Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 7, 1990 TAG: 9004070310
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: E-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHRIS GLADDEN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Once the baddest boy in underground films, Waters joined the mainstream with "Hairspray," a tribute to all that was garish about the '60s.
He tries to do the same for the '50s with "Cry-Baby," a parody of Elvis Presley musicals. While it's not as engaging as "Hairspray," it's still a hoot for connoisseurs of camp. It also demonstrates that mainstream Waters is not all that mainstream, either. There are a couple of scenes that will cause those unfamiliar with Waters at his more outrageous to cringe a bit. And the cast alone is actually more camp than the story.
There's Traci Lords, the porno queen who caused a stir when it was discovered that she was underage when she made some of her more energetic films. There's Patricia Hearst, the kidnapped heiress who turned revolutionary. There's Warhol favorite Joe Dellasandro and Iggy Pop, the godfather of punk. And there are such second-string celebrities as David Nelson, Joey Heatherton, Polly Bergen and Troy Donahue.
Johnny Depp, a current teen idol, plays Cry-Baby, the misunderstood juvenile delinquent singer. Johnny's dad was the ABC bomber who died in the electric chair and his mom couldn't even read but she got the hot seat, too. Johnny wears a tattoo of an electric chair on his chest to help him remember. Amy Locane plays Allison, the square girl who wants to be bad and who falls for Johnny.
The acting, of course, ranges from unintentionally bad to intentionally bad which Waters would have no other way. And the whole production has that wonderful Waters tackiness. `Cry-Baby' A Universal release at Valley View Mall 6 (362-8219) and Salem Valley 8 (389-0444). Rated PG-13 for language and adult situations. An hour and 30 minutes.
by CNB