Customer Reviews

All That Jazz [VHS]

5 star:		(88)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Soon after its 1979 release, curiosity impelled me to see ALL THAT JAZZ. I say curiosity because anything smacking of a film musical didn't then attract my attention much. Not yet an old dog, and apparently still capable of learning a new trick, I remember being impressed. Recently, I saw it presented on the Big Screen once again as part of a classic film revival. I'm reminded what a truly superb production this is.

Roy Scheider, in arguably his greatest role ever, portrays Joe Gideon, a work-obsessed Broadway choreographer and director existing on cancer sticks, booze, sex and uppers. Directed by the preeminent choreographer Bob Fosse, ALL THAT JAZZ was purportedly semi-autobiographical.

Joe is struggling to put together a new dance production and, simultaneously, edit a behind-schedule film, all the while juggling the three principal women in his life: ex-wife, current significant other, and teenage daughter. Talk about stress! In periodic visual sidebars, we watch as Joe rationalizes his self-destructive behavior to a glamorous Angel of Death, coquettishly played by Jessica Lange.

The film's dance sequences, products of Bob Fosse's brilliance, and sets by Phillip Rosenberg and Tony Walton, are visual extravaganzas not to be missed. (Oscars were awarded for Art Direction and Set Decoration.) Perhaps the cleverest is the solo routine performed by the ex-wife character as she rehearses a number to be performed in Gideon's latest production, all the while debating with him the course of their failed relationship. Positively engaging is the "impromptu" number performed for Joe at his apartment by his current mistress (played by the strikingly long-legged Ann Reinking), along with his daughter. Then there's the sexually suggestive "Air Otica/Come Fly With Us" ballet sequence, Gideon's attempt to energize an otherwise stodgy production. ("Well, we've lost the family audience.")

Another nice touch for the uninitiated is the revelation that performer selection and training for a polished dance routine is a hard, sweaty, merciless process. The faint-hearted best not show up for the audition.

Perhaps the film's only flaw is its length as it unwinds to its foregone conclusion. Although ALL THAT JAZZ won an Oscar for Film Editing, the Ben Vereen-assisted toe-tapper should have been considerably shortened. However, that said, it must be emphasized that the movie is richly entertaining throughout. Perchance you ever have the opportunity to see it on the Big Screen, don't pass it by. As Gideon so expressively states in front of the mirror each morning after he girds himself (with Dexedrine and Visine) for another grueling day , "It's show time!"

Bob Fosse is a name that, in the minds of Broadway enthusiasts, is paralleled with images of breathtaking and original choreography. Those who have seen live versions of Cabaret, Chicago and Sweet Charity will know what a major talent he was in the Broadway world. In 1979 he directed and co-wrote All That Jazz - a 'fictitious' autobiographical account of his work and life.

Whilst a little long and some over indulgence occurs, All That Jazz is a remarkably original movie. It is not only a fascinating insight into the mind and life of a brilliant and talented man, but a captured record of the 1970's Broadway scene.

What is so remarkable about All The Jazz is that we actually enter into Fosses' mind to explore his thoughts, feelings and emotions. Two vehicles are used to achieve this - conversations with death (in the form of a white laced Jessica Lange) and stunning Broadway musical sequences. We explore his feelings on women, death and his art.

Roy Scheider brings a considerable amount of charisma and emotion to the role of Joe Gideon (who is based on Fosse). Another standout is Anne Reinking - ex lover of Fosse and seasoned Broadway performer. It would have been nice to see her film career take off so we could have seen more of her work. All the cast perform brilliantly in their roles, and a few surprises pop up with some early performances of some now well known actors.

All That Jazz contains wonderful performances, brilliant music and a story that not only captures the essence of a significant man in the history of Broadway, but also the vibrancy and originality of Broadway in the 70's. Watch this movie and go back in time to a wonderful world during a colourful era.

If you have very little knowledge of the life and work of Bob Fosse, you'll probably see this movie as dark and pointless. But for anyone who knows anything about this legend, you'll agree that "All That Jazz" is nothing less than a MASTERPEICE!

