John Waters "Hairspray" 1988 and 2007 (Baltimore Magazine article adapted into two films)

<b>Book Vs. Movie: Hairspray</b><br /><b>The 1988 John Waters Movie Vs. the 2007 Adaptation</b><br /><b>“Musicals in March”<br /><br />The Margos continue their look at “Musicals in March” with the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000691/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">John Waters</a> classic <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairspray_(2007_film)" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hairspray</a>, which started with the 1988 movie starring <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001442/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rikki Lake</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_(performer)" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Divine</a>, and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001323/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Debby Harry</a>. Based on his experiences of being a fan of the 1957-1964 Baltimore teen dance TV program--<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0294018/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Buddy Deane Show</a>, Waters was a huge fan of R&amp;B music. On the Buddy Deane show, the dancers were integrated, unlike <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049993/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dick Clark’s American Bandstand, </a>which was based out of Philadelphia at the same time. </b><br /><b><br /><a href="https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/artsentertainment/john-waters-on-keeping-the-memory-of-the-buddy-deane-show-alive/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Baltimore Magazine April 1985 by John Waters "Ladies &amp; Gentleman: The Nicest Kids in Town!</a>”</b><br /><b><br />Being a self-described “Super Fan” of the show, the director has a well-known career as an avant-garde-loving and bizarre artist who loves things that are in bad taste. His interest in something as wholesome as Buddy Deane made him think about writing a more accessible film about a group of teen dancers/local TV stars who fight racism and oppression with their love of music and dance. </b><br /><b><br />Given a modest budget of $2.8 million,