as a black woman myself, queen latifah executed it perfectly .. not everything has to be over the top, the moment was solemn and reflective idk how you werent seeing that vision
She didn't see that version because that's not what she, as a viewer of the movie, wants to hear, lol. There's no harm in wanting more vocal performance in a very vocal movie. I respect your opinion though, but I'm also saying that her's is valid too 😁
@@BigSillyMealnah you can’t project your expectations on every performance and then be like “I wish you gave more” esp when you aren’t from the same background and you can’t fight the need to want to whitewash everything.
@carl8218 I have no idea when white washing was brought into this lol, I get what you're saying though I think. At the same time, it's not bad to want to hear a impactful song with a dramaticized vocal performance. It's just other people's preference 👍
@@carl8218 what? none of your comment makes sense here. if you are voicing your expectations and opinions about a performance you absolutely CAN say "i wish you gave more". also, this has nothing to do with whitewashing, how is it white to say that you wish there was more soul in a voice? Queen Latifah downplayed her voice in this role for some reason and while its still good in the role she could have given it more to give it more impact, THAT is what she was saying.
Queen Latifah has so much soul and power in her voice, but it’s held back in this movie. I wonder if that was direction or something else, because she’s more than capable of the intensity you were looking for.
I’ve wondered why her voice was downplayed in this movie too. In “When You’re Good to Mama” from Chicago, she has so much power and sass and strength in that performance. In Hairspray, her acting performance is great but her voice was underutilized for some reason.
I feel like the director went for a more grounded version of the show, which could explain the more subdued vocals. I prefer the more madcap original movie and musical, but I do like Tracys voice here over the musical's more affected, nasaly style.
It's normal to cast a man in the role of Edna. In memory of the original person in this role the Legendary Actor and Drag Queen Divine who died of Heart failure three weeks after the 1988 version of Hairspray debuted at the movies. Divine is also the inspiration for Ursela the Sea Witch in the Animated "Little Mermaid". Fun Fact Mattew Morrison from Glee played the part the Zac has in this movie on Broadway.
Another fun fact: The person who originated the role of Tracy Turnblad (Ricki Lake) was one of the talent scouts in the audience during the finale. Nice little cameo.
@@kev7161 I been waiting for someone else to comment on that for almost a week since I left this comment. I didn't want to add in everything I know about Hairspary.
I totally agree! Her performance has a solemnity to it that fits the theme of the material. I have seen this movie several times and have been affected every time by her performance. I think vocal coach reactions are sometimes looking/listening for different things than an average viewer, which is fine.
13:13 i kind of disagree on this particular moment needing to be huge. I think her singing soft, soul music here really speaks to what is going on she's not on stage belting out a happy solo song all about her, she is marching for equal rights with other people so she is uniting with those she's marching with not upstaging them.
This. I don’t think that song is supposed to be “look at this actors crazy voice” it’s supposed to be “this is a somber and emotional moment and let’s feel that”
You're one of my favorite UA-camr, but I feel like your take on Queen Latifah was a tad biased on how people think black voices should sound. The song, while powerful, being delivered somber is a token to the struggle that we are facing whether its in your face (loud like you wanted) or softer. Not all of our songs have to have that grunge or kick for it to be delivered properly. Queen Latifah can hit those notes you mentioned, but I do feel it was expected only because of what people associate black people singing as (aka to the skies). It was most likely a directors choice, but as someone POC, I never felt I Know Where I've Been was underperformed. Sorry, I hope it doesn't feel like I'm attacking you, it was just something I noticed. I Know Where Ive Been scene is rather intimate in the movie despite the march happening, so honestly I wouldve been thrown off, not in a good way, if Queen Latifah was going off on the vocals like she was in the choir. Your reaction was great though. This movie is stellar.
literally this. i went a little crazy when she mentioned that. her comment just sounded like she has a very one dimensional view of what black singers can sound like. queen latifah definitely held back for sure; she is capable of the very sound she's thinking of. but I don't think the song lacked ANYTHING with this softer approach. i listen to the movie version when I wanna have a good cry and the broadway version when I wanna get sad-hyped if that makes any sense lol
@@vibrantpixeIs omg I know exactly what you mean! And yeah, like she's not horrible or anything for thinking Queen Latifah held back, but I do think she didn't consider WHY they took a softer tone to this number because the atmosphere in the movie is very intimate.
Thank you for your perspective. I have seen this movie several times and her performance of “I Know Where I’ve Been” has affected me every time. I think that vocal coach reactions can be frustrating for us as movie watchers, since they come at it from a purely technical standpoint often and neglect the cinematic aspects that make movie musical performances so strong. A good example is Anne Hathaway performing “I Dreamed A Dream”; technically not a great performance, yet it is utterly heartrending and perfect for the context of the scene.
I agree, her voice needed to be somber, it wasn't meant to overwhelm you, it was meant to make you think. If she would have sung it full out, it would have taken people out of the emotion of the song. Also with the last song she sings, she is a rapper. Being able to sing without getting of breath is part of the why she was in the movie!
Some fun facts/behind the scenes/opinions: This movie is based on the 2002 Broadway musical (where Matthew Morrison/Mr.Schue played Link) which was based on the original movie from 1988. The musical is very popular but as for the movies, in this case the remake is generally considered better. Although the 1988 movie had a great cast like Ricki Lake, Divine, Debbie Harry (of Blondie), Sonny Bono (as in Sonny & Cher) and Jerry Stiller (who played Mr. Pinky in this movie). John Travolta spoke with an exaggerated Baltimore accent. His casting as Edna continued the tradition of having a man in drag portray the character, since the 1988 film featured drag queen Divine as Edna and the Broadway version featured Harvey Fierstein as Edna. Also fun fact: Divine was the inspiration for Ursula from The Little Mermaid. Another fun fact: One day between takes John Travolta began singing Summer Nights to the cast. Nikki Blonsky was completely unknown and working in an ice cream shop when she auditioned for the role at 18. Aside from being in a few high school productions, she had no professional acting or singing background at the time, and beat out 1.100 candidates. Here is footage of her reaction to getting the part: ua-cam.com/video/ZcgNDozn9-I/v-deo.html She's been in a few movies and TV shows since then but nothing big, which is a shame. She was always typecasted as the 'fat girl' and Hollywood apparently didn't have any decent roles for her. Zac Efron was 19 when filming the movie. If he hadn't been filming this he would've gone on tour with the rest of the High School Musical cast, in spite of not singing himself in the movie. Drew Seeley, who dubbed Zac's singing in the first HSM film, took his place on the tour. Also, Hairspray was released a month before High School Musical 2 so this was the first time we really heard Zac sing. Zac is an underrated singer in my opinion and honestly such an underrated actor. Some of the movies he's in are too ridiculous for me but I love how he does both comedy and drama so well. His versatility is amazing. He and Michelle Pfeiffer worked together again on New Year's Eve, which also stars Lea Michele. Zac once jokingly said he would like to play a serial killer on Glee. Interestingly he would later play Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, with Lily Collins as his girlfriend. The movie was controversial because some people thought it glorified serial killers, especially by casting someone like Zac. But Bundy being "good looking", charming and well respected in the community was how he lured his victims and how he got away with it for so long. People also did not take into consideration that the movie was from his girlfriend's perspective. I personally thought it was really good and Zac did an amazing job. He was so creepy and looked so much like him. James Marsden played Prince Edward in Enchanted and Disenchanted. Other than these movies he hasn't done that much singing professionally (which is shocking considering how good he is). He's been in several rom coms like The Notebook, 27 Dresses and The Best of Me. Coincidentally, The Notebook and The Best of Me are both based on Nicholas Sparks novels. In the latter he replaced Paul Walker as the lead after his death. Amanda Bynes was a child actress on Nickelodeon. She was also in several popular movies in early-mid 2000s. She has struggled with mental health and substance abuse, and was in a conservatorship from 2013-2022. Earlier this year she was placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold after she called 911 following a psychotic episode. Then on June 17th she called 911 again because she had thoughts of self harm, and was put in inpatient treatment. I believe she's out now and is getting follow-up outpatient treatment. I really hope she gets better. Like Britney, she's been through a lot and Hollywood kinda turned its back on her. Tayla Parx, the actress who portrays Little Inez, is a singer/songwriter. She has written and co-written songs for Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Demi Lovato and Justin Bieber, along with several songs with her friend Ariana Grande (including Thank You, Next). This year, she starred as Donna Summer in Spinning Gold, a biographical drama based on the life of Casablanca Records founder Neil Bogart. There were lots of cameos in this movie. Ricki Lake appeared as a talent agent and also sang Mama I'm A Big Girl Now with Nikki Blonsky and Marissa Jaret Winokur (who played Tracy in the Broadway musical) for the film's end credits. Harvey Fierstein had a brief singing cameo in the end credits for that too. Choreographer Zach Woodlee appears as a smoking teacher, who I only mention because he was also a choreographer and co-producer on Glee. Stephen "tWitch" Boss appears as a background dancer. There is a closeup of him in the final song at 1:42:42 of your video. He was a DJ/guest host/producer on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. He was also in So You Think You Can Dance and some of the Step Up movies. He tragically died by suicide on December 13th 2022 at the age of 40. There is a deleted song/scene called "I Can Wait", sung by Tracy. It's actually a shame because it shows a different side to her voice, more soft and gentle: ua-cam.com/video/8MNxrzvG96I/v-deo.html There is also another song sung by Link called "It Takes Two". He only sings the ending when they're announcing the auditions (and it's on the soundtrack): ua-cam.com/video/8BJ8sAV5Aj4/v-deo.html Talking about the fast pacing lyrics of the songs, most of the cast jokingly called the last song You Can't Stop the Beat "You can't stop to breathe". Queen Latifah said she had no trouble with it because of her background as a rapper. Btw I have to say I disagree about Queen Latifah AND Michelle Pfeiffer, I thought they were both perfect for their roles. All of the cast was amazing. Lastly, fun little thing not many people notice, and I don't know if it was done on purpose, but during Seaweed's song Run and Tell That - Tracy, Penny and Link (the white people) are at the back of the bus while Seaweed, Inez and the dancers are at the front (the poc). Kudos to you if you read all that!