Fosse was nothing short of a genius. That fact that he could actually predict his own death and face his vices head-on proves what an intelligent, strong, sensitive, and brilliant man he was. Yes, this film is very depressing, but life isn't always a Walt Disney film. Like his other musical triumphs, "Sweet Charity" and "Cabaret", the film is dark and sexy, but has plenty of heart. And like all of his film work, it is visually stunning and truly original. This is one guy who didn't do stuff by the book, and the results are always unique and dynamic. Roy Scheider and Ann Reinking give the best performances of their careers. Fosse is an icon who will never be forgotten, and this film does justice to the virtuoso he was.

If you aren't familiar with Fosse, I would recommend one or both of the excellent books "Razzle Dazzle: The Life and Works of Bob Fosse" or "All His Jazz: The Life and Death of Bob Fosse". It will give you appreciation for this hauntingly poetic piece of contemporary cinema.

A true work of art.

"All That Jazz" is a semi-autobiographical recounting of Bob Fosse's life. Directed by the master himself, the film follows Broadway producer, Joe Gideon (Roy Scheider)as he spirals into an oblivion of drug addiction, alcoholism and womanizing while preparing to launch his greatest show yet. Joe is ably pushed to the edge of the great beyond by the lovely Angel of Death (Jessica Lange)who eventually gets her wish. This is perhaps the only time in my viewing experience that a musical film has given me chills. The entire plot functions on the mental anguish of its protagonist and his inevitable demise and the final few moments are truly unsettling.
So is FOX's DVD transfer quality; the image suffers from dated - often muddy - colors, washed out and pasty flesh tones, weak blacks, an excessive amount of film grain and various age related artifacts that generally detract from the visual experience. Edge enhancement and pixelization are big problems in certain scenes but others appear to be free of their frustrating inclusion. The soundtrack is Stereo Surround, well balanced though, on occasion, strident.
EXTRAS: An interview with Scheider while he was making the film that is needlessly divided into chapter stops that don't matter. Ditto for several snippets of Fosse at work on the set. The theatrical trailer is also included.
BOTTOM LINE: If you simply can't live without this film - as I could not (for its brilliant story telling vision and disconcerted charm)then I recommend it highly. The transfer, however, will disappoint - especially for a film of seventies vintage!

I am a huge fan of Bob Fosse in general, and of this movie specifically. However, the current Special Music Edition DVD (which replaces the now-discontinued original DVD release) has several flaws that prevent me from giving this a full five-star rating.

(1) Incomplete picture: this film deserves to be viewed in a letterbox format that delivers the full picture as the director intended; pan-and-scan is unfortunately the only format provided here.

(2) Dark picture: there's a lot of murkiness in the shadows, much more than in the previous released version. This renders some of the action (especially in Scene 5 with Victoria) nearly invisible.

(3) Commentary thinness: the commentary provided by editor Alan Heim is fun, but could be so much more. Why isn't the scene commentary provided by the late Roy Scheider from the prior DVD release also included on this one? And why haven't other leads (particularly Ann Reinking, who has played such a big part in the resurgence of popular interest in Fosse's work) been tapped to be a part of this?

(4) Special Features filler: unfortunately, there just isn't a lot here. We've got two short featurettes of Fosse colleagues talking about his dances, intercut with numbers from the movie. The rest of the special features menu just raises questions. Why is there an interview with George Benson about recording the opening song, "On Broadway?" It's unnecessary and not at all illuminating. Do we really need a direct menu to all the musical numbers? I thought that's what the scene selection menu was for. And a singalong of "Take Off With Us?" You've gotta be kidding me; what a waste of time and menu space. In their place, imagine what could have been included: how about an overview of his choreography for film, from "Kiss Me Kate" and "My Sister Eileen" forward? Or even better, a non-fictional look at Fosse's life for comparison -- couldn't somebody have talked to the folks at PBS and included its Emmy Award-winning hour-long biography on him, which aired in 1990 but remains unreleased?

