Plot: What’s it about?
In Hairspray, we watch as plump teenager Tracy Turnblad (Ricki Lake) chase her dreams, as well as try to make the world a better place. She wants to be a regular on a local television dance show, but it seems like a long shot to be sure. But with her massive hairdo, huge toothy smile, and perky persona, Tracy manages to score a slot on the show and becomes an overnight sensation, just as she had dreamed. She then begins to use her newfound fame for good, as she tries to advance integration and other issues, which causes some tension with some folks. One person who is taken back by Tracy’s ideas is fellow dancer Amber (Colleen Fitzpatrick), who wants to squash Tracy and her talks to integration and as soon as possible. In Pecker, we see Pecker (Edward Furlong) and his ever present camera, as they traverse his town looking for unique shots. He soon starts to display his photos at his work, where someone discovers his work and soon enough, Pecker has become a star photographer. But his new fame comes with a price, as he now has trouble getting new photos and as for his family, they’re none too pleased with his progress.
This is the first installment of The John Waters Collection from New Line, which includes Pecker and Hairspray. Of course, this is the second release for Pecker and the disc is the same as before, but since both flicks can be had at one low price, Waters fans will want to move up to this double disc edition soon. I am very pleased to see New Line release some of their John Waters flicks, although I wouldn’t have made these two my first selections. Even so, Pecker is a decent little movie and Hairspray is great at times, so I have no real complaints in the end. I’ve never been a real big fan of Hairspray, as it lacks the core shock value of Waters prior films, but I do think it has some terrific moments. The cast is loaded with familiar faces such as Ricki Lake, Debbie Harry, Ric Ocasek, Mink Stole, Sonny Bono, and of course, Divine. This has some typical Waters themes, but I just prefer his earlier, darker works, although I still think this is a fun, worthwhile picture. As far as Pecker, it has some excellent visuals and interesting characters, but again, lacks the edge I love from earlier Waters movies. Although these aren’t my favorite examples of Waters cinema, a double dip at a low price makes this well recommended.
This is The John Waters Collection and of course, that means both films were written and directed by good old John Waters himself. As I mentioned above, I am partial to his earlier, more shock based efforts, but even his more recent films have managed to entertain me. I can’t say I love either of the flicks included here, but both have fun moments and memorable characters, as well as great Waters themes and style choices. I think he does more memorable work when he uses the darker approach, but these lighter, more bouncy flicks also pack a nice punch, which is why this two pack gets such a high overall score. I am pleased to finally own Hairspray and Pecker is a decent effort also, but New Line, bring on the classicks and quick! Other films directed by Waters include Mondo Trasho, Cecil B. DeMented, Serial Mom, Roman Candles, Pink Flamingos, Polyester, Eat Your Makeup, and Cry-Baby. The casts here include Edward Furlong (Animal Factory, Terminator 2: Judgment Day), Christina Ricci (The Addams Family, Sleepy Hollow), Ricki Lake (Working Girl, Cabin Boy), Debbie Harry (Cop Land, The Blank Generation), and Sonny Bono (Airplane Il, Good Times).
Video: How does it look?
Hairspray is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This is not a reference level transfer, but it does look good and is superior to previous editions, to be sure. The print seems clean enough, but the image just looks a little dated, although this movie isn’t that old, which is a strange phenomenon. Even so, I was pleased in the end, as colors looked bright, flesh tones were natural, and contrast was more than solid. There is some grain and other small flaws, but since this surpasses prior home video versions by a landslide, I can be a little lenient.
Pecker is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This is a newer film and as such, has a sharper and cleaner overall image level. I did detect some edge enhancement at times, but in the end, this movie looks terrific. The colors are bold and well defined, while flesh tones remain normal and warm also. No problems on the contrast side either, as black levels are dead on and no visible detail loss is evident. Even the source print is clean and of course, that allows the other elements to shine and trust me, they do just that. This is the same transfer as found on the previous Pecker disc, in case anyone is wondering about that.
Audio: How does it sound?
Both films have been given Dolby Digital 5.1 options and of course, Pecker has more dynamic presence and range, but both sound very good here. Hairspray is even handed in terms of atmosphere, with the front channels handling the bulk of the work, though some surround use can be heard at times. It might not have the punch of a recent, audio driven picture, but this is the best Hairspray has ever sounded on home video. Pecker is much more dominant in the surrounds, with a lot more action that expected, to be sure. But the surrounds are used to effective ends, so this isn’t just forced presence to add bells & whistles. Both films also have 2.0 surround choices, as well as optional English subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The disc for Pecker has the same extras as the previous edition, with a theatrical trailer, some talent files, an interview with the photographer who took Pecker’s photos, and an audio commentary track with director John Waters. As usual, Waters offers an informative session and touches upon all sorts of topics, a very cool commentary indeed. On the Hairspray side of the coin, Waters returns in another commentary track and this time, he’s joined by star Ricki Lake. This is a hilarious session to be sure and even if you’re a casual Waters fan, don’t miss this one. You’ll also find the film’s theatrical trailer, as well as some DVD ROM content.
