FOLLOWING hot on the heels of the surprise Broadway smash, the remake of the 1988 film brings the John Waters cult classic full circle.

This time, the cast is packed full of Hollywood A-listers, including Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken and John Travolta in drag, which raises the question of whether the remake will lose all the original's charm. From a musical perspective, it sounds pretty good, with particularly notable performances from newcomer Nikki Blonsky and Queen Latifah, who seems to have carved a niche for herself in retro musicals.

Zac Efron, fresh from High School Musical, is solid and should get the girls flocking to the cinema and Travolta, Walken and Pfeiffer don't embarrass themselves vocally. Despite its upbeat, fun and humorous spirit, it is difficult to imagine it becoming as well-loved as some of the more classic musical film soundtracks like Grease.