Another fun fact: Penny’s dress in You Can’t stop the beat, is made from the same as the curtains in her bedroom, and the hooks holding the bottom part of the dress are the drapery hooks to Jane the curtains.
@@djay1066 I've always loved that little bit of trivia. My question is, who (in the movie) is supposed to have made the dress, and how did they get her curtains, cause she definitely didn't take them down the fire escape with her.
You do realise that's Queen Latifah, right? She's a fricking powerhouse!! She can wail if she wants to, but it would not be appropriate here. I Know Where I've Been is a powerful, solemn song - it doesn't need attitude and sass! She sang it amazingly, gave me chills. I don't know why you didn't get that 😕🤷
i agree, Queen Latifah was the perfect person to play this role. all the times that she wanted her to be this powerhouse voice would’ve been inappropriate for the songs she’s in. kinda threw me off the rest of the video :/
Hey, so I know i’m like but re-watching this and when she says that michelle phifer isn’t as good of a singer as everyone else blows my mind because Michelle sung beautifully in Prince of Egypt for “When you Believe” if she hasn’t, I would love for her to react to that song then give her views on michelle’s singing!
Fun fact, apparently Queen Latifa beat Aretha Franklin for that role of Motormouth Maybelle. I don’t really think there’s a bigger name than Aretha so that’s definitely not the reason they made that choice. There is something special and powerful in subtleness. I think the point is that not every black singer needs to sing like Aretha. Also, the level of sassiness Queen Latifa brings to the table is perfect for the character. Lots of love!! 💗 I love all your videos 💕💕💕
fun fact: it has been a tradition since the beginning that edna turnblat (Travolta's character) is played in drag- whether it is a stage performance or a film adaptation that character is always performed in drag!
I'm from Baltimore and I can vouch that YES, most of the houses in the city look just that. I live in the northern part of the city, near the county line and that's when you start to see single houses. John Travolta's Baltimore accent is spot on! James Marsden was Edward in "Enchanted." When John Walters made the original 1988 "Hairspray" it was based on "The Buddy Deane Show" and yes, it was segregated where only one day a month they had "Negro Day."
Yes Jennifer Hudson's vocals are for more superior. But she was just a bit too young for that role when this movie came out. The Live version was 10 years after this and she was much more age appropriate then for the role.
I was so happy that Nikki Blonsky got the role of Tracy. Apparently, she had tried several times for the stage show, but never got the role until the movie. It was her dream role!
I LOVE Queen Latifah. She has such soul in her voice. The three songs where she really shines are "I Know Where I've Been", "Big, Blonde and Beautiful" and "You Can't Stop The Beat"
The actor that plays Seaweed is Elijah Kelly he has had many roles singing. Other examples are Dream girls live ( which i highly recommend the movie and/or live show) and The Wiz live which includes MANY talented and famous singers. I still think the original Wiz tops with Micheal Jackson, Diana Ross, Nipsey Russel and so many more!!!
One thing I lovr about Tracey's "You Can't Stop the Beat" outfit is it appears ti be heavily inspired by the 70s. Sincr the movie takes place in the 60s, it seems to indicate how shes always looking ahead and doeanr want to be stuck in the past
Queen Latifah can sing like what you were describing. But that wasn't the artistic decision for this movie. They didn't want her to be the 'angry black woman' trope. She played it absolutely perfectly. The proof is when they did Hairspray Live and cast Jennifer Hudson (who is very well known for the powerful gravel you were looking for) also sang it toned down. That is what the role demands.
I love how every comment I've seen thus far has been running to defend Queen Latifa's honor as a singer lol. I have to agree though, she mastered this role both in acting and vocals. 💜🧡💛
My favourite line in this has to be when QL says there's a whole bunch of stupid coming your way and the reply "Oh so you've met my mother then?" 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 gets me in stitches every time
I personally thought Queen Latifah was great and she had plenty of soul in her voice. Not everything has to be over the top or exaggerated. I can understand what you were looking for, but that is your opinion. It doesn’t make queen latifah unfit. Please be careful when talking about black singers and telling them they need soul in their voice.
I just wanna say that “Oooo Child, Yes” in the finale is the best part of the song. Hairspray took us to church at the end of that song. I also dig Queen Latina’s clean vocals being juxtaposed against the rest of the gospel. I love gospel vibes! 18:37 I agree I feel her performance was affected by the director. I feel like she is more than capable of bringing it. I feel like she is the perfect example of Gospel (or music in general) coming in all shapes and sizes. Which is definitely a lesson this movie hits.
Yeah, just here to agree with the other comments about Queen Latifas performance. The solemnity in "I know where I've been" perfectly reflects the pain of the story of that song while also building gradually toward the hope also embedded in the song. I understand you love big voices and big performances, but sometimes that won't align with the tone and content of a song, and I feel like that's the case here.
I mean no disrespect, but I completely disagree with the thought that Queen Latifa needed to growl or belt excessively more to be “soulful”. Her voice was rich and beautiful. I think in the performance world people unconsciously get the idea that people of color have to perform vocal gymnastics at every given moment to define our sound while none of that is expected from non poc actors. Motor Mouth shouldn’t be a caricature of a black women. Our power is not rooted in how low or loud our voices can be, her voice in tandem with her presence was more than enough for me. I mean no disrespect but black singers do not owe that sound, and when I performed in hairspray our MMM didn’t do a lot of growling but was incredible.
"You Can't Stop the Beat" is often jokingly called "You Can't Stop to Breathe" by the cast when it's done live because it's SO long and SO fast with TONS of choreography so by the time you finish the song, everyone's so out of breath they're about to pass out.
Christopher Walker started in musicals on Broadway & has a long history with them. He’s a great dancer and while his voice isn’t perfect his acting always is.
Michelle Phffiefer actually started her career on stage in musicals Grease 2 was her debut into movies but she didn’t get her big break as a well known actresses until Dangerous Minds.
