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Cabaret, the musical – Summative task 1:

Select and analyse two or more frames from the film:

Rise of the Nazis – Aryan singing in Cabaret
One of the most powerful scenes in Cabaret is the song ‘Tomorrow belongs
to me’
...
As this happens the tone of the
singing becomes more strident and fellow Germans join in until the song
becomes a chorus of a mob proclaiming domination
...

As the boy continues to sing, the dogma of “the morning will come when the
world is mine” shocks the audience as the image of vulnerability in the baby,
is contrasted to the tyrannical occupation of the Nazis
...


Other techniques are used concurrently in this scene, such that the initial
moments of this scene reflects utmost purity, as the festive atmosphere of a
German drinking festival suggests the seemingly benevolent zeitgeist of the
time
...


As the singing continues the camera slowly drops to waist height until the
audience not only sees the swastika, but has transitioned to a low angle, so
that we are looking up at him and as such he has assumed power in relation
to the viewer
...
Although some

remain seated we now look up to a flaring and intimidating man – almost as if
we, the audience, embody the minorities that Hitler oppressed
...
The viewer is now shocked as we follow Brian to Max’s car and Brian
poses the question “Do you really think we can control them now” – a
rhetorical question that elicits within the viewer a clear and chilling answer
...
Throughout the film Fosse moves between the three domains
of public scenes that become increasingly dominated by the Nazis; the
intimate interactions of Brian, Sally and Max; and the satirical world of the
cabaret itself
...
Unique to Cabaret, we notice that the
film is composed of entirely diegetic sound, hence giving meaning to this
scene, as we see some still willing to fight passively against the oppressive
Nazi occupation
...
This, in turn, enlightens Brian, Max and the audience,
that there is a very real issue outside the satirical world of the Cabaret
...
Perhaps, in a figurative sense, he represents the minorities
challenging Hitler’s regime – withered, downtrodden – ready to collapse but
refusing to participate
...


Max, a powerful businessman, enables Brian to uncover his bisexuality, as he
introduces him to the world of prostitution
...
After many rejections, the audience sees that Brian is aware of the
significance of accepting the case, which makes the scene when he does
finally accept it significantly more powerful
...


With the establishment of Brian’s bisexual preferences to the audience, the
surrounding Nazi occupation becomes considerably more serious
...

Fosse juxtaposes this idea of the fun and frivolity in the triple relationship to
scenes of arbitrary bashings and a tableau of dead bodies, which triggers a
change in the audience’s idea of it being sensual and safe experimentation to
something that the audience sees as perilous
...
From the very beginning, the MC (Master of Ceremonies)’s
phrase, “Leave your troubles outside” suggests protection and sanctuary to
an audience of all backgrounds and ethnicities
...
Although almost demonic and enigmatic in
appearance, the MC speaks warmly
...
These phrases are crucial to this theme of deception,
as similarly to the Nazis, he tells us things that aren’t true – here you not safe
and the girls are not beautiful - reflecting the Nazi propaganda, and they way
they have swayed society into thinking that what they are doing is morally
justified
...
Fosse utilizes this
technique in order to contrast the feeling of leaving “your troubles outside”
with the Nazi campaign that is now in fruition
...

However, perhaps more disturbing is the fact that we cannot intervene – we
know that the world, inside and outside the cabaret, is soon to die

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