All That Jazz (1979)

Presentation by Laura McBride

Adaptation: Does it Apply?• adaptation [ˌædəpˈteɪʃən ˌædæp-]n• 1. the act or process of adapting or the state of

being adapted; adjustment• 2. something that is produced by adapting

something else• 3. something that is changed or modified to

suit new conditions or needs• Why does definition #2 fit this film, instead of

the traditional definition of: A composition that has been recast into a new form: The play is an adaptation of a short novel.

If not a play, from whence did it come?

• All That Jazz is a partial fantasy and partial reality based biography on the life of Bob Fosse.

• It premiered in December of 1979.

• The film is meant to be an “adaptation” of Fosse’s life, career, loves, and struggle with the impending thought of death.

• All That Jazz is actually a song from his hit play Chicago (1975).

If not a play, what elements are there?

• It is a film that borrowed its title from a Fosse play, but it is also a film about Gideon (who plays Fosse) and the making of a play.

• This could be seen on stage as there are limited amounts of space needed (stage, dance scenes, his apartment, hospital).

• The lighting in the film (particularly the ‘Air Erotica Dance scene’) is warm, intimate, sexy, and personal…although a film, it could easily translate to stage lighting.

If not a play, what elements are there?

• The scene of script readings • His remark to Kate to leave on go on

tour “softly and with feeling—don’t go”

• Vivaldi playing in the background of the bathroom scene almost seems like actual background music—we lose ourselves – until Gideon cuts off the tape

• The dance/practice session with Gideon and his daughter is very personal and creates a ‘small space’

Life Adapted to Film…• Vivaldi, shower, Alka-Seltzer, Visine,

Dexadrine, and repeat• Notice the scenes of Gideon and

Angelique are akin to that of Amadeus’ Saliere and the Priest

• Costumes are the ‘real deal’ for all formats: stage, play, rehearsals, and film

• The day to day business of productions is reality

• A look at lighting?

Did you know?• Although the title of the film, “All that Jazz” is

only used once in the movie…by Ben Vereen as a euphemism.

• The title actually came from the hit song from Fosse’s production of Chicago.

• The loose adaptation of this film, based on Fosse’s life, began to come to life as Fosse grew ill in 1975 (between Lenny and Chicago).

• Fosse did die of a heart attack and the film is chillingly ominous to those who knew him (girlfriend, wife, daughter).

Fosse

In His Own Words:• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H40Fw

HJlJYU

For Additional Reading:• Here are two reviews from the New York

Times. One is from December, 1979, and the other is December, 2009…thirty years later.

• http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9803E2DF1538E732A25753C2A9649D946890D6CF (1979)

• http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/27/movies/27jazz.html?_r=0# (2009)

Works Cited:• Images supplied by: Pbs.org,

normanseeffphotography.com and ioffer.com

• Definition of ‘Adaptation’ supplied by: Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged© HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

• Video supplied by: YouTube.com

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