Cabaret

Cabaret is a broadway musical with lyrics by Fred Ebb, music by John Kander, produced and directed by Hal Prince. "Cabaret ran a total of 2377 performances and 37 previews before it closed January 2004." (Wikipedia) It was also made into a film in 1972, directed by Bob Fosse, staring Liza Minnelli, Michael York and Joel Grey who were more then perfect for their parts. The film, based on the musicial was set in Berlin in the 1930's right before Adolf Hilter took power.

I never had a chance to see the broadway show, but I knew a lot about the musicial and had once owned the sountrack. The film definitely portrays the musicial perfectly. Liza Monnelli was wodnerful for the role of Sally Bowles and by far the best out of the cast. She was witty, beautiful, and very talented in the film. The way she danced and sung the songs at the Kit Kat Club was amazing. She really brought the talented yet raunchy character to life. Joel Grey was another character in the film that I loved. Grey played the part of the host at the Kit Kat Club. He was very strange, corky, and very entertainable throughout the whole film. His dance numbers were very humorous and kept the viewer wanting more.

The structure of the film was also very interesting. Fosse tied acts at the Kit Kat Club with what was going on with the plot or what was going to happen. For example, the "money routine". When Sally meets a man with a lot of money in hopes that he can make her something, they cut to the routine were Sally and the host sing a song about how "money makes the world go around". Fosse ties the dance routines and the plot throughout the whole movie. The costumes and set designs were also great. The lounge scenes were always dark, smoky, and with girls dressed in ridiculous outfits and crazy make-up. Shots of Berlin also made the film come alive. The whole style of the film was directed flawlessly.

I truly

was pleased with the film. I felt the characters, setting, and direction could not get any better. I felt as if I saw the broadway show. I also liked how the ending was not your typical "happy ending". It made the story more realistic. The lyrics of the songs were also very catchy and upbeat. The dance sequences were choreographed perfectly, they were very seductive and dark. I had sometimes forgotten that the film was also based on the rise of German politics and Nazis because it was