast because they each stand on their own dancing feet and each makes you feel as high as Tracy Turnblads hair-do. And who could have known that John Travolta would make his 3rd or fourth movie comeback playing a two-ton woman named Edna Turnblad. The photos make it look like he swallowed a volkswagon but I can't wait to see him in the movie.

The CD starts with the jubilant "Good Morning Baltimore" and the finale is the driving.pulsing "You Can't Stop The Beat" and sandwiched in-between is a raft of tasty morsels like Blonskys(Tracey) "I Can Hear The Bells' "Welcome to The Sixties" "Without Love" and the afore-mentioned "Good Morning Baltimore" and "You Can'tstop The Beat"

Zac Efron playing Traceys love interest Link Larkin shines on "It takes Two" and a new rocker written for the film "Ladies Choice" and Queen Latifah soars on her big number "I Know Where I'm Going"

Although John Travoltas role has not much singing he and Christopher Walken duet on the charmingly off-beat "You're Timeless To Me"

"Hairspray" is fun,it rocks,it rolls,and to be cliche-it just darn well makes you feel good.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FABULOUS FUN!, July 24, 2007

By	Paul A. Minafri (Phoenix, Arizona) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Here are TEN, ok, 11 reasons to see the film and buy the soundtrack:

1. John Travolta is a hoot...he should be nominated for an Academy Award.

2. Queen Latifah reigns in her justifiable glory..she is truly a major star. Her presence in the movie and soundtrack INSURES the message of the movie is delivered with grace and purpose.

3. Michelle Pfeiffer is PERFECT in her role. She plays sordid and evil so very well.

4. Zac Efron IS Luke...he is just too cool..and those eyes!

5. Elijah Kelley is brilliant..what a great talent! He sings, he dances, he acts...he rocks.

6. Nicki Blonsky is the LIVING TRACEY TURNBLAT...what a wonderful new talent. She was born for the role.

7. James Marsden is brilliantly smarmy.

8. The music is uplifting and just plain fun.

9. The sets and costumes are worthy of Academy nomination, and perhaps award.

10. The choreography is exciting, energetic, and exuberant.

And

11. Well...simply stated...you can't sit in the theater without tapping your foot, and you can't leave the theater without feeling real good and humming a song!