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Poll

What's your favorite film by Bob Fosse?

Sweet Charity
2 (7.7%)
Cabaret
5 (19.2%)
Lenny
4 (15.4%)
All That Jazz
8 (30.8%)
Star 80
1 (3.8%)
haven't seen any
4 (15.4%)
don't like any
2 (7.7%)

Total Members Voted: 25

Author Topic: Fosse, Bob  (Read 2832 times)

1SO

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Re: Fosse, Bob
« Reply #10 on: February 19, 2016, 10:16:57 PM »
1. All That Jazz
2. Star 80
3. Lenny
4. Sweet Charity
5. Cabaret


His films are an editing class all to themselves.
« Last Edit: June 12, 2018, 08:25:15 AM by 1SO »

Junior

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Re: Fosse, Bob
« Reply #11 on: February 19, 2016, 10:26:55 PM »
All That Jazz is amazing. Cabaret too, but less so.
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1SO

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Re: Fosse, Bob
« Reply #12 on: February 19, 2016, 11:12:33 PM »
All That Jazz
* * * 1/2

Thank God Fosse had enough ego to realize how compelling it would be to watch an exploration of his art by deconstructing him as a person. The best bio-pic ever? Certainly the most unapologetic. And that final scene is brilliant on all its meta and non-meta levels.
« Last Edit: February 24, 2020, 08:10:48 AM by 1SO »

verbALs

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Re: Fosse, Bob
« Reply #13 on: February 20, 2016, 12:52:55 AM »
All That Jazz and Birdman seem like an interesting comparison. Very self-reflexive. Do you like Birdman?

I'm gonna attach my review because a lot could apply to Birdman;

Audacious, original construction with plenty of reflexivity; peering into the heart of the artist, the artistic process and the art of musical theatre and film-making. Actually, today I heard the opinion of a critic who I consider pseudo-intellectual to the point of fault, who invoked these audacious, original, reflexive qualities as what he looks for in film. To which my reaction is, if you are bored with film as an art UNLESS it is audaciously original and/or reflexive then read a book or just go out a bit more; because "hating" films that don't want to reach for the stars is uncool. I've seen specific quotes about All That Jazz that have that giddy, slightly sweaty euphoric air of "look it's different! HURRAH" of the cineaste. I've seen Lenny. Fossé is clearly sending a message about what he thinks of that film, with his chagrin at how his stand up comedy film is turning out. I know stuff like this really excites film buffs, because it connects point A with part B. That's like stamp collecting though isn't it? "I've got a full set! Mum MUM!" I just did it, I said "I've seen Lenny", see what I mean, I got that badge, eh? As much works in Bob Fossé's navel gaze as fails, some truly electric dance sequences and some righteously caustic deconstructions of the obsessive nature of the artist. Fossé shows a commendable blunt disdain for his own behaviour; success as a key to the door of the liquor cabinet, the drugs cabinet, and every bedroom.

Roy Scheider seems to be very much enjoying taking his interpretation of the man behind the camera to 11. Obviously hard for the director to rein in any excess, for fear it be taken as ego-protection. It's an outstanding piece of acting, even if he looks a little bewildered when he joins in the finalé; stick to acting Roy, you're the king.

I'm not a lover of musicals. "Why are you watching a musical?" Was my partner's bemused reaction. As beautiful as the physical extremes of the dancers are, the songs get stranger and more self-indulgent as the film progresses until Roy gets the microphone and it tips over into camp-hilarity before tipping over again into sheer embarrassment. It is a remarkably original attempt at autobiog-cinema. The only film that comes close is JC Mitchell's Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which properly embraces the campness of the premise. I see why the film has the "essential" tag attached, and fantasy elements, like Jessica Lange's majestic Angel of Death, and the smart twisting of the "putting on a show", certainly should earn a recommendation. There is so much that is self-indulgent. The great artist needs the equivalent of the voice in Caesar's ear; whispering "you're not god, you know. Cut that stupid erotic dance bit in the middle for starters."


Kind of fits with the other conversation I'm having even though it's 3 years old. I don't much like musicals, not the film's fault is it? Further why was I watching it in the first place since I don't like musicals much? All me.
« Last Edit: February 20, 2016, 02:25:12 AM by verbALs »
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Re: Fosse, Bob
« Reply #14 on: March 29, 2016, 03:04:37 PM »
1. Cabaret (3.5)
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Will

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Re: Fosse, Bob
« Reply #15 on: October 06, 2019, 07:40:40 PM »
Cabaret 10/10
All That Jazz 10/10
Sweet Charity 7/10

1SO

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Re: Fosse, Bob
« Reply #16 on: October 06, 2019, 08:32:23 PM »
Sweet Charity 7/10

For you, is it more a problem of length or content?

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Re: Fosse, Bob
« Reply #17 on: December 26, 2019, 02:46:13 AM »
All That Jazz, 65˚
Lenny, 55˚
Star 80, 55˚

Cabaret, 35˚
Extraordinary (81-100˚) | Very good (61-80˚) | Good (41-60˚) | Fair (21-40˚) | Poor (0-20˚)

Will

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Re: Fosse, Bob
« Reply #18 on: April 24, 2020, 08:03:40 PM »
CABARET - BOB FOSSE, 1972
Did you miss it? Did you miss how Sally Bowles is one of the worst types of people? I think most people did. I think most people get so seduced by the giddiness of her performance that they overlook the fact that she convinces a man to rape the woman he is in love with, that she makes a joke at the expense of a transgender person, that she continues to work at the cabaret long after the place has been corrupted with antisemitism. She’s a centrist. Worse than that, she’s a blissfully ignorant centrist, a ‘can’t-we-all-just-get-along’ centrist. “Does it really matter if you’re having fun?” Sally Bowles in a nutshell. Nazism only rises when the vast majority of its citizens are centrists because centrism doesn't have any strong political convictions. It's the ideology of passivity.

It’s entertaining at first. We love watching entertaining people entertain. We love watching entertaining people be entertained. But as the movie progresses, Fosse makes sure that we know that entertainment only comes in sacrifice of the audience’s attention. Once you distract a populace with enough indulgence, you can sway them towards anything. Sure, the beer garden scene is haunting, but it may be too direct for people who are more cultured, intelligent, and have more wealth. Much more influential is the ape song and dance because it’s subtle and indirect. The Master of Ceremonies disarms his audience with humor at the front. They are on his side for the entire length of the sketch so when he drops the final racist punchline, they have no choice but to laugh. You might not think you agree, but many intelligent performers can manipulate your feelings in such a way where your emotion in-the-moment betrays your mind. It’s happened to you, I'm sure it has. It’s happened to me too. Where do you go from there?
« Last Edit: April 24, 2020, 08:07:21 PM by Will »

 

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