Hairspray 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		2.5

Hairspray 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 26, 2026

John Waters' "Hairspray" (1988) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the release include new program with John Waters and DJs Dave "the Spazz" Abramson and Gaylord Fields; new programs with several cast members; six newly discovered deleted scenes; archival audio commentary; vintage trailer; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

John Waters earned a reputation for directing very bad films. His most loyal fans would argue tirelessly that he was brilliant at what he did, a misunderstood auteur with something meaningful to say through these films. They were Baltimore-centric films, but the meaningful in them was supposed to be about America and most things that made it imperfect. The baddest of these bad films emerged during the 1970s.

In the 1980s, Waters tried something new. Instead of very bad films, Waters directed several supposedly proper films, some featuring rather conventional characters. These films were not immune to the bad that earned Waters his reputation. However, they presented the bad in different, less scandalous ways. Also, a few aspired to be the important messengers Waters’ most loyal fans argued some of his earlier films were.

Hairspray was Waters’ first PG-rated film. By then-current Waters standards, it was a huge project that united several instantly recognizable actors and performers like Jerry Stiller, Sonny Bonno, and Debbie Harry. But by mainstream standards, it was still a small independent project with unmissable limitations.

Its narrative is broken into three contrasting parts, all glued together by terrific music, just about all of it from the 1960s. Each part chronicles the transformation of Tracy Turnblad (Ricki Lake), a very plumpy teenager growing up in a dysfunctional suburban family, who dreams of becoming a star on The Corny Collins Show, a famous dance program in 1960s Baltimore. When, against the odds, her dream comes true, Turnblad unexpectedly evolves into an outspoken political activist and uses her popularity to confront racial injustice in the area.

All three parts are dominated by relentlessly overlapping kitsch and satire, each producing many jokes, the bulk of which are neither funny nor witty. In each part, the best material is slightly amusing because it forces Waters’ favorite star, Divine (seen without makeup), into ‘new’ situations that require unusual cooperation among multiple incompatible actors, and because it merges intentionally and unintentionally bad (over)acting. Some of this material also features prolonged, unevenly choreographed and shot dancing scenes, leaving the impression that Hairspray was an editor’s nightmare.

But the massive emphasis on the silly, ridiculous, and chaotic is not why Hairspray underwhelms. After all, it is a common development in all Waters films. The problem with Hairspray is that it looks sterile, in a very, very amateurish way. As a trashy but witty reimagination of Grease, it would have been intriguing, and a bit of the unbridled energy Switchblade Sisters oozes almost certainly would have made it exciting. Unfortunately, the current version of Hairspray is nothing more than an undermanaged cinematic cocktail of faux-vintage visuals and authentic vintage music, producing contrasts that are neither hilarious nor thought-provoking.

The soundtrack gathers such classic tracks as Chubby Checker's “Let’s Twist Again” and “The Fly”, Gene Pitney’s “Town Without Pity”, The Ikettes’ “I’m Blue (The Gong, Gong, Gong Song)”, and Dee Dee Sharp’s “Mashed Potato Time”. The title track was newly recorded.

Hairspray 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Criterion's release of Hairspray is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray disc is Region-Free. However, the Blu-ray is Region-A "locked".

The following text appears inside the booklet provided with this release:

"Supervised and approved by director John Waters, this new 4K restoration was created from the 35mm original camera negative. The original 2.0 surround soundtrack was remastered from the 35mm magnetic track. Please be sure to enable Dolby Pro Logic decoding on your receiver to properly play the 2.0 surround soundtrack.

Mastering supervisors: Lee Kline, Giles Sherwood.
Colorist: Anthony Raffaaele/Resillion, New York.
Image restoration: Resillion.
Audio restoration: The Criterion Collection."