I hope that one day, "All That Jazz" finally receives the DVD release it deserves. Until then, the Special Music Edition will have to do.

With a typically sardonic and vicious glare, Bob Fosse examines his own obsessive life as a creator/director/choreographer -- and womanizer, drinker, druggie. While this movie has its shamelessly over-the-top qualities (Jessica Lange as Death, for one), the musical sequences are so dazzling that they instantly make this move a must-see, if not must-have, for any Fosse fan. The opening, a wow-you-in-the-gut audition sequence set to On Broadway (Benson's stunning version), does more in four minutes than the film of Chorus Line does in its entire running time to convey the show biz world of Broadway. And the then-gamine Ann Reinking is on hand to literally play herself, as well as dance in that feline way. The musical number Take Off With Us is at once amusing, sparkling, sensual and spectacular, featuring an explosive ensemble of dancers. Fosse's bitter take on his own mortality may slow things down (the Lenny-inspired sequences bore into your brain) a bit, when the music is playing you are in for a revved-up treat.

I have to admit the title of the DVD, All That Jazz--The Music Edition, puzzled me. Did the last version of the DVD have the music cut out??? Was this just a DVD of the songs, without any movie? Fortunately the naming of the DVD, like so many other things studios do and applaud themselves for, is just a meaningless gimmick. You get the whole movie just as before, in a transfer that looks very good to me. Some reviews called it a "soft print," but I think they're just seeing the photography the way it was intended, with fog filters being used extensively, especially in the scenes with Jessica Lange. Razor-sharp high-contrast cinematography where you can see every pour on the actors' face is a relatively recent phenomenon.

The movie itself harkens back to a different age, one where filmmaking was more personal and more daring. Fosse proves he's as brilliant a film director as he is a stage director. Sound fades in and out and overlap and go echoey. Some of the most dramatic moments are silent. There's rapid cross-cutting and temporal jumps. But none of it is gimmicky, it's all in the service of the story.

Some have criticized that story for being too sympathetic to the Fosse character, played by Roy Scheider in a career-defining performance. (No Oscar?!? Typical.) It's true the script is subtlety very sympathetic to Joe Gideon--despite all his failings, we are offered excuses, not the least of which is his genius. It's true that the screenplay isn't as hard on Gideon as it superficially comes across--this is *not* the hard-hitting, uncompromising, unflinching film that reviewer John Remington thinks it is. He's been "fooled," exactly the way the filmmakers intended. (He's also apparently never seen Fellini's 8 1/2.) Still, it must have been a brave portrait in 1979 to show a main character with an ex-wife and a small daughter popping pills and having open and free sex with every woman who crosses his casting couch. Casting Scheider was a triumph. He has a natural warmth that adds a lot to Gideon's likeability. I cannot imagine the original choice--Richard Dreyfuss--in the role.

The others in the cast are also very effective, from the ex-wife, played by Leland Palmer to the current main girlfriend, played by Ann Reinking. However, you'll note both female characters put pressure on poor Joe Gideon--one to choreography a lame musical solely as her comeback vehicle, one for fidelity only to go to the arms of another man as soon as Gideon takes ill. The other men in his life, mostly annoying producers, managers, agents and competing directors, are portrayed as small and narrow people. Never having worked in his profession, I can't say if this is accurate or not, but again, it *is* designed to make Gideon, for all his faults, look so good. Self-critical All That Jazz is not.

The movie, however, is well-written, directed and paced--until the ending. The last 20 minutes should have been 10. Once Gideon ends up in the hospital the pace starts to drag, and while the final set piece is brilliant and deliciously satirical, it goes on for too long. Still, all that jazz is a very good motion picture and one of the more important films of the 70s. But with a little tweaking, it could have been even better, a masterpiece.

This is Fox's second DVD of the film, and the extras are even more lame than those in the first. So lame they're not worth mentioning, or even checking out by the viewer. A lengthy interview with Schneider would have been nice. If you love this movie this DVD is worth owning, but not for the goodies. I wish Criterion would get its hands on this.

