MovieChat Forums > Hairspray (1988) Discussion > definitely not for kids!

definitely not for kids!


I'm a fan of the broadway show and I just watched the movie for the first time. I wouldn't exactly call the broadway version family friendly (it's loaded with subtext), but can someone explain to me how THIS movie got a PG rating???

reply

Why do you feel it should have been rated differently?

reply

I guess several things surprised me. The scene with the beatnicks stands out in particular. Penny's psycho-therapy sessions were somewhat disturbing, but beyond that the entire film had adult overtones. If that came out today it would definately be PG-13.

reply

nah. this film would never be PG 13. And why would the beatniks scare you? If you're referring to the weed they mentioned, they didnt smoke it, they just offered it.

Champagne for my real friends, real pain for my sham friends.

reply

all the talk about hair-ironing was quite disturbing. you could start a fire doing that!

reply

Lol. I saw this when I was like seven/eight. It was my favorite movie then, one of my favorite movies now. Obviously, I didn't understand much of the innuendo (there is a bit) until I was much older. John Waters said in the commentary that he thinks the dirtiest scene is the scene that involves "The Dirty Boogie." He may be right. :-p Lol. Nah, I'll show this movie to my kids one day... :-D

Because I knew you
I have been changed
For Good

In loving memory of
Veronica Mars
2004-2007

reply

[deleted]

ironing your hair isn't disturbing,
when i had long hair i used an iron to straighten my hair sometimes.

"everyone loves a rebel harry"

reply

i dont see how. ppl used to do that a lot back then

Champagne for my real friends, real pain for my sham friends.

reply

It's rated PG because there was no PG-13 back then.

reply

Yes, there was, PG-13 was first made in 1985, this was made in 1988

reply

I watched about 10 mins of the movie on YouTube and didn't like it one bit. The new one is much better and fresher. This one is too dark and very cheap looking. The sets are very echoy (like that old daytime soap "Santa Barbara"), the costumes are extremely cheap, and from the comments I have read here, I'm not sure I want to see anymore of this movie. John Travolta is MUCH better as 'Edna' than that guy who called himself 'Divine' (he was anything but). I just didn't think this was a funny movie either. Sorry, but that's how I feel.

reply

This, to me, was really borderlined between PG and PG-13. There are things in it that are questionable but I think that I'd rate it PG but would recommend that the parent decide first.

On the flipside I saw it the 1st time when I was 11 and had no problem with it.

reply

[deleted]

It has no cursing, no violence and no sex beyond kissing. How would it get more than a PG?

reply

I watched this as a child and I was fine with it. When your a kid things just go over your head. I had no idea there were drugs in this scene it was only when my older sister mention that scene the other day I figured it out.

Same as the sex scene in grease - I had no idea what was going on there so just pretty much ignored it.

I watched Rocky Horror Show when I was little and was fine with it. It was only when i watched it later that I was like That mans not kissing the other mans belly!!!!!

Very rude!

reply

You obviously have no idea what Rude is.

you say you'll change the Constitution well, you know, we all want to change your Head

reply

You've only seen 10 minutes of an 1 1/2 hour movie...wow, that is an informed opinion.

reply

You're just not familiar with the magic of John Waters =)

reply

EliseMurray88: You're just not familiar with the magic of John Waters =)


Haha wow. Very true! And very few people are!

reply

[deleted]

I'm twitching at the sight of this post. John Travolta > Divine?! I hope you're joking...

reply

savage bren,

I read about three words of your post and didn't like it one bit.

reply

Well, I watched about 30 minutes of the new version and I didn't like IT one bit. In fact, I wanted to stab my eyes out. And Travolta's Edna made my ears bleed. Horrific. Sorry, but that's how I feel.

You say, "The sets are very echoy (like that old daytime soap "Santa Barbara"), the costumes are extremely cheap".
Hate to tell you this but the sets are actually pretty darn accurate.
And the sound is quite accurate as well, for the time they're portraying.
AND, as a vintage shoot and film stylist specializing in late '50s to the early '70s fashion, I can tell you with authority that the costumes in this film are by far more correct than the ones in the new version. Add to that the fact that everytime my mother (who was 15 in 1962) watches this version with me, the whole session is peppered with her saying, "Oh my god I used to have that SAME dress/top/skirt."