You’re a little off on her early career. Her first movie was Hollywood Knights. It was sort of like American Graffiti crossed with Fast Times at Ridgemont High, not fine cinema but it ran constantly on HBO. And she was a very well known actress way before Dangerous Minds. By then she had already starred as a marquee actress in movies like Tequila Sunrise, The Fabulous Baker Boys, Witches of Eastwick, Married to the Mob and Dangerous Liaisons. She’d won a Golden Globe for best Actress and a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress and she’d been nominated for two Academy Awards before Dangerous Minds. I’m guessing that I’m older than you. That’s not a criticism. I’m just saying that I was in my 20s at the time and she was a big film draw in the 80s.
I did this musical the summer after I graduated high school and can confirm that there is nowhere to breathe during the finale! It is SUCH a long song and the dancing is crazy intense. But it is still the best theater experience I've ever had (and this was over 10 years ago for me now)
I feel like I Know Where I've Been was perfectly performed in this movie. It was a TERRIBLE, saddening time, and you can feel it in the way the song was sung. You can feel it in the buildup of the song. You say you wanted to "feel it," but feeling it isn't only associated with over-the-top singing! If anything, it's the more drawn back, reserved performances that force you to pay attention to the lyrics and the emotion.
The Flasher she meets in the early part of the movie was John Waters he wrote and produced the original movie Hairspray from the 80's this and the movie and Broadway show Crybaby are from Mr. Waters.
Fun fact the song you can't stop the beat was nicknamed you can't stop to breathe, so the fact that you said you can't really breathe during the song yeah that's accurate 😂😂😂 Only Queen latifah was able to do this song in 1-2 takes
Tracy's mom had been played by someone in drag as the 80s version of Hairspray with Ricki Lake was played by Divine, so the musical followed the tradition (and Harvey Fierstein was amazing in this role on Broadway!) and yeah, this is a very held back version of I Know Where I've Been. The Hairspray Live version by Jennifer Hudson was very different. There is a really fantastic version with Mary Bond Davis on UA-cam during the preview runs.
It has already been mentioned that Michelle Pfieffer sings in Grease 2, but you really need to see her in 1989's The Fabulous Baker Boys starring brothers Jeff and Beau Bridges. Catch Michelle's "Makin' Whoopee" number. She kills that performance and would receive both Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for the film. The song's ending when she steps down the edge of the piano she was standing on to sit next to Jeff Bridges at the piano is very brave. 😮
Harvey Fierstein was the original Broadway Edna, modeled after Divine playing the mother in the original movie, so it's been traditionally a man who plays the role. Travolta was interested because he filmed "Ladder 49" in Baltimore and wanted to play with the Baltimore accent. )Divine's into in the original movie: ua-cam.com/video/9FcIgV49-Vw/v-deo.htmlsi=HgJ6IV_Z8_gdnfkk)
So for the mom, they always have a drag man playing her. And for Zack he did this between HSM1 & 2. That's why his hair was darker in the 2nd movie because he colored his real hair for this movie. Still one of my favorite musical and seaweed still have a crush on him!
I saw Hairspray in 2007 & The Greatest Showman in 2017 with my sweet little grandmama. During both films, she saw Zac Efron (not realizing he was the same actor) & said “Oh my word, what a cutie” 🥰😂
I've performed You Can't Stop the Beat live as Edna. In most productions I think they do layer the ensemble with a prerecorded track so the breathing isn't as much of an issue (afterall, it's not just singing that song but also doing the dance as well), however when we did it we had to sing the whole thing live and it is incredibly hard as you never get more than a microsecond to do a snatch breath in the midst of the verses or choruses. In the ensemble sections staggered breathing is pretty much required.
Also it was direction. They told her to hold back some because they wanted it how they wanted it to sound. Cuz her other songs and gospel songs she has the range and raps but for this they were probly like” perfect but let’s clean it up some “ 😂😂😂
17:38 “yeah there’s no breathing in this song”, you should watch the Hairspray Live version! (I mean, any stage version counts also, but the Live one they did recently with Ariana Grande is a good example of how difficult this song is)
One of my Top 5 musicals. The show’s composers, Marc Shaiman and Walt Whitman along with the director, Adam Shankman and original Tracy from the dance movie, Rikki Lake, appear in the audience during You Can’t Stop The Beat. Edna was played by the famous drag Queen, Divine, in the original dance movie and the role has always been played by a man in drag on stage. Best Motormouth Maybelle I’ve seen was British stage star, Sharon D Clarke.
Fun Fact: Mr. Pinky is played by Jerry Stiller, who played the original Wilbur in the 1988 Hairspray movie. The one that started it all. Also, Zac Efron was young here. In fact he did this film just before shooting High School Musical 2, which explains why his hair kept changing color in that film.
I would love to see a reaction to Joyful Noise, which really gives you what you’re looking for from Queen Latifah, but also has Jeremy Jordan, Dolly Parton, and Keke Palmer
Not sure if anyone already mentioned this but fun fact…the flasher in the Good Morning Baltimore opener was played by John Waters. He was the director/writer of the original Hairspray film that the musical was based on. 😊
Travolta was cast to parody the original actor, Divine. And I think Queen Latifah was great! She was the only one to sing through the last song in one take.
Does anyone know why the thumbnail for this says "Lin Manuel wote this?" As far as I'm aware he had nothing to do with this film, or the previous shows.
Saying Queen Latifah doesn’t have power is insane to me. This was a choice made for the movie, and it’s an excellent one. But by god can Queen Latifah wail when she wants to
This film about revolution of black and white during the 60's including the song of " I know where I've been " shows how life was so much hard than now. How much sacrifices our grandparents and old generations done for us to live a better life now.
NGL, I love Queen Latifah. She has released a few albums, and her voice, as you noted, is much more "clean" and clear than maybe has been cast in that role on stage. That said "I know where I've been" makes me cry every single time I hear it and a lot of that is because its Latifah in the role.
I love this movie! I remember when it got announced they had a "big search" for an unknown person to be Tracy. I think that's why they tried to stack the movie with all of those names. I loved the Hairspray from the 80's and love that the Flasher was the writer/ director of that movie, Mr. Pinky was the original Mr. Turnbladt and Ricky Lake was in the audience during You Can't Stop the Beat. I Love this movie! I spent almost every break when I worked at a movie in this movie. The only song I missed from the play to this movie was Mama I'm a Big Girl Now which they did on the soundtrack and played during the credits.
Definitely don't agree with your take on Queen Latifah. That woman is a powerhouse and perfect for the role IMO, she has so much power just from her presence alone, not even accounting for her voice which is beautiful for the song she sang.
I'm so freaking happy you enjoyed it so much, and laughed so much!!! I love Hairspray so much! You should have a look at the original cast, it's really interesting for the aesthetic and everything, as a live broadway too! But the Movie version is a really punchy clean version of it! And deep down, we all wanted to also kiss that cute baby Zac Efron for sure!
I actually talked to the actress of Tracy on Cameo and she said that doing this movie was so much fun but also a lot of work and that John Travolta was a sweet guy on set and she enjoyes working with him as well. She is such a sweet person in real life and funny too The mother of Tracy has always been a man dressed as a woman even in the play. Lots of actors in this one that I like like James Msrsden,Michelle,John,Christerpher Walken, Amanda Bynes,Brittany Snow,Queen Latifah and of course Zac as well. I do love this movie and the things it has to say and yes the songs as well and I have seen it many times.
The director wanted Queen Latifah to sing softer and with less power cuase he was afraid the power she has in her voice might take away from the story of the song i think i heard that in an interview
I love your reactions. But the fact that you went after Queen Latifah like that. Yes she didn’t go over the top but the way she played that role was meant to show strength through grace. Power isn’t everything when it comes to soul music. This movie was meant as a hand off and a passing of the torch from Grease to a newer generation. So they had John Travolta come in and play the mom. Yes much better people could of been casted as her but I think he did a good job pulling it off. But overall I respect your professional opinion of this show. Great reaction.
