Assignment 26.3

 Assignment 26.3 

-    Hairspray (2007)  

o    Rating:  PG (for language, some suggestive content, and momentary teen smoking) 

o    Genre:    Comedy, Musical & Performing Arts 

o    Directed By: Adam Shankman 

o    Written By: Thomas Meehan, Mark O'Donnell, Leslie Dixon 

o    In Theatres: July 20, 2007  

o    On Disc/Streaming: Nov 20, 2007 

o    Box Office: $118,823,091 

o    Runtime: 117 minutes 

o    Studio:    New Line Cinema 

Hairspray is explicitly set in Baltimore, Maryland and the original 1988 film had been shot on location there, but the 2007 film was shot primarily in Toronto because the city was better equipped with the sound stages necessary to film a musical. 

Producers – Neil Meron and Craig Zadan.  

Neil Meron previously had produces similar films such as Chicago and The Bucket List. So, when discussing his ideas with directors and writers he had the experience needed to know what works, and what doesn’t in the industry. He knew exactly what types of songs top hits would be. And the type of characters people would love and relate to. However, from looking at the films/ musicals he had previously directed it clear to see that this was the first to “go against the status quo”. And wet against his normal kind of actors to show a “large” protagonist being able to be the same big star than any other person could be. Craig Zadan also produced large scale musicals and films as well as live shows, so he had the knowledge of how to make the audience laugh there and then. Between them, they were able to form focus groups and presentations to come up with the perfect idea for a new film.
         

Target Audience  

Although you would think it is a nice musical about a girl wanting to be a dancer, I would say that this is suitable for people 15 or above considering that there are multiple sexual references throughout the film. Such as when Corny Collins is shown removing socks from his crotch in front of two women. As well as a song which the lyrics say “won’t go all the way but ill go pretty far” this is clearly referencing sexual meanings and thoughts, which aren’t suitable for younger audiences.  

However, they use many different things to entice an audience. As soon as you hear the word musical there will instantly be another type of audience interested. then when it says racial issues another type of audience become interested. They use the right kind of keywords to interest people when putting out advertisements and posters. This is the key way of how they get certain people to be intrigued by this film and ultimately go and see it. 

I think that the main type of audience they were trying to entice was teenagers who enjoyed musicals and young adults. I don’t think they were really reaching for the older audience when making this however that doesn’t mean to say they didn’t get a big viewing from that category.  

Marketing Strategies 

the film was easily distributed as they had a very clear logo and title which was easily recognizable to anyone that sees it. They also used interviews and adverts to show the new upcoming musical to a wider audience. The first sign of advertisement they used was casting. Before they had even set up the full storyline of the musical, they had to hold auditions to find the best actors top play the roles necessary. So already this film was advertised to a wide audience of people before anyone even knew what it was about. Then there would have been tv adverts and posters and radio adverts so they would have been able to spread the word about this new film quite easily and quickly so when the actual film came round to being released loads of people would have  seen the marketing and would have gotten intrigued by it.  

How was the film distributed? 

Production Companies

• New Line Cinema (presents) 
• Ingenious Film Partners (in association with) 
• Zadan / Meron Productions (as Zadan / Meron) 
• Offspring Entertainment (produced in association with) 
• Storyline Entertainment (uncredited)  
  
  

Distributors 

• New Line Cinema (2007) (USA) (theatrical) 
• Alliance Atlantis Motion Picture Distribution (2007) (Canada) (theatrical) 
  
  

The Adam Shankman-directed film added $4,274,000 at the box office the weekend of Aug. 17, pushing its gross total to $100,577,000.  

"Hairspray" opened in theatres nationwide July 20. During its first weekend, the film took in $27,800,000. The nearly $30 million box-office take for "Hairspray" was reportedly the biggest opening for any movie musical on record. Previous record holders included 1982's "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" ($11 million) and 2005's "Rent" ($10 million). Both "Chicago" and "Dreamgirls" opened in limited release. 

During the July 27-29 weekend, "Hairspray" grossed $15,899,890. The Aug. 3-5 take was $9,325,000. For the Aug. 10-12 weekend, it took in $6,396,666.  

