Cabaret

Set against a backdrop of rising Nazi power in Berlin in the early 1930s, this is a wonderfully colourful and sexually provocative piece of musical cinema that centres around the cabaret in the "Kit Kat Club". Introduced by the outstandingly ambiguous Joel Grey as the Master of Ceremonies, we are introduced to the star attraction - "Miss Sally Bowles" (Liza Minnelli) and for the next two hours we see aspects of their stage entertainment interspersed with her life, and that of her new-found friend "Brian" (Michael York) as they fall in and out of love, of bed - and of bed with their friend "Max" (Helmut Griem) too! Just to defuse some of that intensity, there is a parallel storyline featuring the lovestruck "Fritz" (Fritz Wepper) who is the ...

With qualities and many problems, it is a film that proves that the Oscars do not make films immortal or more significant.

It's hard for me to believe how this film dominated the 1972 Oscar ceremony. That night, it proved to be a devourer of statuettes in a head-to-head duel with Godfather, Coppola's greatest work, winning eight awards: Best Original Soundtrack, Best Art Direction, Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Actress (for Liza Minelli) and Best Supporting Actor. I know that a lot of people like to detract from the Oscars and I agree with some of their arguments, but it will be an award to be taken into account as long as it is the most prestigious cinematographic award in the world. And let's fa...