Hairspray (1988)
JOHN WATERS: DIVINE FILTH, PART 6
“I watch that tramp and I’m embarrassed to be white.”
After unsuccessfully trying to get a PINK FLAMINGOS sequel off of the ground, John Waters revisited an idea that he'd been batting around since the late 1970s, about a teenage girl growing up in early 1960s Baltimore.
That film, HAIRSPRAY, would prove to be John Waters' unintentional ticket to mainstream recognition. By far his most popular and successful film to date, HAIRSPRAY would launch its director — and star, Divine — to whole new levels of fame, fame that, sadly, Divine would not live to see.
In this episode, we take one of our signature deep dives into the development, production and release of HAIRSPRAY and the lives of those who made it in the penultimate episodd in our series John Waters: Divine Filth.
CAST & CREW
Directed by: John Waters
Written by: John Waters
Produced by: Robert Shaye | John Waters | Rachel Talalay
Cast: Ricki Lake | Divine | Debbie Harry | Jerry Stiller | Sonny Bono | Ruth Brown | Leslie Ann Powers | Colleen Fitzpatrick | Michael St. Gerard | Clayton Prince | Cyrkle Milbourne | Shawn Thompson | Joann Havrilla | Alan J. Wendl | Ric Ocasek | Pia Zadora
Cinematography: David Insley
Edited by: Janice Hampton
Music by: Kenny Vance
Release Date: February 26, 1988
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.
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