Synopsis-  

Tracy Turnblad sat in the waiting room. If you would have told her seven months ago she would have been in this situation she would have laughed right in your face. The Miss Teenage Hairspray pageant concluded 6 months ago. And her life could not have been better. The show was finally integrated, something she had dreamed about for so long and she finally got the boy. She thought nothing in her life could be more perfect than in that moment. But sadly, all good things must come to an end. Even if you weren't given the opportunity to change them. And as for Link, well. Six months ago, he left Baltimore without another word. In less than 24 hours he would be going home. He would be back on the streets of Baltimore as we follow these two watching the highs and lows of their new unexpected life. 

Characters-

Tracy Turnblad- Nikki Blonsky

Link Larkin-  Zac Efron

Penny Pingleton - Amanda Bynes 

Seaweed- Elijah Kelley

Edna Turnblad- John Travolta

Wilbur Turnblad- Christopher Walkin

Corny Collins- James Marsden
Motormouth Maybelle- Queen Latifah

Doctor- Hugh Grant

Classification-
12A

Intended Audience-
The intended audience for this film would be around ages 12-25 considering all the actors would be around the age of 16-20 so therefor the age range would relate to the people watching. The main audience that would watch it would be the people who watched the original Hairspray. Also people who are interested musicals and dancing would watch this film.

Bibliography  

-http://www.playbill.com/article/hairspray-reaches-100-million-in-gross-at-box-office-com-143113 

- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427327/ 

26.2 Marinas Assignment - High School Musical comparison

Thirteen years ago a new teen film dropped called "High School Musical" 

all about an athlete called Troy played by Zac Efron who falls in love with a smart, beautiful girl called Gabriella played by Vanessa Hudgens on a Christmas vacation. 

He discovers his love of singing. When they return to school, though, he has to choose between the pressure of dedicating himself to basketball or his love of both music and Gabriella. It was obscenely popular, made a ton of money, through merchandise and the catchy up-beat songs, and made its stars famous. Off the back of its popularity, a year later, "High School Musical 2", its infinitely better sequel was released.

High School Musical is an original Disney film that was released in 2006 on Disney Channel. It became a worldwide phenomenon which led to releasing a sequel on the following year and eventually a third movie that made it to the theatres.  The story’s structure is a very similar one to "Romeo and Juliet" that it involves a romance and few complications between two outside parties minus the war, tragedy and violence. It begins with Troy Bolton (Romeo) and Gabriella Montez (Juliet) meeting for the first time in a party through a karaoke activity that acts as their “connector.” What did the director want to achieve when he chose to start the story with strangers meeting? It was established that the story will mainly revolve around them as the protagonists. The next time they meet, they find out that they come from different opposing groups and in the case of High School Musical, different cliques or school clubs. Troy is the captain of the basketball team while Gabriella is the math and science genius or “geek.” This establishes the complication of their love story.

Troy did not realize that he has a talent for singing and when he did, he developed the desire to pursue it. However, whenever he had to face his team regarding the truth, he denies it to keep his social status intact. He was in denial which ultimately developed developed a sense that the guilt from his superego is greater than his identity. Gabriella on the other hand, is not bothered by the opposing conflicts, considering that she is new in school and has no social status to protect. As long as Troy is with her, she is secured. She depends on Troy’s decision to go for what he wants despite the odds. She is not afraid to satisfy her desires and show her feelings for Troy which indicates that her identity is the strongest element of her personality. When both of their egos did not do its job as the mediator, it created a conflict that ended up hurting them. Because of Troy’s denial out of guilt, Gabriella’s feels a sense of rejection which makes Troy guiltier than he already is. In the end, Troy’s ego negotiates and ends up getting his desire without disappointing his peers. Gabriella’s conscience of understanding Troy’s conflicts helps her to balance the feeling and both find a suitable outcome that satisfies both of them.

High School Musical,” the first one, was a television movie that blindsided programmers when it caught on. One of the most-watched premieres of Disney Channel original movies, 200 million people worldwide are said to have seen the film, it also engendered a stage version, a concert tour and an album that was No.1 CD in 2007.