I think queen latifah was perfectly cast. It's not just about the voice, it's the whole person and nobody else could do justice to Motormouth Maybell... I also find everyone who watches this for the first time so incredibly shocked that this movie is so heavy on the racism. It wasnt OK back then and it's still not OK that it's still happening but being so shocked that this content is in a movie from based in the 60s in a state that is very known for it... It shouldn't be as completely mind-blowing that it is shown. It's 100 awful but not acknowledging that it's a real thing that exists isn't the best way to stop it from continuing. I don't know what is, but I just know pretending it's not there isn't it. I'm positive most people aren't wanting to do that, it's just something I've noticed because i love watching people watch this movie for the first time (although I didn't like this at all unfortunately..
I did this in grade 10 back in 2015 and it was the best part of my high school experience. The songs and dances are so fun! I hope you enjoy your time with this production, and good luck in your shows!
Queen Latifa was first a rapper and singer before she got into acting. Her range is way better than what is showcased here. Watch her in Chicago she is over the top in that one.
Also, yes, the role of Edna is meant to be played by a man in drag. As a matter of fact, Devine originated the role in the John Waters version of the film.
Hairspray is one of my favorite musicals. Queen Latifah definitely has the powerful voice you felt was missing, so I don't know why she toned it down. Also, Tracy's mom is traditionally played by a man, though my high school copped out when they performed it, and used a female student instead.
This film is Based on the 1988 Jon Waters film Hairspray starring Drag Legend Divine (Inspiration for Ursula the Sea Witch) as Edna and Ricki Lake as Tracy. The Role of the Mother is always played by a Man. Jon Waters and Ricki Lake both make Cameos in the Film. Jon can be see in the Beginning as The Flasher (1:07) and Ricki is at the end in the audience of You Can't Stop the Beat (15:55).
This movie makes my cheeks hurt from smiling, I rewatch it every year coz it’s so feel-good and actually hits real serious points or race, size and mature romance, without darkening the mood or causing offence. Every song’s a banger and the casting is perfect. I love your reactions 😂
I think I was fifteen years-old when this came out and my cousin and I saw it three times in two weekends. We just kept finding reasons to go again. I had such a crush on Zac Efron during that time period. Fun fact: Taylor Parx, who plays Little Inez, is now a pretty prolific songwriter.
I know that sometimes "You Can't Stop The Beat" is nicknamed "You Can't Stop To Breathe". In a behind the scenes featurette Queen Latifah said that because she was used to fast rapping, that helped her with it but it's still a beast of a song.
I directed and choreographed an award winning production of this musical. We bought those exact hairspray cans. They are not real! It's water inside. We decorated the blanks and I have a leftover can in my office...still has "hairspray" in it 12 years later! This movie is close to the stage production, down to Edna being a man. Definitely one of few great shows turned into movies! And to answer your question.....we didn't stagger breathing for most of the show, only long notes at the ends of songs. Warm-up was singing while jogging in place!😅
I really enjoyed the fact that we had the stars of both Grease and Grease 2 here in addition to the other big name stars (and those who would become big names) in this film. And it's just such a fun film to watch.
this has probably been said, but i think Zac was between HSM1 and 2 when they filmed this and this was probably the first time we heard him sing and not Drew Seeley like in HSM 1. Michelle Pfeifer who plays Amber's mom (brittany snow out of Pitch Perfect), is actually quite a good singer though, she played the main character in Grease 2 and had many songs. James Marsden the guy that seemed familiar to you, he played Prince Edward in the Enchanted films, Cyclops in the X-men films, he plays the main character in the Sonic films, he's in 27 dresses as well, ... . Queen Latifah was held back but she could actually go to the level you wanted, Joyful Noise a film with Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Keke Palmer, has her singing at a great level. They could've indeed casted another guy for Edna but it is just to good/funny to see John Travolta in that role.
19:35 - The character of Edna Turnblad has traditionally always been played by a man in drag. The famous drag artist, Divine, originated the role in the 1988 John Waters film, and Harvey Firestein originated the role on Broadway.
This movie is one of the best stage-to-screen adaptations of all time. Indeed, Edna is meant to be performed by a man, originated by Harvey Fierstein on Broadway (and came back for the live TV version). Another fun fact: the are at least 2 cameos by some who were involved in the original movie from the '80s. John Watters directed the original film and appeared in this one as the flasher during Good Morning Baltimore. The other is Jerry Stiller, who played Tracy's dad in the original film. I highly encourage you to also listen "Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now." It was cut from the film, but they played it over the end credits featuring three Tracy's: Ricky Lake (original film), Marissa Jaret Winokur (OG broadway), and Nikki Blonsky (this film). So much fun!
I remember seeing this movie in theaters and how electric it was I remember not even really wanting to go see it and honestly don't even remember if I even saw the trailers beforehand and even though it was a musical cuz I love musicals I just remember my cousin wanted to go see it she was in Middle School and I was in fourth grade but after Good Morning Baltimore I was hooked
I think this is one of the best cast films ever and the best musical film adaptation Also - the same director did Rock of Ages. It's not the best film but the musical numbers are fantastic! I suggest a watch
One of my favorite musicals on Broadway and in the movies yaaaas I was actually in a production of this in high school and yes usually in the Broadway version a man plays Edna HOWEVER I think queen Latifah was great she was in the movie version of Chicago as well!!!
Your laugh is so contagious. Haha! I love this movie. There were 5 woman sitting down from us at our screening and they had similar laughs like yours and it made the experience of seeing this movie even that much better. I actually told them how their reactions and laughter elevated the movie. And now this fun time with this movie. Love it.
It’s a known fact if your a Zac Efron fan that he played in hairspray directly after hsm 1 before they filmed hsm 2 it’s how we know that he sings live in hsm 2 because he sang live in hairspray every one knew Drew Seely did the singing in hsm 1. Hairspray gave Zac the courage to sing live after he filmed it same with his dancing got stronger after this film too.
📌PATREON: Watch HAIRSPRAY w/screen! Get EARLY ACCESS to videos!
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I KNOW WHERE I BEEN- ALEX NEWELL FROM GLEE IS THE POWER YOURE LOOKING FOR FROM QUEEN LATIFAH
I couldn't find it sadly
as a black woman myself, queen latifah executed it perfectly .. not everything has to be over the top, the moment was solemn and reflective idk how you werent seeing that vision
She didn't see that version because that's not what she, as a viewer of the movie, wants to hear, lol. There's no harm in wanting more vocal performance in a very vocal movie. I respect your opinion though, but I'm also saying that her's is valid too 😁
@@BigSillyMealnah you can’t project your expectations on every performance and then be like “I wish you gave more” esp when you aren’t from the same background and you can’t fight the need to want to whitewash everything.
@carl8218 I have no idea when white washing was brought into this lol, I get what you're saying though I think. At the same time, it's not bad to want to hear a impactful song with a dramaticized vocal performance. It's just other people's preference 👍
This is what I thought. Queen Latifah was just perfect. At the end of the marching song I had chills.
@@carl8218 what? none of your comment makes sense here. if you are voicing your expectations and opinions about a performance you absolutely CAN say "i wish you gave more". also, this has nothing to do with whitewashing, how is it white to say that you wish there was more soul in a voice? Queen Latifah downplayed her voice in this role for some reason and while its still good in the role she could have given it more to give it more impact, THAT is what she was saying.
Queen Latifah has so much soul and power in her voice, but it’s held back in this movie. I wonder if that was direction or something else, because she’s more than capable of the intensity you were looking for.
I’ve wondered why her voice was downplayed in this movie too. In “When You’re Good to Mama” from Chicago, she has so much power and sass and strength in that performance. In Hairspray, her acting performance is great but her voice was underutilized for some reason.
She's sang it live before and did excellent, but she still might prefer Jennifer Hudson's version from Hairspray Live.
It shows a lot more in the show star I love her voice
She inspired me to sing this for school and I did and sounded beautiful because of I was inspired
I feel like the director went for a more grounded version of the show, which could explain the more subdued vocals. I prefer the more madcap original movie and musical, but I do like Tracys voice here over the musical's more affected, nasaly style.
