Cabaret (1972)
Liza Minnelli became an absolute icon because of her performance in Cabaret, and she finally won the Academy Award she deserved three years prior for The Sterile Cuckoo. While it does appear she’s merely being Liza Minnelli, it certainly is an entertaining performance that makes an impression. Perhaps the greatest impression of all is the contrast from the stage musical to the film adaptation. If you’ve ever seen Cabaret on the stage, you realize how little actual story is present, and how little the actors are actually given to do. It’s pretty much one song after another, like Chicago or A Chorus Line. Without cinematic technique and without a great belter with a hugely energetic presence, it’s a really lousy show. Liza does have incredible energy that never lets up. From her green fingernails that match her eyeshadow, to her ridiculous but fabulous false eyelashes, her face is always lit up and pumping energy into the audience. Is there a girl out there who hasn’t bought a bowler hat and low-cut vest to dress up as Liza for a costume party? She attracts so much attention, audiences almost forget anyone else is even in the movie.
Sorry, Michael York. Unfortunately, he wasn’t given much to do in the movie except be the “Nick Carraway” to Liza’s “Gatsby”. He absorbs his environment and lets the audience absorb through him. Most folks remember Joel Grey, though, since he’s all made up and hams up every opportunity as the Emcee. His uncrackable veneer is very entertaining, but I would have loved to have seen Dean Stockwell in the role. I’m sure he would have been just as delightful, and he would have gotten an early comeback in his career.
Believe it or not, there are people who don’t like this movie – even folks who love musicals! I may rave and sing its praises, but if you have very high standards and think only opera or Stephen Sondheim are acceptable, you might not like this Kander and Ebb musical. The songs don’t require grand voices, and they aren’t varied in style. However, since the setting of the show is a tired, hole-in-the-wall, cabaret, it makes sense that the songs aren’t high quality.
To film students, or big fans of the musical genre (of which I am both), Cabaret is a landmark movie. Up until 1972, musicals were filmed in a straight-forward style. The songs provided breaks in the story and the camera never cut away from the action. Yes, The Sound of Music took its choreography for “Do-Re-Mi” to new heights, but the song was still performed linearly. Bob Fosse changed all that. In his numbers, the camera cut away from the performers and showed something entirely different (or sometimes related, but in a different locale) that was happening at the same time. As Joel Grey welcomed the audience in “Wilkhommen,” Berlin welcomed Michael York’s arrival. While two girls wrestled around in the mud onstage for audience amusement, citizens in town were being beaten and arrested by Nazi officers. Also, Fosse chose to cut to camera angles that expanded the setting and gave irony to the song and story. In “Wilkhommen,” Joel told the Cabaret audience, “the girls are beautiful,” as the editing cut to a shot in the dressing room as a man put on a female wig.
Modern audiences have seen Moulin Rouge, Chicago, and Dreamgirls employ this method of cutting away from the musical number, or of continuing the storyline as the song is sung in the background, but few realize Bob Fosse was responsible for our recent delights. It was an innovative idea, and one that truly drummed home the message of Cabaret itself: life has its ups and downs outside the nightclub, but onstage, the same old show must go on. As a member of the board of the Hot Toasty Rag Awards, I voted for Fosse’s directing style to take home the newspaper trophy, and I made as compelling arguments as I could. However, I was outvoted by one, and Ronald Neame won Best Director for The Poseidon Adventure. At least the winner was a very good movie with very good special effects.
Whether or not you enjoy watching Cabaret, merely appreciate its technicality, or just don’t like it, we can all agree on one thing: it immerses you in its setting. You can smell the cigarette smoke absorbed into the entertainers’ costumes. The grime and smudges on the mirrors have accumulated for years. Some of the women in the chorus have a day’s growth of underarm hair. Every detail crammed into the frame makes you feel like you’re there in the nightclub, and it isn’t pretty. It’s very entertaining, though, so if it’s been a few years since you’ve seen Cabaret, rent it again and see what new things you notice.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Merrigan Able" for posting!
More Liza Minnelli movies here!
More Michael York movies here!
Sorry, Michael York. Unfortunately, he wasn’t given much to do in the movie except be the “Nick Carraway” to Liza’s “Gatsby”. He absorbs his environment and lets the audience absorb through him. Most folks remember Joel Grey, though, since he’s all made up and hams up every opportunity as the Emcee. His uncrackable veneer is very entertaining, but I would have loved to have seen Dean Stockwell in the role. I’m sure he would have been just as delightful, and he would have gotten an early comeback in his career.
Believe it or not, there are people who don’t like this movie – even folks who love musicals! I may rave and sing its praises, but if you have very high standards and think only opera or Stephen Sondheim are acceptable, you might not like this Kander and Ebb musical. The songs don’t require grand voices, and they aren’t varied in style. However, since the setting of the show is a tired, hole-in-the-wall, cabaret, it makes sense that the songs aren’t high quality.
To film students, or big fans of the musical genre (of which I am both), Cabaret is a landmark movie. Up until 1972, musicals were filmed in a straight-forward style. The songs provided breaks in the story and the camera never cut away from the action. Yes, The Sound of Music took its choreography for “Do-Re-Mi” to new heights, but the song was still performed linearly. Bob Fosse changed all that. In his numbers, the camera cut away from the performers and showed something entirely different (or sometimes related, but in a different locale) that was happening at the same time. As Joel Grey welcomed the audience in “Wilkhommen,” Berlin welcomed Michael York’s arrival. While two girls wrestled around in the mud onstage for audience amusement, citizens in town were being beaten and arrested by Nazi officers. Also, Fosse chose to cut to camera angles that expanded the setting and gave irony to the song and story. In “Wilkhommen,” Joel told the Cabaret audience, “the girls are beautiful,” as the editing cut to a shot in the dressing room as a man put on a female wig.
Modern audiences have seen Moulin Rouge, Chicago, and Dreamgirls employ this method of cutting away from the musical number, or of continuing the storyline as the song is sung in the background, but few realize Bob Fosse was responsible for our recent delights. It was an innovative idea, and one that truly drummed home the message of Cabaret itself: life has its ups and downs outside the nightclub, but onstage, the same old show must go on. As a member of the board of the Hot Toasty Rag Awards, I voted for Fosse’s directing style to take home the newspaper trophy, and I made as compelling arguments as I could. However, I was outvoted by one, and Ronald Neame won Best Director for The Poseidon Adventure. At least the winner was a very good movie with very good special effects.
Whether or not you enjoy watching Cabaret, merely appreciate its technicality, or just don’t like it, we can all agree on one thing: it immerses you in its setting. You can smell the cigarette smoke absorbed into the entertainers’ costumes. The grime and smudges on the mirrors have accumulated for years. Some of the women in the chorus have a day’s growth of underarm hair. Every detail crammed into the frame makes you feel like you’re there in the nightclub, and it isn’t pretty. It’s very entertaining, though, so if it’s been a few years since you’ve seen Cabaret, rent it again and see what new things you notice.
Want to watch it? Click here to see it on ok.ru and thanks "Merrigan Able" for posting!
More Liza Minnelli movies here!
More Michael York movies here!