Customer Reviews

Cabaret

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

While this is probably not a bone of contention with most viewers, I think it's worth noting for those that do pay attention to these things, especially if you base your purchases on them, as I did in this case. The packaging on this newer DVD edition of "Cabaret" states that it is an anamorphic transfer (i.e. "Enhanced for Widescreen TVs"). It is NOT. This is the SAME disc as before, with new a label on it.

They merely changed the packaging, I guess, so that they could mention "Chicago" in the description on the back cover and tie it into the heat for that film. Shame on you, Warner Bros. We all work hard for our money and deserve better than to believe we're buying a new anamorphic transfer, when you are really marketing the exact same discs as before.

CABARET is one of the greatest movie musicals ever. I adore it. It is flawless, IMHO.
Why, then am I giving it one star? Because, as others have said, Warners should be ashamed of themselves. This is not the first, but the SECOND release of this movie in a non-anamorphic transfer. I bought the original and was mighty p****ed because it was non-anamorphic. I thought they would have honored this magnificent film in the "anniversary" release. But no. It is, as stated by another reviewer, the same disc as before, in terms of picture quality.
On a small TV you won't notice. But if you care about these things, then believe me, this release sucks big time. As did the first one.
I'm angry, not at being ripped off (I sent this one back for a refund) but because a wonderful work of art has been abused by a greedy, careless film company. And I have been robbed of the chance to see the film in its glory.
Having said that, nothing could improve the truly dreadful sound quality - which was terrible from day one.
I don't suppose there ever will be another release of this movie. What a terrible shame.

I watched this film when I was in my late teens when it first came out and was totally blown away by the acting and found it both entertaining and also of historical value. I am German so it had quite an impact. I am now in my 50's and watched it again for the second time with a very different eye. My heritage, my life experiences etc. made me see/watch this Film with a very different perspective. I found it now as I did then 'macabre' but full of ugly truths pulled together in a unique and fascinating genre. The meaning and depth of this movie would be lost on the younger generation, as they do not teach the history of WWII the way the did when we Zoomers were in school.
This Film brings home the brutality and reality of that time in a very interesting format.
I highly recommend watching this both for historical information and entertainment. It is NOT a Film to be taken lightly.
The acting was exemplary, profound and amazing....
Pamela Blezard

We knew the movie and had watched it long ago, shortly after its initial release. It's a classic featuring Bob Fosse's talented choregraphy. Product arrived in good condition shortly after it was ordered and it was rather inexpensive.

A classic movie -- great songs and actors. The movie setting is pre-WWII however the changes that are happening in Berlin are seen as the Nazi party gets more powerful. Also the movie shows the misfits of society and how they cope with life (including cross-dressers and prostitutes).

As for musical-drama concerned... THIS IS IT! The producers of Chicago should have seen this(indeed they did - every major moment in that film is "stolen" from Cabaret) and put REAL musical stars in the film.

When u have Joel and Liza u are not let down... I give flowergreetings to the entire cast and crew... The filmversion of Cabaret has a lot of "new songs"(Maybe This Time, Mein Herr, The Money Song) and the plot follows the 1955-movie "I AM A CAMERA" more than the stage musical. Since then; the Liza-songs have found themselves in numerous revivals of this stageplay since this 1972-masterpiece. The film is still frightening and raw......Trivia: The scene in which Liza meets Marisa they talk about diseases... On video, here in Europe at least, that was cut....

Cabaret is a great musical with a very serious underlying commentary on the rise of the Nazi power. This is a film to have in your own library and it is disappointing that the transfer to DVD has been so incompetently done. The level of visual noise puts a constant crawling "haze" over the images, which is most noticeable over flesh tones. If image quality is important to you, then this production will be disappointing.

There is several recordings form stage to this movie out there. This movie has songs that you remember and probably sing in the shower. It is also the only movie production of the play therefore even though it is exceptional there is no comparison.

I appreciate books that become movies and movies that are novelized. So naturally I read Christopher Isherwood's "Berlin Stories". They were o.k. However, it was not Cabaret by any stretch of the imagination.

What I found interesting is that I always heard that Germans liked to sing of things as the deer in the field and so forth. Here there was a perfect example when they broke into song with "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" You are swept up in it and forget that this is just a movie. The pacing and photography in the movie was excellent.

As long as you did not see the play you will not notice the absence of some songs such as "Don't Tell Mama" and thing that "Money Money" is a natural.

On the darker side the movie is more than just a musical romp through Germany. And the specter of the approaching NSDAP regime is also well portrayed.

I almost passed over this DVD because a couple of Amazon reviewers forcefully complained about the presentation. I'm glad I bought it. The widescreen was just as I expected, and picture and sound quality were fine. Anyone who's seen the movie knows how good it is. If you haven't seen it, you're in for a treat; and this DVD serves it well. (A five-star review is for the absolutely superlative.)

Liza Minelli's "Cabaret" -- and, for that matter, Bob Fosse's -- digresses somewhat from the original stage production, both in its plot as well as in its characterizations (Sally is American?). But whatever changes Fosse put into this masterpiece worked splendidly; not only did the fun and sexy atmosphere of the stage version get ratcheted up a notch, but the social commentary behind the fun also got subtly remastered (the last scene is very subtle, iconic, and powerful).

The color, the suggestive dancing, and the vocal performances are all top notch. And how can we forget the cinematography? Liza making love to the camera in "Maybe This Time" and "Cabaret," Joel Grey's ridiculously appealing Emcee in "Money, Money," and, as already stated the final money-winning shot are all wonderful. Where musicals like "Chicago" fail is where "Cabaret" succeeded: in creating a splendid mix of "razzle dazzle," heart, and social commentary. Indeed, THIS "Cabaret" improved on the originals musical and production values, paving the way for the 1998 revival -- and making cinematic history in the process.