It's normal to cast a man in the role of Edna. In memory of the original person in this role the Legendary Actor and Drag Queen Divine who died of Heart failure three weeks after the 1988 version of Hairspray debuted at the movies. Divine is also the inspiration for Ursela the Sea Witch in the Animated "Little Mermaid". Fun Fact Mattew Morrison from Glee played the part the Zac has in this movie on Broadway.
Always cast as a man
Link Larkin
Another fun fact: The person who originated the role of Tracy Turnblad (Ricki Lake) was one of the talent scouts in the audience during the finale. Nice little cameo.
@@kev7161 I been waiting for someone else to comment on that for almost a week since I left this comment. I didn't want to add in everything I know about Hairspary.
I was just about to commit about Divine and the original 88 version
I think Queen Latifahs voice is perfect for the role. Its quiet but strong and definitely conveys the message for me
I totally agree! Her performance has a solemnity to it that fits the theme of the material. I have seen this movie several times and have been affected every time by her performance. I think vocal coach reactions are sometimes looking/listening for different things than an average viewer, which is fine.
@@cloudwatcher608 💯💯
it's so powerful and gentle at the same time, it makes me emotional every time
Yes!
13:13 i kind of disagree on this particular moment needing to be huge.
I think her singing soft, soul music here really speaks to what is going on she's not on stage belting out a happy solo song all about her, she is marching for equal rights with other people so she is uniting with those she's marching with not upstaging them.
This. I don’t think that song is supposed to be “look at this actors crazy voice” it’s supposed to be “this is a somber and emotional moment and let’s feel that”
You're one of my favorite UA-camr, but I feel like your take on Queen Latifah was a tad biased on how people think black voices should sound. The song, while powerful, being delivered somber is a token to the struggle that we are facing whether its in your face (loud like you wanted) or softer. Not all of our songs have to have that grunge or kick for it to be delivered properly. Queen Latifah can hit those notes you mentioned, but I do feel it was expected only because of what people associate black people singing as (aka to the skies). It was most likely a directors choice, but as someone POC, I never felt I Know Where I've Been was underperformed. Sorry, I hope it doesn't feel like I'm attacking you, it was just something I noticed. I Know Where Ive Been scene is rather intimate in the movie despite the march happening, so honestly I wouldve been thrown off, not in a good way, if Queen Latifah was going off on the vocals like she was in the choir. Your reaction was great though. This movie is stellar.
literally this. i went a little crazy when she mentioned that. her comment just sounded like she has a very one dimensional view of what black singers can sound like. queen latifah definitely held back for sure; she is capable of the very sound she's thinking of. but I don't think the song lacked ANYTHING with this softer approach. i listen to the movie version when I wanna have a good cry and the broadway version when I wanna get sad-hyped if that makes any sense lol
@@vibrantpixeIs omg I know exactly what you mean! And yeah, like she's not horrible or anything for thinking Queen Latifah held back, but I do think she didn't consider WHY they took a softer tone to this number because the atmosphere in the movie is very intimate.
Thank you for your perspective. I have seen this movie several times and her performance of “I Know Where I’ve Been” has affected me every time. I think that vocal coach reactions can be frustrating for us as movie watchers, since they come at it from a purely technical standpoint often and neglect the cinematic aspects that make movie musical performances so strong. A good example is Anne Hathaway performing “I Dreamed A Dream”; technically not a great performance, yet it is utterly heartrending and perfect for the context of the scene.
THANK YOU! I agree 100%
I agree, her voice needed to be somber, it wasn't meant to overwhelm you, it was meant to make you think. If she would have sung it full out, it would have taken people out of the emotion of the song. Also with the last song she sings, she is a rapper. Being able to sing without getting of breath is part of the why she was in the movie!
Some fun facts/behind the scenes/opinions:
This movie is based on the 2002 Broadway musical (where Matthew Morrison/Mr.Schue played Link) which was based on the original movie from 1988. The musical is very popular but as for the movies, in this case the remake is generally considered better. Although the 1988 movie had a great cast like Ricki Lake, Divine, Debbie Harry (of Blondie), Sonny Bono (as in Sonny & Cher) and Jerry Stiller (who played Mr. Pinky in this movie).
John Travolta spoke with an exaggerated Baltimore accent. His casting as Edna continued the tradition of having a man in drag portray the character, since the 1988 film featured drag queen Divine as Edna and the Broadway version featured Harvey Fierstein as Edna.
Also fun fact: Divine was the inspiration for Ursula from The Little Mermaid.
Another fun fact: One day between takes John Travolta began singing Summer Nights to the cast.
Nikki Blonsky was completely unknown and working in an ice cream shop when she auditioned for the role at 18. Aside from being in a few high school productions, she had no professional acting or singing background at the time, and beat out 1.100 candidates. Here is footage of her reaction to getting the part: ua-cam.com/video/ZcgNDozn9-I/v-deo.html
She's been in a few movies and TV shows since then but nothing big, which is a shame. She was always typecasted as the 'fat girl' and Hollywood apparently didn't have any decent roles for her.
Zac Efron was 19 when filming the movie. If he hadn't been filming this he would've gone on tour with the rest of the High School Musical cast, in spite of not singing himself in the movie. Drew Seeley, who dubbed Zac's singing in the first HSM film, took his place on the tour. Also, Hairspray was released a month before High School Musical 2 so this was the first time we really heard Zac sing.
Zac is an underrated singer in my opinion and honestly such an underrated actor. Some of the movies he's in are too ridiculous for me but I love how he does both comedy and drama so well. His versatility is amazing. He and Michelle Pfeiffer worked together again on New Year's Eve, which also stars Lea Michele. Zac once jokingly said he would like to play a serial killer on Glee. Interestingly he would later play Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, with Lily Collins as his girlfriend. The movie was controversial because some people thought it glorified serial killers, especially by casting someone like Zac. But Bundy being "good looking", charming and well respected in the community was how he lured his victims and how he got away with it for so long. People also did not take into consideration that the movie was from his girlfriend's perspective. I personally thought it was really good and Zac did an amazing job. He was so creepy and looked so much like him.
James Marsden played Prince Edward in Enchanted and Disenchanted. Other than these movies he hasn't done that much singing professionally (which is shocking considering how good he is). He's been in several rom coms like The Notebook, 27 Dresses and The Best of Me. Coincidentally, The Notebook and The Best of Me are both based on Nicholas Sparks novels. In the latter he replaced Paul Walker as the lead after his death.
Amanda Bynes was a child actress on Nickelodeon. She was also in several popular movies in early-mid 2000s. She has struggled with mental health and substance abuse, and was in a conservatorship from 2013-2022. Earlier this year she was placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold after she called 911 following a psychotic episode. Then on June 17th she called 911 again because she had thoughts of self harm, and was put in inpatient treatment. I believe she's out now and is getting follow-up outpatient treatment. I really hope she gets better. Like Britney, she's been through a lot and Hollywood kinda turned its back on her.
Tayla Parx, the actress who portrays Little Inez, is a singer/songwriter. She has written and co-written songs for Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Demi Lovato and Justin Bieber, along with several songs with her friend Ariana Grande (including Thank You, Next). This year, she starred as Donna Summer in Spinning Gold, a biographical drama based on the life of Casablanca Records founder Neil Bogart.
There were lots of cameos in this movie. Ricki Lake appeared as a talent agent and also sang Mama I'm A Big Girl Now with Nikki Blonsky and Marissa Jaret Winokur (who played Tracy in the Broadway musical) for the film's end credits. Harvey Fierstein had a brief singing cameo in the end credits for that too.
Choreographer Zach Woodlee appears as a smoking teacher, who I only mention because he was also a choreographer and co-producer on Glee.
Stephen "tWitch" Boss appears as a background dancer. There is a closeup of him in the final song at 1:42:42 of your video. He was a DJ/guest host/producer on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. He was also in So You Think You Can Dance and some of the Step Up movies. He tragically died by suicide on December 13th 2022 at the age of 40.