This love triangle between troys love for Gabriella and singing and having a future in playing basketball seems to get in the way again during the summer break. troy and Gabriella arrange plans many time within the summer however they all are spoiled by "out of the blue" plans arranged that could possibly future his career in basketball. "High S chool Musical 2" takes the High School Musical template of Troy's inner struggle between what his heart is set on and the responsibilities everyone is expecting of him and relocates them onto a non-school setting. This time, rather than being "girl vs friends" and "songs vs sports", he's tackling the harsh realities of adult life vs the fun of his personal relationships. The film takes place over the summer, and while all of the kids want to mess around and play some ball, they're pushed by the cruelty of capitalism to get jobs instead. They somehow all get work at the same country club, and have to bend over backwards serving the wealthy couples having a summer break, including the rich kids from their school. 

The film had a budget of $7 million and, despite starting on television, managed to pull in 17.2 million viewers on its premiere, making it the highest-rated telecast of its time. In 2006 and 2007, between the first two films, the franchise made an estimated $1 billion in operating profit. It was better received than the first instalment, reviewed well by grown adults, and weirdly popular with teens who loved it "ironically". While the first film had brought its stars to global relevance, the second saw that relevance reach new heights. Despite being essentially child stars, Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron became one of the most-talked about celebrity couples, with their love and alterations being broadcasted over the covers of tabloids and magazines everywhere. 

Both of these musicals are classics, The first one was a good "stand alone" film. It had a high success rate and gained a lot of popularity over it. However When the second film came out it was totally overshadowed by this upbeat, more relatable soundtrack with new insights and a better storyline. Overall my opinion is that "High School Musical 2" is the better sequel mainly for the soundtrack and actual acting plus vocal range. But also for the less predictable storyline and ultimately better experience watching it. 

Marinas Assignment - unit 26. task 1.

Margarethe Von Trotta

I love films about the relationships women have with one another. The sheer willingness to do anything for another woman, and the strength that comes through in knowing you have an unbreakable bond guided linked through a connection of soul. Sisterhood, the very words mean a close relationship among women based on shared experiences, concerns, beliefs. That definition opens up the doors to experiences of women both far and wide, and on the basis of activism, within feminism, sisterhood means a lot. A connection through a struggle and a constant push and pull to unravel oppression. For Marianne and Juliane their sisterhood is through blood and through activism. 

Her empathy in showing power of sisterhood through ongoing support. The recurring image of Marianne and Juliane is one of sisters embracing when they need it. When Marianne goes to jail for terrorist activities related to her feminism her sister supports her without any hesitation. She'll put her hand up to glass dividing them as they discuss her sentence, and make a joke about how her sisters hands feel cold, relieving the tension of her stressful situation. In a flashback sequence both sisters meet up in the girls bathroom of their school to shed tears over the Holocaust footage, that was shown in class, knowing their people did this. Their activism is born in this moment, but it also shows Von Trotta's humanity towards the girls as they know they must never allow this to happen again, but through it all they would have each others support. Another moment of sisterly interaction has both women swapping hoodies after Marianne visits her in prison for the first time, and Juliane needing something warmer. This act of giving what was on her back to her sister is emblematic of their relationship. They would do anything for one another at all times. It's a simple moment, but speaks to a larger loving relationship between the two, and Von Trotta's ability to get across meaning through feminist imagery is essentially what makes Marianne and Julianne such a striking film on feminism. 



Marianne and Julianne's feminism is equally represented through simplistic, raw, but nonetheless effective imagery that she also gave to their sisterly relationship. Von Trotta doesn't sugar-coat that Marianne's death is a rough time for Julianne, and by showing Marianne's broken body for what it is, the tragedy of the scene overflows. Julianne's grief is also delivered in a similar manner with consistent close-ups of weeping, moaning and sorrow. The scenes between the two sisters early on code the grief of the picture as something significant, but the acting of Jutte Lampe is something else entirely, tapping into deep levels of emotion. Von Trotta is wonderfully laid back in these moments, and let's Lampe act out her breakdown, and this creates another lasting image. That's the lasting effect of her camera. She shows no inclinations towards breaking the scene, but she knows how to get across the message she intended to by simply showing and not overdoing. There's simply no need to shoot something differently when a close-up of a face gets across everything you'd need to know about the pain of the scene. 

This film portrays feminism perfectly throughout the story. It has laughter, crying and love shown with every scene given and acted. Von Trotta really knows how to show the power of sisterhood.