Thomas Meehan (1) (1929–2017)

I must be honest, I actually liked this book more than I did the movie. The book adds a lot of depth to the story of Annie, with scenes that were not in the movie but added much more realness to Annie's story, including her time with some hobos (made hobos by the Great Depression), a spelling bee at her school, and her time working in a cafe for room and board.

All of the main characters are in here - the orphan warden, Daddy Warbucks, and Annie herself, but other characters also liven up the show more plot. If you like Little Orphan Annie, do give this book a try, you may be pleasantly surprised. show less

Recently, I was so fortunate to see this on tour. It is hard to keep my memories of the show from intertwining with this recording, but I'll try.

I enjoyed this recording. Somehow they captured the joy and hope the musical has. My favorites are World's Greatest Dad, Sparklejollytwinklejingley, I'll Believe In You, A Christmas Song (the reprise is terrific), Never Fall In Love (With An Elf) (I giggled throughout the song), and There Is A Santa Claus (I still tear up!).

To get the full impact show more of all of the songs, you'll need to be familiar with the musical. I think the ones I listed above stand on their own merits. I'll be playing this for years to come. show less

A fun spoof of Star Wars, with a bit of Star Trek mixed on. Lots of pretty good jokes that have actually aged, unlike some other movies from this era.

Nicole Blonsky (actor), John Travolta (actor) and Adam Shankman (director)

It's rare that a movie captures the intensity and excitement of a live Broadway musical production while appealing to a broader movie-going audience, but the 2007 Hairspray is an energetic, powerfully moving film that does just that. A remake of the 1988 musical film Hairspray, the new Hairspray is a film adaptation of the 2002 Broadway musical and features more likeable characters than the original film and an show more incredible energy that stems from a great cast, fabulous new music, and the influence of musical producer Craig Zadan. What remains constant throughout all three versions of Hairspray is the story's thought-provoking exploration of prejudice and racism. Set in Baltimore in 1962, the film opens with chubby girl Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) singing her heart out in a rendition of "Good Morning Baltimore" that, while admittedly a bit too long, sets the farcical tone for the film. Viewers quickly become immersed in Tracy's teenage world of popular television dance shows, big hair, the stigma of being different, and the first hesitant steps toward racial integration within a segregated world. The Corny Collins (James Marsden) television dance show is a teenage obsession in Tracy's world and Link Larkin (Zac Efron) is every girl's dream partner, so when a call for auditions goes out, Tracy skips school to try out, but is rejected by station manager Velma von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer) because of her large size and the threat of competition for Velma's own daughter Amber (Brittany Snow). Perseverance and the support of her friend Penny (Amanda Bynes), father Wilbur (Christopher Walken), and negro dancer Seaweed (Elijah Kelley) lead Tracy to the spotlight and the chance of a lifetime, but more and more Tracy discovers that fairness and equality for those who are different does not come without a fight and that sacrifices must be made to effect change. While the message is serious, Hairspray is first and foremost a comedy with stellar performances by John Travolta as Edna Turnblad (who ever imagined Saturday Night Fever's iconic star would appear onscreen as a woman?), Christopher Walken, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Part of what makes Hairspray so powerful is the exceptional music composed by Marc Shaiman, including songs newly composed for the movie like "Ladies' Choice," "The New Girl in Town," and "Come So Far," and the awesome vocal talents of Queen Latifah (Motormouth Maybelle) and a cast of heretofore musically-unknown actors like Nikki Blonsky, Zac Efron, and Brittany Snow who really can sing. Notable trivia includes Jerry Stiller's appearance in both versions of the film (as Wilbur in the 1988 film and as Mr. Pinky in this 2007 rendition), and a cameo appearance by 1988 director and screenplay writer John Waters. Hairspray is one of the best films of the year--it's powerfully moving entertainment that leaves you energized and motivated to fight for what you believe in. --Tami Horiuchi show less