The bee hunts in pairs....and other fruits...

reply

the costumes in this film are by far more correct than the ones in the new version


I remember when I first saw this (original release, in 1988) being really impressed with the authenticity of the clothes. From contemporary photos I recognised they were just like what my parents, their friends and cousins etc wore in the early 1960s when they were in their late teens. I've yet to see another production of this or anything set in the same period get the fashions right. They all go for the same look that has been done so often its a cliche and that is about as accurate, say, as portraying everyone in 1977 with a neon-coloured mohawk*.

(*Just like movies and TV will portray punks from 1976-77 with mohawks. Totally wrong. It was certain Kings Road poseurs - who dressed up and charged tourists (mostly Japanese and American) to take their photo - started the trend around early 1980.)



When morning comes twice a day or not at all

reply

You really have to feel sorry for yourself! First, Glenn Milstead never ever called himself Divine, that was John Waters who thought he was divine and named him so! It's pretty obvious to me that you don't undestand how movie are made. You say that the sets are echoy, have you ever heard about historical reconstruction? You are one of those who are delighted with a little glitter trhown in theyr eyes, that's all movies are about. Besides, the fact that you like more JT than Divine tells enough about you. No other commentary needed.

reply

Why? It's a pretty tame movie. It's not like they use profanity in it.

reply

It's only PG, and yeah, there is very mild profanity in it. I don't see anything wrong when I watched it, I'm almost 14, and I see that it's not really that adult-ish.

The psychiatrist scene is disturbing for a little kid. And if you've seen Seaweed's face wrapped in cloth, you can see blood stains though it's not really that disturbing. (OUCH!)

But hey, this is no "Pink Flamingos"!

~::Aixden Cox::~
I love Charlie Cox, Hayden Christensen, and Brandon Routh!!!

reply

Actually it was 1984 for the PG-13 rating, originally devised for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.


"How do I set a laser pointer to stun?"

reply

Well if 'Grease' manages to pass for family friendly...

Seriously though. 'Grease'. Dirtiest PG film ever made. At least in Hairspray the innuendo is innuendo, in Grease it's just out there...filth.

Devil movie, Devil movie!

reply

I'm just wondering how can ANYONE say that John Travolta was better than Divine? If anything John took away everything that was funny about Edna by hiding the fact that it was a man playing her.

we danced on the beach, we kissed on the beach and Dot Dot Dot

reply

Really?

I thought Travolta hid the "man behind the suit" far worse than Divine, but I agree about the fact that I don't see how anyone could say Travolta was better!

The thing I liked about Divine's performance was the fact that it was kind of like he was a man playing a woman, but someone forgot to let him in on the joke and/or he forgot he was a man so the naturalness of it is astonishing, particularly for a (admittedly tamer) Waters film. Of course any Waters fan knows Divine is a man, but it's almost like he forgot when they were filming and gave a perfect "hausfrau" performance beginning to end, imo, if that makes any sense.

Travolta, on the other hand, was just terrible. Not only did he sound like Dr. Evil a good third of the time, his singing was pathetic. It didn't sound like "oh, funny, man singing like a woman", to me it came across as "Wow! So Danny Zuko is gay?!? I kinda figured...", he just did NOTHING to hide the "Travoltaness" from his voice, and it was incredibly distracting. And I find it pathetic that he was the one getting all the awards attention/buzz (along with, to a lesser degree, Nikki Blonksy) when, frankly, they were the weakest links in the movie, while Pfeiffer and Kelley turned in 2 incredible performances and were basically ignored. I love listening to the soundtrack, but on more rewatches the flaws start to become more apparent and make me wish I could go back to seeing it for the first time.

-
It's a good thing your dead cuz in a few years your breasts woulda been saggin somethin terrible

reply

miss_independant1405 I'm just wondering how can ANYONE say that John Travolta was better than Divine? If anything John took away everything that was funny about Edna by hiding the fact that it was a man playing her.


