Integration Techniques in Hairspray
Hairspray(2007), as many modern musical films do, integrates all of its music numbers into its story and structure in at least one way, if not more. The most obvious way that the songs are integrated is by the film being a backstage musical, one that focuses on the people who create entertainment related to music, in this case “The Corny Collins Show”. The backstage setting allows for the songs to naturally integrate into the story and diegesis.One way is for songs to be part of the music show, like “The Nicest Kids in Town”. A second way is by having songs, such as "Good Morning Baltimore", to come from characters that want to be or are involved with the show, even if the song is not directly in the show,
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The opening song, "Good Morning Baltimore", is a perfect example of this technique, the song’s name alone reveals the location of the movie. Through the song and its corresponding visuals the audience is given important background information, for example, before the first word is sung, the central theme of segregation or integration of black people and those different from us is introduced through a newspaper headline talking about a ban on “Negros”. The song introducing themes and Tracy as the main character are the most obvious examples of exposition, but there are more. Tracy’s backstory is slightly fleshed out with her saying she hasn’t been given a chance, in the music scene, and there is numerous references to her character, but that falls under a different type of integration. The world is also introduced throughout the song usually being comically gross, from a flasher to a drunk. All of this information is cleverly laid out through the song to make the world feel as if it is driven by it. Most other songs in Hairspray lack much non-character exposition, besides “Miss Baltimore …show more content…
In the end, the voters at home, most likely predominantly white, vote overwhelmingly for a black girl to win the competition and to end up integrating the show. This is the most utopian idea in whole film, because in the 1960s there is no way that is how the idea of integration would be taken. This is a provable fact, the story Hairspray is based on ended with the show being shut down, because of integration, not celebrated. However, in the movie everything turns out exactly how the characters and audience want, because people joined together and acted like a real utopian
Betty’s father warns Betty Boop not to do it as he understands the consequences. The nature of the mood is also shown in the way the instrumentals are perceived. The dancing at the end shows it all. Sound and music is used at the start and the end of the music. At the start, the music is somewhat slow and the instrumentals set the mood expected from the film. The band and orchestra is more casual just as the characters in the film. This gives the author the expectation from the film as well as how the characters could utilize the environment. At the end of the film, the cab sings in a way that is more spiritual, ghost like and the skeletons nature scares everything. The music is related to the image on the screen since it indicates what Betty could expect. In most instances, the music goes with what is on the screen to create some sense of
It’s 1962 and an overweight teenager, Tracy Turnblad and her best friend, Penny Pingleton are obsessed with the dance TV show Corny Collins. One of the regulars leaves the show leaving a space to be filled. Tracy’s dream has always been to be on the show. With the help of her new black friend Seaweed, she manages to get casted for the show, angering the star, Amber Von Tussle and her mother the station manager, Velma. Tracy is not the typical white teen that believes in segregation and wants to see the Corny Collins show integrated. She sets out to do just that all the while winning the love of heartthrob Link, while having a laugh or two and singing a couple tunes.
So that I don’t have to explain to them what it is about. Because I will not be describing nor will I explain what the artist meant from, when he was writing the song. I will be putting my own twist and thought about it. My main purpose is to make the audience think outside the box, and see how a totally different experience or event can relate somehow back to the song. That you can take something like “love you”, and somehow connect it back to a war or a celebration. The only limitation is your own
Musical film is a type of genre that works music into film and can generally help the plot of the movie, as well as the characters, move forward and advance. In some musical films, interruption by musical numbers is part of a characteristic of musicals as well as the abrupt breakout in dance numbers in between scenes. Often these types of films are set up just like a traditional live theater show but contain more performers and more outrageous backgrounds that are impossible to fit inside a theater. One musical film that has become an instant classic since it came out is La La Land which is one of the greatest-romantic-musical films of this generation and should be recommended for all musical lovers. La La Land shows the hardships that a person
It has some typical markers of the era that include fairly animated and over the top vocals, a lot of big band music, and varying types of manufactured sound effects. However a very special part of this film is its use of tap dancing as a separate instrument in the film. Gene Kelly’s signature tap dancing leads to extra percussion, as well as often using his own singing voice in the film. Nearly every song in this film is considered a classic, which apparently everyone either knows or can recognize. For instance, everyone knows the lyrics to Singing in The Rain, Gotta Dance, and Good Morning. Sound is truly the essence of this film, for more than it just being a musical but because its sound is truly what makes memorable. These songs or scenes developed the plots drama or accented moment of happiness that would feed into the plot of the movie. They also drew in interest on the details of each
It is no surprise that Hairspray was as successful as it was, because it touches on subject matter that will always resonate with the audience. Hairspray emcompasses everything good about film and broadway. It is a story of triumph, acceptance, and overcoming ruthless stereotypes. The audience will always cheer for the
Sidney and Dre both had a deep love for rap and hip-hop and they both listened to and were infatuated making music. Throughout the movie, Sidney and Dre had began to notice that with time, rap and hip-hop was falling off and losing its authenticity. As the nature and purity of rap and hip hop in Dre’s life began to dwindle, so did the relationship between himself and Sidney. “Brown Sugar’s music supervisor Barry Cole says, “The music … is a reflection of what it was like for the first generation of hip-hop, growing up as the music began and maturing as the music continues to evolve.”’ (Sanchez) Dre lost sight of what hip-hop meant to him and his relationship with his current spouse, who saw no appreciation for music, was an example of that. At the end of the movie Dre and Sidney realize that they are in love with each other and this is when Dre’s love for music is rejuvenated. Music did not play as big of a role in Just Wright. However, the background music did have an effect on the movie and it helped display the essence of black love. The scene when Scott realizes he is in love with is when his playing a song on the piano. With every scene of intimacy in Just Wright there is a song that relates to love and
Many songs were incorporated into the story line, such as “The Sound of Music,” “My Favorite Things,” and “So Long, Farewell.”