Anyone who has previously seen Hairspray, theatrically or on Blu-ray, will quickly conclude that it does not look right now. It boasts a new tealed appearance, similar to the tealed appearances the likes of Eyes Wide Shut, Sorcerer, Testament, and Kiss of the Spider Woman acquired after they were graded by colorists associated with Resillion. Now, Hairspray looks significantly cooler, with tealing destabilizing entire ranges of primaries and supporting nuances. You can see obvious examples here, here, and here. Some of the cooling is so dramatic that it also impacts the dynamic range of select visuals. As a result, in darker material, it is easy to observe anomalies like the ones present on the equally problematic presentation of The Girl Can't Help It. This, again, is a very disappointing development because the raw 4K files appear to be excellent, and a definitive 4K makeover of Hairspray could have been very easy to deliver. In native 4K, Hairspray can be viewed with Dolby Vision and HDR grades. I used Dolby Vision. I felt that, in various areas, Dolby Vision exacerbated some of the color issues even more, with the bright skies and rich neon-esque nighttime footage often looking particularly distracting. My score is 2.75/5.00.

Hairspray 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I viewed Hairspray with the 2.0 track. It is fantastic. The vintage tracks sounded terrific on my system, often creating variety that is arguably the most attractive quality of Hairspray. All dialogue is very clear, sharp, and easy to follow. There are no stability issues. The upper register is very healthy.

Hairspray 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - this archival commentary was recorded by John Waters and Ricki Lake in 2004. Waters discusses his reunion with Divine and various specific period details that his film accurately replicates, the type of music that was popular among young people in the Baltimore area and its general socic-cultural environment in the 1960s , the casting of Lake, and the overlapping of the funny and sad.

BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - this archival commentary was recorded by John Waters and Ricki Lake in 2004. Waters discusses his reunion with Divine and various specific period details that his film accurately replicates, the type of music that was popular among young people in the Baltimore area and its general socic-cultural environment in the 1960s , the casting of Lake, and the overlapping of the funny and sad.

• "Their Hair Was Perfect, But the World Was a Mess..." -
  
  1.Two Up and Two Back - in this new program, John Waters and WFMU DJs Dave "the Spazz" Abramson and Gaylord Fields discuss the music of Hairspray. Waters also reveals that the first record he ever bought was "Cry Baby" by the Bonnie Sisters. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (40 min).
  
  2. Tracy and Amber - in this new program, Ricki Lake and Colleen Fitzpatrick (Amber von Tussle) recall how they were cast to play their characters in Hairspray and what it was like to be directed by John Waters. The two also have interesting comments about the dresses they wore and their hairstyles. In English, not subtitled. (31 min).
  
  3. Let's Get Naked and Smoke - in this new program, Debbie Harry (Velma von Tussle), Joann Havrilla (Prudence Pingleton), Leslie Ann Powers (Penny Pingleton), Clayton Prince (Seaweed), Shawn Thompson (Corny Collins), and Pia Zadora (Beatnik Chick) recall their contributions to Hairspray. In English, not subtitled. (19 min).
  
  4. Deleted Scenes - presented here are six, recently unearthed deleted scenes, which can be viewed with an introduction by John Waters. In English, not subtitled. (16 min).
  
  5. Behind the Scenes - this archival program features clips from interviews with John Waters, Sonny Bono, Ruth Brown, Divine, Debbie Harry, Ricki Lake, and Jerry Stiller discussing their collaboration on Hairspray. The program was produced in 1988. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (7 min).
  
  6. Production Design - in this archival program, production designer Vincent Peranio some of the sets he built for Hairspray. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (4 min).
  
  7. Trailer - presented here is a vintage trailer for Hairspray. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (3 min).

• Booklet - a 20-page illustrated booklet featuring Jessica Kiang's essay "A Clean Teen in a Filthy World", as well as technical specs.

Hairspray 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Some parts of Hairspray could have been used in a hilarious, perhaps even thought-provoking, trashy reimagination of Grease. However, too much material lacks the quality wit and humor for such a film. The outstanding music and select dance footage can sporadically blur the obvious, but Hairspray is still one seriously underwhelming film. Criterion's combo pack presents an exclusive new 4K restoration, supervised and approved by Waters. Unfortunately, it has color issues, altering the film's native appearance. However, the combo pack has a good selection of exclusive new and archival bonus features.