I completely agree with you. What was with John's annoying inflection? The Hairspray remake was awful and he was one of the reasons why. I know the majority disagree with us though because the majority of audiences prefer style over substance in any medium but the original has withstood the test of time. As for the remake, it remains to be seen.

reply

Yes there was PG-13 that camein 1984. The film is child safe. I think too many people have a stick up there butt. HW should have to watch your childern you should watch your childern. Parents should watch a film first b4 they let there childern watch it. ALSO YOU CAN LOOK ON LINE AT THE MPAA web page to see why a movie was rated for anything.

There is a such thing as over-parenting. I saw it with my sisters childern.

reply

No offence, but how prude can you get?
the psycho sessions were disturbing??? Geez, where's your sense of humor?
And as for the beatniks with their weed;
weed is legal in the Netherlands, so should we make the whole country PG-13, or export all kids under 13?
They don't turn into drug addicts when hearing the word "weed" in a movie.

Maybe it's just a difference of culture;
in my land of the free, John Waters unrated cut of A dirty shame is released and rated for 6 years and older; in the USA it's rated NC-17; I guess were a bit more tolerant here.

reply

I just watched "A Dirty Shame" last night and loved it. I did notice that it was rated "6" in the Netherlands and that just made me chuckle a little bit about what a taboo sex is in the United States. If you were to show that movie to a six year old they would probably be more confused and bored than anything :p.

Again, "A Dirty Shame" is rated "U" (the equivalent of "G") in France, where the highest (18) rating is rarely used. As far as I know the last 18 rated movie in France was "Saw III." Again, funny how the values differ. Honestly I wouldn't show "A Dirty Shame" to my kid, but I WOULD rather they see it than see the gratuitous violence of a movie like "Saw III" if I was forced to choose.

---
Latest:

A Dirty Shame: 8/10
Sick: The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan: 9/10

reply

Why does everyone hate on the psycho-therapy sessions? I thought they were some of the funniest parts of the movie! Just seeing John holding a pinwheel in Penny's face and saying stuff like "Think of all the white boys in school and how much you'd like to date one" almost killed me. And the cattle prod looked so ridiculous I was in tears (especially since John looked like he was having a ball).

Eric

"What's your damage, Heather?"

reply

Seriously??? I saw this movie for the first time when I was around 10 or 11. Most of the things you point out weren't really even understood completely by me back then and pretty much went over my head. And even if they hadn't, what's the big deal?

The beatniks OFFER refer (BTW, what modern kid knows what 'refer' is anyway?) to Tracy and her friends. Because of this, Tracy and her friends freak out, don't see the beats as cool anymore, and get out of there as quickly as possible. Back in '88, you could have said that they 'Just said no.' So what's wrong there??

As for the therapy sessions, the psych is played so over the top by Waters that it becomes funny. And whether you like to think so or not, that type of therapy WAS done in the early '60s. Granted, it was an absurd practice, and I think Waters very skillfully plays it that way.


The bee hunts in pairs....and other fruits...

reply

I think she is referring to all the racist stuff. It's funny as hell, but probably inappropriate for kids..

"IMdB; where 14 year olds can act like jaded 40 year old critics...'

reply

The new version has even more subtext! Listen to the song lyrics about needing a "stiff one" and "going pretty far." Seems like more innuendo to me than the original.

reply

As somebody else mentioned, "Grease" was PG and had much, much more innuendo. "Grease" was before PG-13, of course. But "Hairspray" is tame. People were lobbying for PG-13 because of violence and drug use in films ("Gremlins" and "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom," both PG, were the last straws).

I agree it's not a completely kid-friendly movie, but it's certainly more kid-friendly than "Family Guy."

reply

The movie's undertones are for adults. Just like Grease. I loved it as a kid, and when I watched it again in my early 20's, I was surprised my parents let me watch it. Tons of innuendo. Great movie. Also PG rated.

reply

I brought this film for my 11 year old beast! She loved it as she loves the new musical, this is in no way a film for adults, it was JW's first PG film and rightfully so!

If you love Satan and are 100% proud of it copy this and make your signature!

reply

Your 11 year old beast?!






