Cabaret (1972)

Artwork for the 2000 DVD release

Cabaret is by no means a light musical, but it is so enjoyable, that it can be easily mistaken as so.

The cinematography is (insert superlative here, I suggest phenomenal).  It is dark and gritty and jaunty, and disturbing, and oh so delicious.

The camerawork is spot on, special in the dance numbers where the camera works to accent and supplement the choreography.

The lighting is the best I have seen in any film from that era, off the top of my head, safe for maybe the Godfather films.

The acting is spot on as well, and it comes to no surprise that Joel Grey and Liza, both won may awards for their performances.  Liza manages what Madonna, decades later could not (see Evita [1996]), she passes for a 16 year old, managing the mannerisms, impulsively, awkwardness with her body, and brashness that one would expect.

Joel Grey manages to be both enjoyable and disturbing at the same time, in a fashion that makes me think that he would have played a great Joker in the Christopher Nolan Batman films, even more anarchistic and unnerving than Heath Ledger.

The editing plays off of this disturbing force, and coupled with the audio design and art-direction, they manage to create this cacophany of characters and sets and sounds and tastes, that leave you both thouroughly enjoyed and a bit uncomfortable.

If you are looking for a good example of the latter, pay close attention during the third act, and observe how the stories and nuances, and revelations are exposed through the eyes of the characters.

Cabaret (1972) functions as an excellent introduction into the musical genre, apart from the fact that it is light on traditional musical fare, it manages to do what Evita (1996) and later on Chicago (2002) did that made them great, they treated the film as a drama first and a musical second.

Like its contemporaries in the American New Wave, Cabaret (1972) manages to be an utterly disturbing film that is beautiful to its core.

The Master of Ceremonies, Joel Grey, sums it best, when he ends the movie by exclaiming, "where are your troubles, forgotten?  I told you so.  Here, everything is beautiful!" exaunt all.

Buy it on Blu-ray for posterity, just avoid the 2000 DVD release which was really dirty and shaky.

Click play below for a sample from the incomparable Liza Minelli; her rendition of "Maybe This Time" from the seminal musical Cabaret (1972).  It is by far one of my favorite songs/renditions ever.