Weren't the last 10 minutes... - All That Jazz (1979) Discussion

[–] Fred_Paris 16 years ago

I guess in a way you must be lucky to have had such a boring and uneventful life for this to ring no bells whatsoever with you (or maybe you're just 12, which is fine too).

Maybe you'll never get it and be happy that way. I don't know if it's something to wish upon you or if you'd be cursed that way. You probably wouldn't be completely human without getting it but you'd be spared a lot of pain.

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[–] Dudley_Dawson 16 years ago

Original poster is full of fail and aids.

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[–] Billy_McAvoy 16 years ago

fo sho!

...Guess What S1m0ne! We have now entered an age where we can manufacture fraud faster than our ability to detect it

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[–] Mixalidis 16 years ago

Ok, so I don't get it... You don't have to insult me because I didn't like it or didn't get it...Jeeez! Instead, how about explaining what is so above from me?

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[–] Billy_McAvoy 16 years ago

You mean impart an entire world-view in a couple of paragraphs? ...Nah, not feeling up to it right now. Incidentally, if you're going to be so sensitive about arrogant and terse replies, you might check the tone of your original post; lest you'll look like a hypocrite.

...Guess What S1m0ne! We have now entered an age where we can manufacture fraud faster than our ability to detect it

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[–] frogca 15 years ago

> Ok, so I don't get it... You don't have to insult me because I didn't like it or didn't get it...Jeeez! Instead, how about explaining what is so above from me?

I'm not pretending it's above you or whatever, as we all have different sensibilities and so on, but here's my take on it.

I loved the final section!
First of all, I loved the whole flirting with death theme that was shown by the angel character's role from the start. This was the natural climax. I found it hilarious that while knowingly going to his own death, he was more or less celebrating it with his over the top rock-style dance show in front of a mylar-draped background and chrome lift platform. You know, some people do stop smoking and slow down a little and take time to care for their hearts -- lots do, but not this guy! Apparently he loved enough about his life to not want to change it. Or maybe he was just obsessed -- people often do enjoy their obsessions. I loved the ironic dark humour about his own upcoming demise. (Gee, that phrase would be amusing up in lights). It was the apotheosis of his actual lifestyle.

The fact that the original song, "Bye bye love" was pretty corny already and he managed to make it even more in bad taste by ordinary standards just made it that much more of a hoot. I would never be like this man, and I really loathe smoking, drugs and a debauched lifestyle, but he made something quite beautiful and funny out of it anyway.

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[–] tygrlilie 16 years ago

I agree. I LOVE this movie, but didn't care for the "Bye Bye Life" number at all.

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[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Mixalidis 15 years ago

You mean impart an entire world-view in a couple of paragraphs? ...Nah, not feeling up to it right now. Incidentally, if you're going to be so sensitive about arrogant and terse replies, you might check the tone of your original post; lest you'll look like a hypocrite.

Well, mister, I am sure you are much older than me, so I don't want to be disrespectful, BUT: How about you stop being delusional and you read my original post again? It may sound arrogant (so what if it is?), but I don't think you should find it offensive. On the other hand, read the comments below: people were attacking me personally and insulting my intelligence cause I didn't like ONE number in the movie. If you think it is the same, congratulations. Additionally, I didn't say anything bad about the movie as a whole(I liked it, btw) but I hated that scene and it gave me headache. That's it.

You probably would if you had written it, and the main character was essentially autobiographical, and you died not long after that. That end sequence we see Bob Fosse really saying goodbye to the world, it is extremely poignant and your trivial opinion on the matter is completely meaningless.

Don't tell me that this is the "secret"? You people obviously don't see the difference between not understanding and not liking something. Yes, I know the main character is essentially autobiographical, and I know some of the background story behind this movie. So don't jump on conclusions without really having a clue about me, my education etc. Just because it is extremely poignant, it doesn't mean it was delivered well or that everybody should like it. P.S. Somebody else's opinion is just as good as yours. So yeah, your opinion is also trivial & meaningless, especially if you sound so arrogant.

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[–] Billy_McAvoy 15 years ago

ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...............<snort!>Wha? Huh?...I'm sorry.....did you say something?

<snicker>

...Guess What S1m0ne! We have now entered an age where we can manufacture fraud faster than our ability to detect it

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[–] jannispetersen 15 years ago

yes! The last scene is annoying, I agree with you on that! But I also found it to be the best in this movie! Apart from that, I found the whole movie annoying - but I think that is, what gives it its uniqueness.

This sure isn't my favorite movie and long from the best I've ever seen - but it definitely is one, that took a special place in my rememberance. And that isn't a bad thing, is it?

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[–] phantom2-2 15 years ago

you know the saying about watching your life pass in front of your eyes in the moments before you die?

what better way for the biggest, flashiest choreographer to have his moment than with a big, flashy show number!

if you think this version was annoying, if it'd been made today the whole scene would have been done in quick mtv edits and your head really *would* hurt.

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[–] tygrlilie 15 years ago

this is one of my favorite movies of all time. i watch it often and still get tears in my eyes during the "everything old is new again" number. the movie is above reproach in my book.

but in that 10 minute bye bye life bit

THE MUSIC SUCKS.

NOT the concept.

NOT the editing.

the music is obsolete/passe/grating/ugly/annoying. BAD.

used to ruin it for me, but because of all the stuff the big brains have been crowing about, about it being autobiographical, demonstrating his flashy flamboyant nature, etc, i have to watch it to make the whole story complete and have learned to tolerate it and appreciate the finer points.

but that music is AWFUL.

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[–] gabby_bm 15 years ago

I found the final number to be wonderful and self-indulgent and about 3-5 minutes too long. But it was the final number so one expects a razzle dazzle to polish it off. I think Scheider and Vereen did a good job with it. But it was extended beyond what normally would be a fitting and dazzling number.

but Andrew Lloyd Webber's pretty good at giving us extended, prolonged (to the point of agonizing) final numbers. I felt the same way with "Jesus Christ Superstar". But I guess it's his way of getting his songs stuck in your head.

I don't need you to tell me how good my coffee is. .

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[–] fidelio1980 14 years ago

It makes total sense, symbolically, that the final number of Gideon's life would be totally over-the-top, and go on and on and on and on. However, that doesn't make it pleasant to watch that scene for the full ten minutes (or whatever the exact length of it is.)

The cut from the glitzy farewell number to the body bag zipping up is brilliant, of course...but the farewell scene didn't need to be THAT long to make the contrast jarring.

In the end, the musical number could have been cut by a few minutes, and it wouldn't have destroyed any symbolism or deep meaning.

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[–] angelatalk2000 14 years ago

Agreed. Great film, great cut to the body bag, but the end is too long and too self indulgent. Maybe if they had done something other than repeat 'Goodbye, my Love Goodbye' over and over (and over).

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[–] sellis1 13 years ago

Agree about the ending being long and self-indulgent. With self-indulgent stuff like that, the experience could be enough to drive a girl out of show business altogether.

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[–] phantom2-2 13 years ago

ummm.... isn't it "goodbye my life, goodbye" for at least some of those reps?

(the ignore list: intracoastalcruiser, jsstyger, uglytheclown)

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[–] PillowRock 13 years ago

The lyric of the original song was "love". The hallucination sequence in All That Jazz (set as Joe Gideon is dieing) changes the lyric to "life".

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[–] Mat-37 13 years ago

Some good points are being made.
I am indulgent because: - of course, it's over the top, it's the big finale, and for Gideon, it's the finale of all finales.
- I think it drags too long on purpose, to me it's a little joke; cos he's directing and he knows that when the number is done, so is he.

- A point in every direction is the same as no point at all.