The Chameleon City Steals "Hairspray" Filming From Baltimore
Planning to see "Hairspray," the new movie-musical version of John Waters' paean to his home city of Baltimore? Don't expect to see much of the city this time around. The original 1988 film, starring Ricki Lake and Waters muse Divine, was shot in Maryland's largest city (as have most of John Waters' movies).
But this time around, lured by the siren song of tax credits, the studio picked up and moved the production (including John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Michelle Pfeiffer and Christopher Walken to Toronto. The Canadian city is remarkably versatile, having previously stood in for Chicago (in "Chicago"), New York ("Cruel Intentions," "Dark Water") and Washington D.C. ("Man of the Year"). Waters says he's sorry the film wasn't shot in his hometown, but that at least they didn't change the opening song to "Good Morning, Toronto."
If you happen to be in Baltimore and want a real show, check out Illusions Magic Bar & Lounge. This new Federal Hill spot doesn't feature large-scale musical numbers, but the owner's son does card tricks and Houdini-esque escapes from atop the bar. Let's see someone make a movie about that!
Related Stories:
· Travel Stories in Toronto [Jaunted]
· Hotels in Baltimore [HotelChatter]
[Photo: Just Jared]
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