After more then 16 years of Bob Fosse death, his movies are still touching and do not age at all. Why - Because, simply both the characters and plots are above down-to-earth experiences. It is about life, death, love, hate and most of all music and dance. ALL THAT JAZZ is about all those things, but it is the music and dance that delivers the message. You can see this movie once and be surprised how close it is to your own thinking of life and death. You see it 100 times and you still realize that you have not understand it all. Bob gives his life on the tray. THIS IS REAL MOVIE, REAL HISTORY. period. And this is why it is so great. No "please-the audience-numbers". Throughout the entire movie, you have a real story and real man. This is Bob, but it is also you with all your dreams and fears. What is great about this film, is not the story-line, music, dance or Jessica Lange. IT IS YOU IN THIS MOVIE. You simply identify yourself with the main character (not that all of us are SOB directors - but he is so human) and then you are flown to the next level of understanding. It simply shows you the universal side of the human nature. Regardless your history and experience. Afraid of death? Thought about how it actually happens? Do you care?
Well, see it and I bet you would say - "That's what I think, but nobody before expressed it better". This is a movie made by the guy obssesed with sex and death. But sex and death in this movie are only the metaphor of something deeper.

Is the best Bob's film ever
And if you wait until the final scene - that's the way I want to die !!!!

I'm a straight man, and I think Fosse is a god. I could never handle sappy musicals like "Brigadoon," where jelly-spined men sit in fully-orchestrated (?) forests singing their maudlin hearts out to the woman of their dreams. Please! I couldn't even handle the lowly Elvis flicks that weakly attempted a similar Broadway treatment, but Fosse is different. Yes, these are musicals, but the music and the productions are VERY COOL -- hot, sexy, productions that will knock your socks off. AND, Fosse doesn't employ the artifice of staging the musical numbers in Central Park or in the clouds somewhere. His stuff is steamy, gutsy, visceral production (think rock video, but MUCH better), and the music only shows up where it would in the real world. "Cabaret" was a Fosse flick -- great story, great acting, great production. "All That Jazz" is actually somewhat autobiographical. It features Roy Scheider as a Fosse-like choreographer/producer pushing to cement a stage production and ultimately suffering a heart attack from the stress. It's a totally involving, often surreal experience, and you won't have to give up any of your manhood to get off on it.

Oh, I forgot to mention that a subplot running throughout this movie is Fosse's editing efforts to refine the final cut for the movie "Lenny" (his Lenny Bruce biopic starring Dustin Hoffman and Valerie Perrine -- also a recommended flick, non-musical).

I liked this movie much more than Chicago. Chicago was very well done and enjoyable, but i thought it was over-hyped, and I didn't like Queen Latifah at all in that movie and thought they should have cast someone else. The rest of the cast was perfect. Now, onto All That Jazz:This is a truely great movie and very well directed and cast. I can't imagine anyone but Roy Scheider in the roll of Joe Gideon. He plays a very believable choreographer who is a womanizer, sex addict, drug addict, alcoholic and workaholic, who eventually burns himself out from exhaustion while trying to put together a musical production, and suffers a heart attack and dies. The movie is actually a musical about his death. Jessica Lang plays the character of "Death". It's nice that Death is represented by a beautiful angelic woman in white, instead of a scary grim reaper. The song and dance numbers are great and very memorable. I love the music in this movie! My older brother was an usher at the theatre at the time this movie played, and he saw it over 40 times and bought the soundtrack album. It's probably his favorite movie of all time. Although this movie is billed as a musical comedy, i viewed it as more of a serious drama about a very talented and charismatic man who suffered from many addictions and paid the price for it in his personal life. Highly recommended movie, and Roy Scheider's performance is mesmorizing to watch. The dance sequence called "Air-otica" is a very sensual dance number you won't soon forget! This movie is on my personal list of the 100 greatest films of all time.