Directed by:
Bob FosseCinematography:
Giuseppe RotunnoComposer:
Ralph BurnsCast:
Roy Scheider, Jessica Lange, Leland Palmer, Ann Reinking, Cliff Gorman, Ben Vereen, Michael Tolan, Max Wright, Irene Kane, Erzsebet Foldi, Keith Gordon (more)Plots(1)
Part tragic, part comic, this outrageous look at life in the fast lane in the Academy Award-winning musical about Bob Fosse's excessive life in show business. Played by Roy Scheider, Fosse's alter-ego drives himself over the edge and soon finds he is caught between a recurring fantasy about his death and the reality of a near-death experience. Dazzlingly presented, this electrifying story about the perils of pushing yourself too hard is filled with Fosse's legendary song-and-dance choreography. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (6)
The filmography of Bob Fosse may not be filled with titles, but nevertheless, this creator is considered the main architect of modern American musical art of the second half of the 20th century. All That Jazz is his creative peak, where he managed to utilize decades of work on theater stages, and personal experiences with the artistic environment from an early age to exhausting tours and demanding mature age premieres when only another groundbreaking performance was expected from him. Everything is here - love, infidelity, marital breakdown, artistic compromises in eternal conflict with producers, stress, depression, alcohol and stimulant drugs, endless rehearsals, artistic searching, and constant doubts about his work and the work of others. Anyone who watches All That Jazz will have all the temptations that American musicals can offer - beautiful women, catchy melodies, amazing choreographies, but also espionage, kitsch, and musical clichés. This film provided Roy Scheider with a life-changing role, as he became the embodiment of the real Bob Fosse and gave a stunning performance. Unlike its older siblings from the 1930s-1950s, All That Jazz is much more exploratory and original. I think it is capable of captivating even a viewer to whom this genre otherwise means nothing. Overall impression: 95%.
()
A very personal confession of Bob Fosse, who here prophetically predicted his untimely death. Sod death, life is short and there’s no time to rest because the show must go on. I guess that's how Fosse saw it and Roy Scheider played it superbly.
()
A painful moment of dying accompanied by captivating music that energizes, arranged in masterful choreography that takes your breath away. And Roy Scheider in the role of a lifetime, who seems not to be acting, but actually dying. The cinematography is magical, the editing flirts with genius, and the film shines as beautifully as only 1970s cinema can. A musical, a reflection of the times, a biography... two hours of a wasteful genre span, but which tells the entire story in an unspoiled way, to finally enter mercifully into the arms of the friendly Mrs. Death.
()
I was expecting a musical about how a musical is made, and I got the epitaph of a hurried man. I didn't catch Bob Fosse either with Cabaret and Lenny, so his multi-genre farewell caught me quite unprepared. It is not really a musical film in the true sense of the word, perhaps not even a drama, romance, or family film. It's actually a combination of everything intentionally wrapped in a knot of depression with extra points for editing that was ahead of its time. With such a subject, the whole experience could be melancholic, nostalgic, and maybe even tearful, if there was time for it. From beginning to end, there is constant strain in rehearsals and in the private lives, to the point that your T-shirt is soaked through with the burden of the somber themes. There are countless knives in the back from the screenplay, but that torn look of Roy Scheider, a man with big ones who knows how many times (and believe me, many times) he has failed, is deeply ingrained in me forever.
()
A very provocative and slinky musical about enjoying one’s life to the fullest per contrast with the possibility of death. About the peculiar creation process as well as endless vanity. Bob Fosse directs a rather gloomy story in a detached and fun fashion. The film’s backbone is the acting performance of Roy Scheider, whose donjuanesque director is, under the weight of his tumultuous lifestyle and workload, heading for destruction. Even though it was clearly intentional, I found the conclusion to be unnecessarily stretched to my taste. I’m really glad I’ve been able to see this flick on the big screen, as it enhanced the experience. [KVIFF 2018]
()
It's an example of how a musical can be a powerful work with an unconventional, dramatic story. Music and singing can express practically everything, even the slow dying that a person causes themselves simply by not being able to stop. Bob Fosse directed a film about himself, preparing his own eulogy, which makes All That Jazz even more powerful. Roy Scheider is excellent, and above all, there are unforgettable musical and dance moments. And even death can, under certain circumstances, be beautiful and artistically magnificent. And if not death, then at least farewell.
()
Ads