Cabaret

In 1966, a Broadway musical called, “Cabaret” opened to the public. Set in 1931, an American immigrant named, Sally Bowles lives in Germany who makes a living as a singer/dancer at a nightclub known as the Kit Kat Club, entertaining several customers. She meets British man named, Brian Roberts. He moves in with her and become close. A few days later, Sally meets a wealthy man named, Maximilian von Heune. Interpersonal conflict ensues. Five Years Later, Bob Fosse (All That Jazz, Chicago) adapted it into a film with Liza Minnelli (Judy Garland’s daughter) as Sally.

Released in 1972, (same year The Godfather came out) it received critical acclaim from critics and movie goers alike. In addition to praise, it also made enough revenue at the box office. Cabaret won a several Oscars including “Best Actress,” (Liza Minnelli) “Best Director,” (Bob Fosse) “Best Original Score” & “Best Cinematography.” However, “The Godfather” ultimately won “Best Picture.” In 1995, Cabaret was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry.

I have a confession to make. When I was attending high school back in 2007-2011, I studied theatre learning about musicals (I’m not a big fan) acting and dramatic plays. Bob Fosse was one of the subjects. I had no idea he made the musical “Chicago.” I thought Chicago was just a movie with Renee Zellweger & Catherine Zeta-Jones. When I was nine-years old, I couldn’t put two and two together. I grew up watching Marvel movies, “The Lord of the Rings Trilogy,” “Harry Potter,” “Dragon Ball Z,” “YuYu Hakusho,” “Code Lyoko,” “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and DC Comics cartoons.

Reason why I wanna share my thoughts on Cabaret, is in fact, the highly anticipated “Joker: Folie à Deux” will be released on October 4, 2024. Before I see Joaquin Phoenix & Lady Gaga sing and dance together as Joker & Harley Quinn, I’m planning on watching and reviewing various musical films. I gotta spread word-of-mouth supporting James Gunn’s DC Universe.

This review contains no SPOILERS. I’m giving everybody a chance to see this gem.

High & Low Qualities

High: Liza Minnelli & Michael York (Basil Exposition from Austin Powers) both did a superb job for their respective performances. Liza’s got her mother’s vocal range.

Bob Fosse did a fantastic job directing. He also has experience as a dancer and choreographer.

Joel Grey (Jennifer Grey’s real-life father) appears as the Master of Ceremonies. Joel has experience as a talented singer/dancer.

Musical Numbers were used sparingly taking place at the Kit Kat Club. Don’t expect this film to be a sung throughout musical. I prefer the cast having a breather talking like normal people or have a glass of water. Tom Hooper’s godawful “Les Misérables” however, failed to do so. The equivalent of Michael Bay’s relying on way too many explosions.

Chemistry between Sally & Brian felt organic. They’re better than Fanny Brice & Nick Arnstein from “Funny Girl.” Sorry folks, I didn’t like it.

Outside the Kit Kat Klub, the rest of the story centers on everyday life revolving around Sally’s relationship with Brian, she dreams of becoming a famous actress

Pacing didn’t feel like a drab. I was fully invested since the beginning.

Cinematography captures in-depth imagery with a variety of shots. Tom if you’re reading this review, this is how you shoot a musical film. Never rely on excessive close-ups.

Costume Designs and Set Pieces were manually built. Bob’s collaborator and wife, Gwen Verdon bought clothes reflecting the film’s time period as shown in the FX mini-series, “Fosse/Verdon.”

There’s a shocking moment which changes everything.

I can’t tell you how it ends, you’ll have to see for yourself.

Low: I couldn’t find nothing wrong. I’m giving the cast and crew an Extra Point for making a flawless musical as possible.

The Final Verdict: A, FOR APEX!

Cabaret still holds up as a masterpiece. Although I’m not a musical aficionado, I really enjoy Bob Fosse’s work. It’s a darn shame he died too soon. Had he never suffered a heart attack, Bob would’ve made more films. If you’re fascinated with Bob’s work like me, I highly recommend “Fosse & Verdon.” Stream it on Hulu.

Which musical film should I review next? Please leave a comment.