Hey mama . . . welcome to my Hairspray opinions.

You may not be able to tell at first glance, but I love musicals. One that is particularly special to me is Hairspray the musical. And being that I’m so obsessed with Hairspray, of course I’ve not only seen the 2007 musical movie, but also the original (non musical :/) 1988 version, and I’ve even seen the show live.

While the world of Hairspray is great, there are pros and cons to each form of the story, whether that be musical, musical movie, or the original movie. So here are my insights on which is the best to watch . . .

3. Hairspray (1988)

Before you take out your torches and pitchforks, I do not hate the original movie at all. In fact, I think it’s a great original story that forms the basis of the franchise. With the direction of John Waters, the candy-colored palette and utter campiness of the film is what it does best.

Out of all of the renditions of hairspray, the original is the most like a social commentary. The film criticizes the bigotry and hypocrisy of 1960s Baltimore, and it revolutionized movie roles with the inclusion of Divine, a drag queen, playing Edna Turnblad.

Even though Waters’s intentions were not to create a mainstream story like Hairspray has become today, the fact that the movie became a musical and major motion picture is a feat in itself.

Despite the fact that I do not dislike the original movie, I think it pales in comparison to the energy and grandness of the other two story adaptations. With the clever wordplay of the songs and additional choreography, along with the even better outfits and visuals (specifically the props used in “Good Morning Baltimore”) I can definitely say that I prefer the musical adaptations when referring to the topic of Hairspray—but the OG certainly earns its place for historical significance.

2. Hairspray (2007)

I’m wary of criticizing this version because it was my introduction to the world of Hairspray (it’s even in my top four on Letterboxd). With the star-studded cast including John Travolta, Zac Efren, James Marsden, Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah, and a cameo from John Waters himself as the flasher, there’s a lot to love.

There’s never a dull moment in this movie musical adaptation, and the color grading and editing (especially in “Without Love”) could not be more perfect. Yet, there are still some things that prevent it from being my favorite version of Hairspray.

First of all, there are missing songs that are integral to the plot of the musical such as “Mama I’m a Big Girl Now” and “Cooties.” “Mama I’m a Big Girl Now” shows our three female characters—Tracy, Penny, and Amber—all dealing with the qualms of wanting to escape your parents and go into the real world. In spite of the girls all having drastically different relationships with each other and their respective mothers, the song showcases that even despite their differences, they can relate to each other's feelings in wanting to grow up faster.

In regards to “Cooties,” the song showcases the main antagonist, Amber’s, dislike for the protagonist, Tracy. While there are snide remarks and backhanded comments targeted towards Tracy from Amber in the movie musical, it doesn’t feel like it goes anywhere. I want to see the drama, people! “Cooties” should’ve been in the movie.

Anyway, despite my issues with the movie musical adaptation, it’s still great and I can't recommend it enough.

1. Hairspray (Stage Musical)

I got the opportunity to see the musical live at the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh in January 2023. I loved the movie so why not see the show for myself? With no expectations of what I was going to see, I was blown away. The set pieces, the performances, the scenes cut from the movie that I’d never seen before, they were all excellent!

Watching a live musical is so satisfying because you can see the sheer amount of time, effort, love, dedication, and passion that it took for all of the moving pieces to create a show. All of the cast members sang beautifully (especially the actress who played Motormouth Maybelle—goosebumps), and the set pieces were so well crafted.

My favorite parts of the show were the opening song, “Good Morning Baltimore,” watching all of the set pieces move to showcase Tracy’s morning routine, the dodgeball scene that showcased Link and Tracy’s relationship, and Edna and Wilbur’s song “Timeless to Me.”

All in all, I have no criticisms. If you even have the chance to watch Hairspray live, do it! You’ll have no regrets.