Cabaret (1972)

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Brilliant and touching

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Brilliant, Ageless & a lesson to every up & coming director - gather some REAL talent before you commit to casting.

I had a crush on Liza as a kid, which is when I had last seen it. I re-watched it recently to see if I still did and, as it turns out, I kinda do but the show is just weird.It has some decent tunes and some eye candy but, seriously, it's just weird. I recommend The Birdcage over Cabaret unless there's a specific reason you're considering this.I think I'll pass on seeing this again.

OK. Aside from Liza Minnelli's somewhat abrasive singing and her hideous eye make-up, as well - (Along with the story containing some totally unwelcome Nazi-glorification in its "Tomorrow Belongs To Me" sequence) - I certainly thought that, for the most part, 1972's "Cabaret" was one of the better Musical/Drama/Comedy pictures that I've seen in some time.Set in Berlin (circa 1931) - Cabaret's best moments were, of course, its well-staged musical numbers (choreographed by director, Bob Fosse). It was especially showstoppers like "Maybe This Time" and "Mein Herr" that were the real standouts.A winner of 8 Academy Awards - Cabaret was a fairly stylish and socially conscious production. And, believe it, or not - Included in Cabaret's story of ruthless gold-digging and dreams of "being a somebody" - It also featured one of the first-ever mixed-gender love triangles to be seen in a mainstream, Hollywood picture.

The pursuit of happiness, enshrined as a right in the US Constitution, is one of the greatest motivating factors in all of human history. It can also be one of the biggest distractions. CABARET, from the musical by Kander and Ebb and directed by Bob Fosse, is sort of an examination of this through the historical lens of late Weimar Germany as it succumbed to Nazism. Liza Minnelli is Sally Bowles, a dancer/singer at the Kit Kat Club who has dreams of becoming a famous actress; and Michael York is Brian Jordan, an English philosophy student who is in Germany for cultural enrichment and to make some money. Both of these tragic figures are the conduit for the audience, with Sally being the fantasy side of things and Brian being the reality. As with CHICAGO, although a little less so here, the musical numbers don't just move the story along (all while being organic) but also comment upon it as well. This, for me, is what sets Kander/Ebb musicals apart from the rest. Nazism begins as a mere nuisance but, as the film progresses, becomes more of a presence (and present threat). This is mirrored in the pacing of musical sequences which are initially spaced out a little sparsely but become more frequent as the film goes on. From an interpretive standpoint (and this is just my opinion), this implies (through the nature of what a cabaret is and entails) that our willingness to be entertained and distracted, even if only temporarily, is what allows political extremism/tragedy/etc. to insidiously take hold. No scene in CABARET is more chilling than when the young Nazi starts singing (what I think is) a folk song, and his audience gradually joins in with him. In fact, this entire musical is filled with pathos of varying types, which is why I think it's so effective. The cabaret is a metaphor for the ways we try to mask our pain, to find happiness, but it often comes at the expense of our dignity. From a technical perspective, all of the performances were solid with special marks being given to the leads. However, Joel Grey as the Master of Ceremonies was just as entertaining, perhaps the most so as his role provided dramatic and musical unity to the film. He was also simply hilarious to watch. There was also dynamite editing, choreography, lighting, etc., making it a sort-of ancestor to the music video. If there's one complaint I can levy, it's that the film takes a little too much time to get going, although once it gets into gear it doesn't let up. All things considered, CABARET is a stunning accomplishment that still holds relevance in this day and age of disillusionment with the political establishment. I'm a little hesitant to draw parallels between the America of today and the Germany of then, but it's a little disconcerting to feel like the only thing keeping us from making the same mistakes is that we've never suffered the abject humiliation that Germany suffered at the end of WWI. On a more positive note, CABARET exists as a testament to the power of entertainment, and definitely deserves its status as one of the best musicals ever put to film.