There is a deleted song/scene called "I Can Wait", sung by Tracy. It's actually a shame because it shows a different side to her voice, more soft and gentle: ua-cam.com/video/8MNxrzvG96I/v-deo.html
There is also another song sung by Link called "It Takes Two". He only sings the ending when they're announcing the auditions (and it's on the soundtrack): ua-cam.com/video/8BJ8sAV5Aj4/v-deo.html
Talking about the fast pacing lyrics of the songs, most of the cast jokingly called the last song You Can't Stop the Beat "You can't stop to breathe". Queen Latifah said she had no trouble with it because of her background as a rapper. Btw I have to say I disagree about Queen Latifah AND Michelle Pfeiffer, I thought they were both perfect for their roles. All of the cast was amazing.
Lastly, fun little thing not many people notice, and I don't know if it was done on purpose, but during Seaweed's song Run and Tell That - Tracy, Penny and Link (the white people) are at the back of the bus while Seaweed, Inez and the dancers are at the front (the poc).
Kudos to you if you read all that!
Another fun fact: Penny’s dress in You Can’t stop the beat, is made from the same as the curtains in her bedroom, and the hooks holding the bottom part of the dress are the drapery hooks to Jane the curtains.
I'm disappointed on the lack of fun facts about James Marsden, who's seriously underrated as an actor and singer/performer.
Have you reacted to mama I’m a big girl now from hairspray live😊
@@nifty2bthrifty366James Marsden is an absolute dream - so much so my dad had a low-key man crush on him because of this role 😂
@@djay1066 I've always loved that little bit of trivia. My question is, who (in the movie) is supposed to have made the dress, and how did they get her curtains, cause she definitely didn't take them down the fire escape with her.
Queen Latifah was casted perfectly. As well as the rest of the cast
You do realise that's Queen Latifah, right? She's a fricking powerhouse!! She can wail if she wants to, but it would not be appropriate here. I Know Where I've Been is a powerful, solemn song - it doesn't need attitude and sass! She sang it amazingly, gave me chills. I don't know why you didn't get that 😕🤷
i agree, Queen Latifah was the perfect person to play this role. all the times that she wanted her to be this powerhouse voice would’ve been inappropriate for the songs she’s in. kinda threw me off the rest of the video :/
@@nicole18- Even in You Can't Stop the Beat? 😂 You can't tell me you didn't wanna hear her go off on that song
It's not gonna resonate with everyone like it does for you, and that's okay, lol. I'm sorry if her opinion upset you though
Hey, so I know i’m like but re-watching this and when she says that michelle phifer isn’t as good of a singer as everyone else blows my mind because Michelle sung beautifully in Prince of Egypt for “When you Believe” if she hasn’t, I would love for her to react to that song then give her views on michelle’s singing!
John Travolta ate it UP as Mrs. Edna Turnblad, leaving zero crumbs in their wake and ain't no one gonna argue otherwise.
Fun fact, apparently Queen Latifa beat Aretha Franklin for that role of Motormouth Maybelle. I don’t really think there’s a bigger name than Aretha so that’s definitely not the reason they made that choice. There is something special and powerful in subtleness. I think the point is that not every black singer needs to sing like Aretha. Also, the level of sassiness Queen Latifa brings to the table is perfect for the character.
Lots of love!! 💗
I love all your videos 💕💕💕
fun fact: it has been a tradition since the beginning that edna turnblat (Travolta's character) is played in drag- whether it is a stage performance or a film adaptation that character is always performed in drag!
i prefer the way Queen Latifah sings compared to Jennifer Hudson in the live version because it feels more fitting to the overall vibe of the scene
As a black womam this is one of my comfort movies and it touches my heart every time! Joy and sadness
I'm from Baltimore and I can vouch that YES, most of the houses in the city look just that. I live in the northern part of the city, near the county line and that's when you start to see single houses.
John Travolta's Baltimore accent is spot on!
James Marsden was Edward in "Enchanted."
When John Walters made the original 1988 "Hairspray" it was based on "The Buddy Deane Show" and yes, it was segregated where only one day a month they had "Negro Day."
THAT'S WHERE I KNOW CORNY OMG THANK YOU HOW DID I NOT SEE IT
The Hairspray Live version has Jennifer Hudson in Queen Latifah’s role and the vocals are unbelievable
Yea she she watch that one!
Yes Jennifer Hudson's vocals are for more superior. But she was just a bit too young for that role when this movie came out. The Live version was 10 years after this and she was much more age appropriate then for the role.
I was so happy that Nikki Blonsky got the role of Tracy. Apparently, she had tried several times for the stage show, but never got the role until the movie. It was her dream role!
I'm confused why the thumbnail says "Lin-Manuel Wrote it?" Marc Shaiman wrote the lyrics and music to the songs in Hairspray.
I LOVE Queen Latifah. She has such soul in her voice.
The three songs where she really shines are "I Know Where I've Been", "Big, Blonde and Beautiful" and "You Can't Stop The Beat"
Yes... Because those are the only songs she sings in Hairspray 😅
The actor that plays Seaweed is Elijah Kelly he has had many roles singing. Other examples are Dream girls live ( which i highly recommend the movie and/or live show) and The Wiz live which includes MANY talented and famous singers. I still think the original Wiz tops with Micheal Jackson, Diana Ross, Nipsey Russel and so many more!!!
One thing I lovr about Tracey's "You Can't Stop the Beat" outfit is it appears ti be heavily inspired by the 70s. Sincr the movie takes place in the 60s, it seems to indicate how shes always looking ahead and doeanr want to be stuck in the past
Queen Latifah can sing like what you were describing. But that wasn't the artistic decision for this movie. They didn't want her to be the 'angry black woman' trope. She played it absolutely perfectly.
The proof is when they did Hairspray Live and cast Jennifer Hudson (who is very well known for the powerful gravel you were looking for) also sang it toned down. That is what the role demands.
I love how every comment I've seen thus far has been running to defend Queen Latifa's honor as a singer lol. I have to agree though, she mastered this role both in acting and vocals. 💜🧡💛
If you've never seen Chicago, you should definitely watch it. Queen Latifah is amazing
My favourite line in this has to be when QL says there's a whole bunch of stupid coming your way and the reply "Oh so you've met my mother then?" 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 gets me in stitches every time
The young lady that played Inez is an amazing singing song writer. She’s best friends and writes with Ariana Grande and back up sings for her.
I personally thought Queen Latifah was great and she had plenty of soul in her voice. Not everything has to be over the top or exaggerated. I can understand what you were looking for, but that is your opinion. It doesn’t make queen latifah unfit. Please be careful when talking about black singers and telling them they need soul in their voice.
I think this is one of the best movie musicals that derived from a Broadway musical to exist.
I think RENT too is a great movie adaptation of the broadway musical :)
I just wanna say that “Oooo Child, Yes” in the finale is the best part of the song. Hairspray took us to church at the end of that song. I also dig Queen Latina’s clean vocals being juxtaposed against the rest of the gospel. I love gospel vibes! 18:37 I agree I feel her performance was affected by the director. I feel like she is more than capable of bringing it. I feel like she is the perfect example of Gospel (or music in general) coming in all shapes and sizes. Which is definitely a lesson this movie hits.
Yeah, just here to agree with the other comments about Queen Latifas performance. The solemnity in "I know where I've been" perfectly reflects the pain of the story of that song while also building gradually toward the hope also embedded in the song. I understand you love big voices and big performances, but sometimes that won't align with the tone and content of a song, and I feel like that's the case here.
I mean no disrespect, but I completely disagree with the thought that Queen Latifa needed to growl or belt excessively more to be “soulful”. Her voice was rich and beautiful. I think in the performance world people unconsciously get the idea that people of color have to perform vocal gymnastics at every given moment to define our sound while none of that is expected from non poc actors. Motor Mouth shouldn’t be a caricature of a black women. Our power is not rooted in how low or loud our voices can be, her voice in tandem with her presence was more than enough for me. I mean no disrespect but black singers do not owe that sound, and when I performed in hairspray our MMM didn’t do a lot of growling but was incredible.
"You Can't Stop the Beat" is often jokingly called "You Can't Stop to Breathe" by the cast when it's done live because it's SO long and SO fast with TONS of choreography so by the time you finish the song, everyone's so out of breath they're about to pass out.
Christopher Walker started in musicals on Broadway & has a long history with them. He’s a great dancer and while his voice isn’t perfect his acting always is.