I really like your car Mrs. Larusso![smile]

reply

this is a PG rating for John Waters.
search all of his other movies and you will see why.
Cry Baby and Hairspray are his movies that would be considered PG out of all of them

ow my shoulder!!!
ow my head!!!
[insider]

reply

And?

What has that got to do with the price of potatoes?

It is a good film and thoroughly fine for children.

I would worry more about the people who would happily let their children play 'Grand Theft Auto' than this innocent story.

If you love Satan and are 100% proud of it copy this and make your signature!

reply

[deleted]

I rented this for my 13 yr. old daughter, as well as Cry Baby. Didn't see anything offensive enough to make me cringe while sitting in the room with her. People with kids will know that feeling: when a scene comes up in something and all you can do is stare at the screen, especially when your child is of a different gender than you. This post did make me remember, however, that my first R-rated movie was 'Used Cars'. Went with my stepmom and one of her friends and my sibs. I was way too young for that one.



Don't be such a pu$$y Vaughn, we all gotta work tomorrow!

reply

This is profane? Look at the adult jokes, hidden in 'Shrek' and 'Toy Story'. LOL


Watch My TV Show!:
www.drxcreatures.com

reply

What's in "Toy Story"? I can't think of anything in that movie that would be called an adult joke. For "Shrek" I understand what you are saying.


"How do I set a laser pointer to stun?"

reply

In both one and two, there are some. They're not flat out. LOL


Check out my Website!!!
www.drxcreatures.com

reply

Those beatniks were scary????!!!!....ROFLMAO.

reply

As I've said about many John Waters characters, I wish I had them as neighbors.

I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked.

reply

I actually prefer this version to the 2007 remake.

Don't get me wrong, I like them both for different reasons, and John Travolta was brilliant, but this one is special to me cos I first watched it when I was about 8 and I can remember just thinking it was brilliant and loving the dance routines and old 60s songs. I have both on DVD now and I adore both versions. The 1988 one a bit more.

Justice for the 96
-15th April 1989


YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE

reply

I used to watch this when I was around 8 or 9. I didn't completely get all the references until I was older. I do agree that this should have gotten a PG-13 rating, since there was marijuana smoking and other adult references.

------------------------------------
Here's my signature.

reply

There is no nudity or violence so what's the big deal? What difference does it make if it's pg or pg13? It was the eighties. Films were rated differently and what do you expect from John Waters?

reply

Films were rated differently and what do you expect from John Waters?

This is tame compared to what John Waters used to do.

I seriously wonder if the OP saw "Pink Flamingos" or "Multiple Maniacs."

reply

Remember the original of this movie came out in 1988 and what was inappropriate back then is considered tame now. And most of the stuff nowadays just goes right over kids' heads. Like my daughter and I saw Despicable Me 2 and while it did get a PG rating there was still a lot of it that went right over my 7 year old's head.

For what you'd call better or worse, society is ever-changing.

reply

Well said.
The OP and the other mimsy fusspots moaning on here should move themselves and their little angels to somewhere like Salt Lake City, then never go anywhere but church/temple and whatever other family-oriented entertainment (ie kindergartens for adults) meet with their approval.
Do these whiners truly think children - including their own precious snowflakes - are so innocent and ignorant as to be shocked or corrupted by anything in this movie? The bubble in which some people live in must have walls of reinforced concrete!
Given that its tone and message is overwhelmingly positive - and all done without the bloated budgets and egos of most of today's movies - I would thoroughly recommend Waters' movie 'Hairspray' for kids. Which is anyway incidental because unless something is made specifically for them, who cares if its 'suitable' for them or not? We have enough of a dumbed-down society as it is, thanks partly to the grief caused by self-appointed morality police and the warped self-absorption of helicopter parents .


When morning comes twice a day or not at all

reply

I think the OP of this thread would choke if they saw Waters' early films, ESPECIALLY "Pink Flamingos" or "Desperate Living." Who knows, they may find "Female Trouble" funny.

Anybody remember John Candy as Divine on SCTV guesting on Dusty Towne's (Catherine O'Hara) Holiday Special? "My next guest is a movie star who's been in three films, all rated X. Please welcome Divine!"

reply