Cabaret: How does Fosse, show the dangers of escapism?
Uploaded by mrbing1009 on Feb 22, 2002
In Cabaret Fosse uses many techniques to convey his message that escapism is dangerous for the individual and as a society as a whole. Firstly he uses a musical to highlight the dangers of escapism. This is an ironic choice because a musical is typically for pure entertainment. Musicals are normally escapist entertainment, but in this case Fosse has a serious message. Fosse sets his film in the Kit Kat Klub, this is a place where people go to relax and escape from their troubles. Fosse also enhances his message that escapism is dangerous by using film techniques such as crosscutting and montage. Fosse’s main way of showing us the dangers of escapism is through his characters and plot. He shows us the dangers for the individual mostly through Sally and Brian and he shows the dangers for society as a whole through Max.
By choosing a musical this give Fosse the power to choose the music. In this case the music helps narrate the film, but more importantly it helps him show his audience that escapism is dangerous. This can be seen from the beginning to the end of the film. For example, the opening number “Wilkommen” welcomes both the viewer, and Brian into the world of the cabaret. Within just a few seconds of seeing the club we can see that it is filled with androgynous looking people, including the MC himself. We are most definitely shown that the cabaret is where people escape from their troubles when the MC tells his audience to leave their troubles outside. He also says to them “In here (Kit Kat Klub), life is beautiful”. During the course of the film we see that life is actually not beautiful, and that running away leads to disaster.
Film techniques, such as crosscutting and intercutting further accentuates the films main message. When Brian gives in and agrees to scream under the bridge this signifies that he has lost restraint. This then crosscuts to just outside the Kit Kat Klub, where the manager is being beaten up. The cut from scene to scene makes the viewer feel that the loss of responsibility and restraint has led to or has contributed to the manager being beaten.
Intercutting is also used in the same scene. The camera cuts from inside the club and outside. Inside the club the dancers and the MC are doing their version of the Bavarian Slap...