Ryan McNeil
Permit me to go slightly off-book for a moment.
Last night, Lindsay and I celebrated Valentine’s Day by taking in a production of “Cabaret” done by a small Toronto drama company. In all of its incarnations, Cabaret is something near and dear to Lindsay’s heart. Much of her love comes from the classic film by Fosse, but just as much of her love comes from the stage production – especially the revival in the late 90’s starring Alan Cumming as The Emcee. As for me, I count myself a big fan. Usually it’s my answer to the question “What is the best musical movie of all time?”. Further, I’d even go so far as to say that if DVD screeners were a thing back in 1972, CABARET would overtake THE GODFATHER as Best Picture.
Last night though was my first chance to see the stage production.
Sitting in that suitably tiny theatre, I found myself marvelling at how well this musical was adapted into a film. The story is drastically changed. For starters, the couple affected by Germany’s rising anti-semitism made much younger. What’s more, the film kept Cliff and Sally’s relationship front & centre, while the stage show juggles it as one of many things going on.What’s more, the role of the Nazis is far more pronounced in the stage show…which I think threw my audience for a loop.
Midway through act one, “Tomorrow Belongs to Me” is sung for the first time – with The Emcee flanked by three of the Kit Kat Klub’s male performers. Standing in a “Bohemian Rhapsody”-like formation, things seem pretty straightforward at first, until all four of them sing the song’s final phrase with right arms aloft giving the Nazi salute.
Lemme tell ya gang – I get the impression that at least half the house didn’t know about that part of the story because a ripple went through the crowd when we got to that bit.
What’s more, act one ends with a reprise of “Tomorrow Belongs to Me”, this time with most of the cast joining in. In this scene, the whole song wraps itself around the main Jewish character in the cast and what is in store for him is made crystal clear. This really threw my audience as the lights went down and we arrived at intermission without one single person clapping.
Seeing all of this really gave me an even deeper appreciation for the musical, and the brave choices Fosse made in adapting the film. There’s a darkness to the movie that I’ve always loved, but seeing the stage production, one actually sees that the darkness could have been much deeper. But that’s the thing to adapting – one cannot be afraid to adapt, to allow entities to get a new life and take on a new meaning. It’s often through those changes that great works get new life.
Guess what I’m saying is, if you’ve never watched the film of “Cabaret”, do so, and if you ever get the chance to see the stage production – jump on it.
Here’s The Week at Hand…
Blu-Rays/DVD’s I’ve Never Seen
THE MERRY WIDOW – The year of Lubitsch continues!
S#X ACTS – You know those films that leave you feeling gross at the end? That was this.
LAURA – Killer noir. How had I never seen this before?
THE TINGLER – I promise this will be on my favorite first-watches list of the year.
MARY AND MAX – This too! I can’t remember the last time I had such a goofy smile on my face watching a movie.
THROW MOMMA FROM THE TRAIN – I’ll have plenty to say about this on Matineecast 106.
Blu-Rays/DVD’s I’ve Watched Before
GANGS OF NEW YORK – I’ve slowly been converting my Scorsese dvd’s to blu-ray, hence all the re-watches.
SCHINDLER’S LIST – Every time I watch this film, I see something new that blows me away.
OCEAN’S ELEVEN – I’ve never fully counted, but this might be the film from the new century I’ve watched the most.
First-Timers: The Monuments Men, Labor Day, The Act of Killing, Gray’s Anatomy, In God We Trust, and later tonight, Short Term 12.
Re-Watches: Superman II and The Spy Who Loved Me.
That, my friend, is one stellar week of watching.
I’m rewatching Cabaret, and I am finding the change to the couple to be a misstep in adaptation now. When it’s an older couple there is not only the kind of sadness you can add towards older people finding love only to have it taken away, but when it’s two younger people they just feel so… able. Older folks are set in their ways, can’t just restart somewhere else, only know one way, this younger couple are harder to get worried for.
Not only are the couple changed, but they’re dropped well into the background, right? The film is much more about Sally and Cliff…which isn’t necessarily a bad thing – just a different angle. You sort of feel a bit more for Sally in the film version because you get how much of a mess she is – less of a flake.
In the end I dig both stage and screen versions.
This week, I watched three movies. One was very good, and two were even better.
GRAVITY – Finally saw this last Sunday with my wife Erin on IMAX 3D, and it was even more intense than expected. Sandra Bullock did such a great job.
THE SPECTACULAR NOW – I also enjoyed this one a lot, especially Shailene Woodley. I had a few minor issues as it went along, but there was still plenty to find interesting.
SHORT TERM 12 – This might have been one of my favorites of 2013. It’s so emotional yet never hits a wrong note, and Brie Larson is a revelation in the lead role.
It feeld strange to say that even though I’ve already seen GRAVITY twice, I still want to revisit it. Must be the fact that Lindsay still hasn’t seen it and a big part of me wants to show it to her.
That doesn’t surprise me. I was nervous during the beginning since my wife gets motion sickness easily (she didn’t have any issues), so I’d like to check it out again since I may have missed a few things. It’s just past 90 minutes, so it’s also a quick ride.
I’d forgotten that it hits blu-ray this week. So I’ll get my chance to give it a third look sooner than I thought!
I haven’t seen LAURA for ages! I need to sit Jonathan down to watch that one of these days. And I keep hearing how great Mary and Max is; gotta get to that one. I actually tried to watch it back with Karina was teeny and I was up feeding her. I fell asleep. Not the movie’s fault. 😉
For few days now, I’ve been trying to think of a theme that could make for a LURA/MARY & MX double-feature, but it ain’t coming to me. Suffice it to say though, both were amongst my favorite first-timers of the year so far.
I’ve never seen Cabaret, but it sounds like you recommend it pretty highly! Glad you liked Mary and Max, as well, such a fantastic little movie.
All first time for me this week:
The Big Brawl
Something New
Brown Sugar
I really can’t recommend it highly enough. It’s certainly one of the sharpest films in the genre.
And once again, you stump me with three film viewings I haven’t even heard of!
Ha, I have never seen Cabaret. Thanks for the recommendation, didn’t know it’s such a good movie (seemingly). I’m so happy you watched Mary and Max, it kind of changed my life when I watched it two years ago.
This week I rewatched The Exorcist – still great – and just watched The Spectacular Now which leaves me with a profound love for Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley. Seriously, where the hell did these two amazing actors come from just like that?!
Heh – are you aware of my relationship with THE EXORCIST?
No…?