Analysis

On many musical film posters, brgith colours are to used ofter to emphasis the excitment thats within the film. Bright colours also suggest that the genre of the film is is to audience families as if it was a horror the poster would be dark and sinister. The faces on the front of the poster are cut off this is not only to represent that the film is about "hair do's" but by not being able to see their whole body the audience cant judge whos who. Each square is equal would could put forward that the message is being equal and that no matter who you are or what you do that doesnt mean that your better than that person which is a message within the film.
Leaving just the eyes to be seen the audience can presume what thta person is like just throught thier eye contact, also they can grasp the characters role and this is where propps theory can be used.
Edna the mother who has many insecurites looks as though shes almost sad and that shes trying to hide away, which could suggest that its hard to be accepted if you look different.
Velma has a sinister lookin stare which to the auidence can precieve her to be a villian, the direct contact is a way of manipulation as he head is face on unlike any other characters she has a dominate roll in through how she tries to intimidate to succeed.
Motormouth's expression suggests that shes a diva and that doesnt let anyone walk over her as this film covers the issues of racism, she as a black woman who is a victim believes she has all the rights of a white person.
Amber from first glimps looks innocent and angelic but when studing her she uses that the her advantage on in the film shes bratty.
Tracy appears to be shocked this could be through the naivity of the town and that to be accepted means you have to look all the same. This also portrays tracy's innocene throughout the film.
Also when looking at characters the actor that plays Link Larten is Zac Effron who has a large female fan base which could determine that the film would have a lager female audience than male. Not only this but musical are more prominate within the female audience which alongside hairspray there,s a popular musical within girls between 10-16 is High School Musical which also stars Zac Effron.
Not only this but the actor who plays Penny- Amanda Bynes presented her own kids show called The Amanda Show which was popular to young girls from the ages of 12-14.

The poster

The Characters

Nikki Blonsky as Tracy Turnblad: An optimistic, overweight teenage girl who loves to dance, Tracy's color-blindness unwittingly leads her to becoming an active supporter for the integration of The Corny Collins Show.
John Travolta as Edna Turnblad: Tracy's mother, an asocial shut-in ashamed of her plus-sized figure.
Michelle Pfieffer as Velma Von Tussle: The manager of station WYZT, the racist former beauty queen Velma is primarily interested in keeping her daughter Amber in the spotlight and The Corny Collins Show segregated.
Christopher Walken as Wilbur Turnblad: Tracy's father, the easy-going proprietor of the "Hardy-Har Hut" joke shop below the Turnblad family's loft apartment.
Amanda Bynes as Penny Pingleton: Tracy's best friend, a nerdy sheltered girl who falls in love with Seaweed, despite her racist and stern mother, Prudy.
James Marsden as Corny Collins: The host of The Corny Collins Show, Corny does his best to fight his show's imposed segregation.
Queen Latifah as "Motormouth" Maybelle: A Baltimore Rhythm and Blues radio disc jockey who hosts "Negro Day" on The Corny Collins Show, Maybelle also runs a record shop on North Avenue.
Brittany Snow as Amber Von Tussle: Velma's bratty daughter and the lead female dancer on The Corny Collins Show, Amber becomes Tracy's enemy when Tracy threatens both Amber's shot at the "Miss Teenage Hairspray" crown and Amber's relationship with her boyfriend Link.
Zac Efron as Link Larkin: Amber's boyfriend and the lead male dancer on The Corny Collins Show, Link is a singer who slowly finds himself falling in love with Tracy, who has always had an unrequited crush on him.
Elijah Kelley as Seaweed J. Stubbs: Maybelle's son, an expert dancer who teaches Tracy some moves and falls in love with her friend Penny.

The typical stereotypes

Looking for what the typical stereotype is i found a list of the common stereotypes that everyone is labelled with everyday.

• Im Skinny so i must be anorexic
• Im Emo so i must cut my wrists
• Im Black so i must carry a knife
• Im Asian so i must want to be a doctor
• Im Gay so i must have aids
• Im Arab so i must be a terrorist
• Im over weight so i must have a problem with self control
• Im blonde so i must be stupid ditz.

What are stereotypes?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereotyping
A stereotype is a simplified and/or standardized conception or image with specific meaning, often held in common by people about another group. A stereotype can be a conventional and oversimplified conception, opinion, or image, based on the assumption that there are attributes that members of the other group hold in common.

http://www.colorado.edu/conflict/peace/problem/stereoty.htm
Stereotypes are generalizations, or assumptions, that people make about the characteristics of all members of a group, based on an image (often wrong) about what people in that group are like.

http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/index.cfm
Stereotypes act like codes that give audiences a quick, common understanding of a person or group of people—usually relating to their class, ethnicity or race, gender, sexual orientation, social role or occupation.

Summary of the film

Tracy Turnblad, an overweight teenager withthe power to move and has the right rhythm, is obsessed with the Corny Collins Show. Every day after school, she and Penny her best friend run home to watch the show and dribble over the hot Link Larkin, much to Tracy's mother Edna's disappointment. After one of the stars of the show leaves, Corny Collins carries out auditions to see who will be the next person on the Corny Collins show. With all of the help of her friend Seaweed, Tracy makes it on the show, fustrating the wiked dance queen Amber Von Tussle and her mother Velma. Tracy then decides that it's not fair that the black kids can only dance on the Corny Collins Show once a month "Negro day", and with the help of Seaweed, Link, Penny, Motormouth Maybelle, her father and Edna, she's going to mix the show.....without denting her 'do.

My Question

To what extent does the film Hairspray follow the stereotypical representation of females?