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All That Jazz
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by 20th Century Fox
Sales Rank: 4326
Price: $9.98
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Choreographer-turned-director Bob Fosse (<I>Cabaret</I>, <I>Lenny</I>) turns the camera on himself in this nervy, sometimes unnerving 1979 feature, a nakedly autobiographical piece that veers from gritty drama to razzle-dazzle musical, allegory to satire. It's an indication of his bravura, and possibly his self-absorption, that Fosse (who also cowrote the script) literally opens alter ego Joe Gideon's heart in a key scene--an unflinching glimpse of cardiac surgery, shot during an actual open-heart procedure.<p> Roy Scheider makes a brave and largely successful leap out of his usual romantic lead roles to step into Gideon's dancing pumps, and supplies a plausible sketch of an extravagant, self-destructive, self-loathing creative dynamo, while Jessica Lange serves as a largely allegorical Muse, one of the various women that the philandering Gideon pursues (and usually abandons). Gideon's other romantic partners include Fosse's own protégé (and a major keeper of his choreographic style since his death), Ann Reinking, whose leggy grace is seductive both "onstage" and off.<p> Fosse/Gideon's collision course with mortality, as well as his priapic obsession with the opposite sex, may offer clues into the libidinal core of the choreographer's dynamic, sexualized style of dance, but musical aficionados will be forgiven for fast-forwarding to cut out the self-analysis and focus on the music, period. At its best--as in the knockout opening, scored to George Benson's strutting version of "On Broadway," which fuses music, dance, and dazzling camera work into a paean to Fosse's hoofer nation--<I>All That Jazz</I> offers a sequence of classic Fosse numbers, hard-edged, caustic, and joyously physical. <I>--Sam Sutherland</I>
Viewer Reviews
Bob Fosse's thinly-veiled autobiographical homage is everything a movie musical should be -- lively, tuneful, funny and even poignant.
With a cast which includes the wonderfully sexy Roy Scheider of Jaws (Widescreen Anniversary Collector's Edition) fame, Fosse acolytes Ann Reinking and Ben Vereen, and a fabulous pre-plastic surgery Jessica Lange as the gorgeous, ever-present Angel of Death, this musical story of a genius Broadway director with a death-wish, is nothing short of mesmerizing.
The story follows Fosse's own life story closely enough to be almost eerie -- even foreshadowing his ultimate demise from heart failure at an out-of-town new play try-out in Washington, D.C., which happened years after this movie was released. But even if it didn't, the movie stands on its own as a very gritty, sweaty and true-to-life look at what it takes to make it on Broadway.
This Special Music Edition of the DVD has some excellent special features. I especially liked the featurette on the evolution of Fosse's iconic choreography.
If you loved Cabaret (for which Fosse won the Best Director Oscar), and Chicago,( the play of which Fosse originally directed and choreographed on Broadwway), you will love this movie. And if you love it, you should have it in your permanent collections. Fosse was a true American treasure. His unique dance stylings will be influencing choreographers for generations to come.
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All That Jazz
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