In the play, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams uses the elements of symbolism and imagery to create an eerie mood that allows the reader to convey a more descriptive picture of the scene and understand the characters thoroughly. The actions and music involved in the play represent a much more intense meaning and contain symbolism with the use of music, liquor, and light which help the reader to identify the personality and emotions each character is experiencing throughout the play. With the visiting of Stella’s sister, Blanche, Williams uses certain actions taken by Blanche and music to show how she is now haunted from the death of her husband. In the beginning of the novel, the symbolism Williams uses in the opening scene gives the reader more knowledge and foreshadows the actions of the character.
Take for example Mama Morton’s “When You’re Good To Mama,” this number not only introduces Mama, but it also exposes the way in which things are run in the Cook County Jail, where Roxie and Velma are inmates. The song “We Both Reached for The Gun” is imperative to the musical as it tells Roxie’s story from Billy Flynn’s perspective, which ultimately attains her discharge from jail. Chicago is packed with great energizing songs that always seem to reach several climaxes as they build momentum towards a big musical orgasm, as is the case with the last song of the film, “Nowadays”, where Roxie and Velma perform together on stage for the first time. Regardless of their function, all the songs in the soundtrack have a certain finesse that makes the movie a real auditory delight. In conclusion, everyone who enjoys the magic of Broadway and the fantasy world of Hollywood must watch Chicago.
Amy has to interview Aaron, and she stands in observing while he is performing surgery. She learns that he enjoys listening to “Uptown Girl” while he is doing surgery, and sort of makes fun of him for it. Then at the end of the movie, Amy is declaring her love for Aaron by doing a dance with the New York Knicks cheerleaders to “Uptown Girl,” because she knows that it is his favorite song. Another great song used that was definitely popular culture was “Do My Thang” by Miley Cyrus. I think this was a great use of music because not only did it perfectly describe Amy Schumer’s character, but, “Miley Cyrus was the top thing to happen in pop culture in 2013.” (Strauss, 2013) Her huge transformation from being a Disney star to being a very rebellious person was a shock for most people, and she seemed to be all that anyone was talking about for a very long
Even though racism isn’t as bad as it was then but it is evident even in today’s world that it still exist. It really can make people feel lesser that what they are and just overall make them feel bad. No one wants to be treated like an outcast, we all just want to be treated equal in value. A relevant social work issue that I saw in the film was an example of how a racist person might come into your office one day but you just can’t turn them down because of your personal values. As a social worker it’s up to us to help the different types of people overcome their personal issues and we have to realize everyone was raised differently than others. When Ms. Elliot was doing the exercise you can see the kids and adults struggle with being discriminated against because they weren’t use to it. No one wants to feel like less than what they are because it starts to takes an effect on them. For example, when the students received good feedback from the teacher their test scores went up but when she gave them negative feedback they went down. Emotionally, for me the film was very inspirational seeing little kid learn how to treat people at a young age. Most of their parents probably were white and or racist and for Ms. Elliot to instill in them what it meant to treat each other equally was amazing. It influenced me because as a mother I have to teach my daughter certain things while she is younger
“The Shampoo” by Elizabeth Bishop was written near the beginning of Bishop’s residence in Brazil and is a direct homage to her lover Lota. Even though Lota is not directly addressed in the poem, an earlier draft of the poem reveals a connection to her longtime lover. Bishop uses the mundane act of washing a loved one’s hair as the basis for a brilliant meditation on the nature and progression of time. In “The Shampoo” Elizabeth Bishop uses imagery of nature, metaphor of time, and deliberate diction to compare the gradual movements in nature over time with the process of aging. Bishop draws a contrast between the process of aging and the timeless relationship she has with
“The Shampoo” by Elizabeth Bishop was written near the beginning of Bishop’s residence in Brazil and is a direct homage to her lover Lota. Bishop uses the mundane act of washing a loved one’s hair as the basis for a brilliant meditation on the nature and progression of time. In “The Shampoo” Elizabeth Bishop uses imagery, metaphor, and diction to compare the gradual movements in nature over time with the process of aging. Bishop draws a contrast between the process of aging and the timeless relationship she has with her partner.