A young screenwriter allows others to exploit her in the hopes of “making it” in Hollywood.

Ample teen Tracy Turnblad wants nothing more than to be on the hip local TV dance program, “The Corny Collins Show” — and when her dream comes true, her lively moves and bubbly personality meet with unexpected popularity. But after witnessing firsthand the terrible state of race relations in 1960s Baltimore, Turnblad becomes an outspoken advocate for desegregation.

Aliens land in the mythical town of “Speelburgh, U.S.A” searching for the source of rock & roll. What they find is a gang of teenagers, led by Dee Dee (the inimitable Pia Zadora) and Frankie, along with Frankie’s posse/rock band, the Pack. The leader of the aliens takes a shine to Dee Dee and all sorts of trouble breaks out.