Michelle Phffiefer actually started her career on stage in musicals Grease 2 was her debut into movies but she didn’t get her big break as a well known actresses until Dangerous Minds.
You’re a little off on her early career. Her first movie was Hollywood Knights. It was sort of like American Graffiti crossed with Fast Times at Ridgemont High, not fine cinema but it ran constantly on HBO. And she was a very well known actress way before Dangerous Minds. By then she had already starred as a marquee actress in movies like Tequila Sunrise, The Fabulous Baker Boys, Witches of Eastwick, Married to the Mob and Dangerous Liaisons. She’d won a Golden Globe for best Actress and a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress and she’d been nominated for two Academy Awards before Dangerous Minds. I’m guessing that I’m older than you. That’s not a criticism. I’m just saying that I was in my 20s at the time and she was a big film draw in the 80s.
I did this musical the summer after I graduated high school and can confirm that there is nowhere to breathe during the finale! It is SUCH a long song and the dancing is crazy intense. But it is still the best theater experience I've ever had (and this was over 10 years ago for me now)
My sister played Tracy in high school. She was straight up panting at the end of the number every time. It’s an insane number
Queen Latifah was amazing her voice was better than majority of the cast
My favourite movie musical ❤️
James Marsden is the guy that you thought that looked familiar because you reacted to Enchanted and he played Edward.😂❤
I feel like I Know Where I've Been was perfectly performed in this movie. It was a TERRIBLE, saddening time, and you can feel it in the way the song was sung. You can feel it in the buildup of the song. You say you wanted to "feel it," but feeling it isn't only associated with over-the-top singing! If anything, it's the more drawn back, reserved performances that force you to pay attention to the lyrics and the emotion.
The Flasher she meets in the early part of the movie was John Waters he wrote and produced the original movie Hairspray from the 80's this and the movie and Broadway show Crybaby are from Mr. Waters.
Fun fact the song you can't stop the beat was nicknamed you can't stop to breathe, so the fact that you said you can't really breathe during the song yeah that's accurate 😂😂😂
Only Queen latifah was able to do this song in 1-2 takes
Tracy's mom had been played by someone in drag as the 80s version of Hairspray with Ricki Lake was played by Divine, so the musical followed the tradition (and Harvey Fierstein was amazing in this role on Broadway!) and yeah, this is a very held back version of I Know Where I've Been. The Hairspray Live version by Jennifer Hudson was very different. There is a really fantastic version with Mary Bond Davis on UA-cam during the preview runs.
It has already been mentioned that Michelle Pfieffer sings in Grease 2, but you really need to see her in 1989's The Fabulous Baker Boys starring brothers Jeff and Beau Bridges. Catch Michelle's "Makin' Whoopee" number. She kills that performance and would receive both Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for the film. The song's ending when she steps down the edge of the piano she was standing on to sit next to Jeff Bridges at the piano is very brave. 😮
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excuse me but lin-manuel miranda has not written hair spray en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairspray_(musical)
Harvey Fierstein was the original Broadway Edna, modeled after Divine playing the mother in the original movie, so it's been traditionally a man who plays the role. Travolta was interested because he filmed "Ladder 49" in Baltimore and wanted to play with the Baltimore accent. )Divine's into in the original movie: ua-cam.com/video/9FcIgV49-Vw/v-deo.htmlsi=HgJ6IV_Z8_gdnfkk)
So for the mom, they always have a drag man playing her. And for Zack he did this between HSM1 & 2. That's why his hair was darker in the 2nd movie because he colored his real hair for this movie.
Still one of my favorite musical and seaweed still have a crush on him!
I saw Hairspray in 2007 & The Greatest Showman in 2017 with my sweet little grandmama. During both films, she saw Zac Efron (not realizing he was the same actor) & said “Oh my word, what a cutie” 🥰😂
I've performed You Can't Stop the Beat live as Edna. In most productions I think they do layer the ensemble with a prerecorded track so the breathing isn't as much of an issue (afterall, it's not just singing that song but also doing the dance as well), however when we did it we had to sing the whole thing live and it is incredibly hard as you never get more than a microsecond to do a snatch breath in the midst of the verses or choruses. In the ensemble sections staggered breathing is pretty much required.
Also it was direction. They told her to hold back some because they wanted it how they wanted it to sound. Cuz her other songs and gospel songs she has the range and raps but for this they were probly like” perfect but let’s clean it up some “ 😂😂😂
17:38 “yeah there’s no breathing in this song”, you should watch the Hairspray Live version!
(I mean, any stage version counts also, but the Live one they did recently with Ariana Grande is a good example of how difficult this song is)
One of my Top 5 musicals. The show’s composers, Marc Shaiman and Walt Whitman along with the director, Adam Shankman and original Tracy from the dance movie, Rikki Lake, appear in the audience during You Can’t Stop The Beat. Edna was played by the famous drag Queen, Divine, in the original dance movie and the role has always been played by a man in drag on stage. Best Motormouth Maybelle I’ve seen was British stage star, Sharon D Clarke.
Fun Fact: Mr. Pinky is played by Jerry Stiller, who played the original Wilbur in the 1988 Hairspray movie. The one that started it all. Also, Zac Efron was young here. In fact he did this film just before shooting High School Musical 2, which explains why his hair kept changing color in that film.
The actress who played tracy went to school and now works in a hair salon
I would love to see a reaction to Joyful Noise, which really gives you what you’re looking for from Queen Latifah, but also has Jeremy Jordan, Dolly Parton, and Keke Palmer
I love all of this musical: the story, the vocals, the choreography ❤❤
Omg my favorite movie musical, such a comfort watch, can't wait to see you react for the first time!!!
Not sure if anyone already mentioned this but fun fact…the flasher in the Good Morning Baltimore opener was played by John Waters. He was the director/writer of the original Hairspray film that the musical was based on. 😊
Travolta was cast to parody the original actor, Divine. And I think Queen Latifah was great! She was the only one to sing through the last song in one take.
Does anyone know why the thumbnail for this says "Lin Manuel wote this?"
As far as I'm aware he had nothing to do with this film, or the previous shows.
Yeah I don't know where that has come from, but he had nothing to do with this film (or the show) whatsoever!
Saying Queen Latifah doesn’t have power is insane to me. This was a choice made for the movie, and it’s an excellent one. But by god can Queen Latifah wail when she wants to
This film about revolution of black and white during the 60's including the song of " I know where I've been " shows how life was so much hard than now. How much sacrifices our grandparents and old generations done for us to live a better life now.
NGL, I love Queen Latifah. She has released a few albums, and her voice, as you noted, is much more "clean" and clear than maybe has been cast in that role on stage. That said "I know where I've been" makes me cry every single time I hear it and a lot of that is because its Latifah in the role.
I don't know if someone said if before, but it's been tradition that the mom be played by a male actor.
I love this movie! I remember when it got announced they had a "big search" for an unknown person to be Tracy. I think that's why they tried to stack the movie with all of those names.
I loved the Hairspray from the 80's and love that the Flasher was the writer/ director of that movie, Mr. Pinky was the original Mr. Turnbladt and Ricky Lake was in the audience during You Can't Stop the Beat.
I Love this movie! I spent almost every break when I worked at a movie in this movie. The only song I missed from the play to this movie was Mama I'm a Big Girl Now which they did on the soundtrack and played during the credits.
Why is she always bringing Queen Latifah down? Her voice is amazing in this movie
It's because she expected her to sing more "black"
Definitely don't agree with your take on Queen Latifah. That woman is a powerhouse and perfect for the role IMO, she has so much power just from her presence alone, not even accounting for her voice which is beautiful for the song she sang.
I'm so freaking happy you enjoyed it so much, and laughed so much!!!
I love Hairspray so much!
You should have a look at the original cast, it's really interesting for the aesthetic and everything, as a live broadway too!
But the Movie version is a really punchy clean version of it!
And deep down, we all wanted to also kiss that cute baby Zac Efron for sure!
