dispatches from quilt city

Cabaret

Can you tell I'm having a bit of a movie marathon? ;)
I LOVED this movie. It was infinitely better than Blade Runner (see Christina I have appreciation for things made before I was born...in the 1980's! - sorry just had to throw that in!). The whole thing was really fantastic - the costumes, the music, Liza Minnelli. And Joel Grey as the MC was nothing short of mindblowing.

Even if it was just a silly musical it would have been entertaining, but I think what made it genius was the deeper layer. The desperation of Sally Bowles and her band of fools. You know it's good film making when you hate the characters and feel sorry for them at the exact same time, especially Sally/Liza. Her intensity is so magnetic, but it is so tinged with sadness - just like her mom. I actually thought about the two of them a lot while watching it because I felt just like I did when I was watching Judy Garland in A Star Is Born. What we know about her real life makes her performances so much more touching and ironic. I think the same is true to a certain extent with Liza. Her portrayal of Sally Bowles is such a work of genius because it is difficult at times to imagine where Sally ends and Liza begins.

Big thumbs up - absolutely loved it.