I actually talked to the actress of Tracy on Cameo and she said that doing this movie was so much fun but also a lot of work and that John Travolta was a sweet guy on set and she enjoyes working with him as well. She is such a sweet person in real life and funny too The mother of Tracy has always been a man dressed as a woman even in the play. Lots of actors in this one that I like like James Msrsden,Michelle,John,Christerpher Walken, Amanda Bynes,Brittany Snow,Queen Latifah and of course Zac as well. I do love this movie and the things it has to say and yes the songs as well and I have seen it many times.
The director wanted Queen Latifah to sing softer and with less power cuase he was afraid the power she has in her voice might take away from the story of the song i think i heard that in an interview
I love your reactions. But the fact that you went after Queen Latifah like that. Yes she didn’t go over the top but the way she played that role was meant to show strength through grace. Power isn’t everything when it comes to soul music.
This movie was meant as a hand off and a passing of the torch from Grease to a newer generation. So they had John Travolta come in and play the mom. Yes much better people could of been casted as her but I think he did a good job pulling it off.
But overall I respect your professional opinion of this show. Great reaction.
I think queen latifah was perfectly cast. It's not just about the voice, it's the whole person and nobody else could do justice to Motormouth Maybell... I also find everyone who watches this for the first time so incredibly shocked that this movie is so heavy on the racism. It wasnt OK back then and it's still not OK that it's still happening but being so shocked that this content is in a movie from based in the 60s in a state that is very known for it... It shouldn't be as completely mind-blowing that it is shown. It's 100 awful but not acknowledging that it's a real thing that exists isn't the best way to stop it from continuing. I don't know what is, but I just know pretending it's not there isn't it. I'm positive most people aren't wanting to do that, it's just something I've noticed because i love watching people watch this movie for the first time (although I didn't like this at all unfortunately..
Lin Manuel had nothing to do with this 😂😂 if he did someone would be rapping or singing very fast 😂 with overly complicated syllables and cadances
Currently doing this as my school musical, it’s great fun and a beautiful story!
I did this in grade 10 back in 2015 and it was the best part of my high school experience. The songs and dances are so fun! I hope you enjoy your time with this production, and good luck in your shows!
Thank you!! ☺
Have fun and break a leg! Also sending you all my air for you can’t stop the beat lol
@@shammyturtle9741 Will need all the air I can get lol
Queen Latifa was first a rapper and singer before she got into acting. Her range is way better than what is showcased here. Watch her in Chicago she is over the top in that one.
I've heard that they call the finale "You Can't Stop to Breathe"
Also, yes, the role of Edna is meant to be played by a man in drag. As a matter of fact, Devine originated the role in the John Waters version of the film.
I freaking love this movie!
Hairspray is one of my favorite musicals. Queen Latifah definitely has the powerful voice you felt was missing, so I don't know why she toned it down. Also, Tracy's mom is traditionally played by a man, though my high school copped out when they performed it, and used a female student instead.
This film is Based on the 1988 Jon Waters film Hairspray starring Drag Legend Divine (Inspiration for Ursula the Sea Witch) as Edna and Ricki Lake as Tracy. The Role of the Mother is always played by a Man. Jon Waters and Ricki Lake both make Cameos in the Film. Jon can be see in the Beginning as The Flasher (1:07) and Ricki is at the end in the audience of You Can't Stop the Beat (15:55).
This movie makes my cheeks hurt from smiling, I rewatch it every year coz it’s so feel-good and actually hits real serious points or race, size and mature romance, without darkening the mood or causing offence. Every song’s a banger and the casting is perfect. I love your reactions 😂
I don't know if anyone told you, but Edna ,(the mother) has always been cast a man/drag
Michelle was in Grease 2 singing in the 80’s
You need to react to Jennifer Hudson sing "I know where I've been"
There is a reason the finale is commonly known as "You Cant Stop To Breathe"
Also this chorey is tame vs Jerry Mitchells original Broadway chorey
I think I was fifteen years-old when this came out and my cousin and I saw it three times in two weekends. We just kept finding reasons to go again. I had such a crush on Zac Efron during that time period. Fun fact: Taylor Parx, who plays Little Inez, is now a pretty prolific songwriter.
I know that sometimes "You Can't Stop The Beat" is nicknamed "You Can't Stop To Breathe". In a behind the scenes featurette Queen Latifah said that because she was used to fast rapping, that helped her with it but it's still a beast of a song.
I directed and choreographed an award winning production of this musical. We bought those exact hairspray cans. They are not real! It's water inside. We decorated the blanks and I have a leftover can in my office...still has "hairspray" in it 12 years later! This movie is close to the stage production, down to Edna being a man. Definitely one of few great shows turned into movies! And to answer your question.....we didn't stagger breathing for most of the show, only long notes at the ends of songs. Warm-up was singing while jogging in place!😅
I really enjoyed the fact that we had the stars of both Grease and Grease 2 here in addition to the other big name stars (and those who would become big names) in this film. And it's just such a fun film to watch.
this has probably been said, but i think Zac was between HSM1 and 2 when they filmed this and this was probably the first time we heard him sing and not Drew Seeley like in HSM 1.
Michelle Pfeifer who plays Amber's mom (brittany snow out of Pitch Perfect), is actually quite a good singer though, she played the main character in Grease 2 and had many songs.
James Marsden the guy that seemed familiar to you, he played Prince Edward in the Enchanted films, Cyclops in the X-men films, he plays the main character in the Sonic films, he's in 27 dresses as well, ... .
Queen Latifah was held back but she could actually go to the level you wanted, Joyful Noise a film with Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Keke Palmer, has her singing at a great level.
They could've indeed casted another guy for Edna but it is just to good/funny to see John Travolta in that role.
Audrey, this is such a good musical! I can’t believe you haven’t seen it before.
I can’t tell you how many times I laughed my ass off watching this video.
19:35 - The character of Edna Turnblad has traditionally always been played by a man in drag. The famous drag artist, Divine, originated the role in the 1988 John Waters film, and Harvey Firestein originated the role on Broadway.
This movie is one of the best stage-to-screen adaptations of all time. Indeed, Edna is meant to be performed by a man, originated by Harvey Fierstein on Broadway (and came back for the live TV version). Another fun fact: the are at least 2 cameos by some who were involved in the original movie from the '80s. John Watters directed the original film and appeared in this one as the flasher during Good Morning Baltimore. The other is Jerry Stiller, who played Tracy's dad in the original film. I highly encourage you to also listen "Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now." It was cut from the film, but they played it over the end credits featuring three Tracy's: Ricky Lake (original film), Marissa Jaret Winokur (OG broadway), and Nikki Blonsky (this film). So much fun!
Edna was played by Divine in the 1980s film.
I remember seeing this movie in theaters and how electric it was I remember not even really wanting to go see it and honestly don't even remember if I even saw the trailers beforehand and even though it was a musical cuz I love musicals I just remember my cousin wanted to go see it she was in Middle School and I was in fourth grade but after Good Morning Baltimore I was hooked
I think this is one of the best cast films ever and the best musical film adaptation
Also - the same director did Rock of Ages. It's not the best film but the musical numbers are fantastic! I suggest a watch
One of my favorite musicals on Broadway and in the movies yaaaas I was actually in a production of this in high school and yes usually in the Broadway version a man plays Edna HOWEVER I think queen Latifah was great she was in the movie version of Chicago as well!!!
Also in the play version Tracy DID win instead of Inez which is why I like this version better actually
I hear that Broadway cast members refer to the last song as "You can't stop to breathe" because it's so frenetic.
Your laugh is so contagious. Haha! I love this movie. There were 5 woman sitting down from us at our screening and they had similar laughs like yours and it made the experience of seeing this movie even that much better. I actually told them how their reactions and laughter elevated the movie. And now this fun time with this movie. Love it.
You can't stop the beat is my favorite song from this entire movie i listen to it when ever i get the chance
It’s a known fact if your a Zac Efron fan that he played in hairspray directly after hsm 1 before they filmed hsm 2 it’s how we know that he sings live in hsm 2 because he sang live in hairspray every one knew Drew Seely did the singing in hsm 1. Hairspray gave Zac the courage to sing live after he filmed it same with his dancing got stronger after this film too.