A Vintage Cabaret Cinema celebrates the nostalgia of Auckland’s beautiful atmospheric theatre, screening classic cabaret and musical film titles including the 1972 hit, Cabaret.
Be transported to the final days of Weimar Germany's cabaret scene in 1930’s Berlin. Inside the Kit Kat Club, starry-eyed singer Sally Bowles and an impish emcee sound the clarion call to decadent fun, while outside, a certain political party grows into a brutal force. Starring Liza Minnelli and Michael York. Sit beneath the stars and wander back in time with films that share a place in history, and our hearts, and soak in the gilded splendour of the sumptuous Civic.
It's a cool Tuesday evening, winter has been putting a damper on many festivities, but the turnout at The Civic on the first night of the Vintage Cabaret Cinema is reasonable. Not so much of a high-energy affair, but a gentle buzz emanates from The Civic as everyone waits for the film to begin. Stark's Cafe and Bar is full and, despite the chill in the air, the patrons are happily purchasing Kapiti ice creams from the concessions stand.
With 10 minutes to go until the start of the film, there are a myriad of hushes and energetic conversations in the suitably decorated Civic building; golden towers, statues of humans, animals, and gods alike, there is a prestige and colourful exuberance to the whole affair that seems fitting for a cabaret festival. Starting off the limited cinema screenings is a viewing of the first film to receive an X film rating due to its overtly sexual tones, semi-controversial political messages, and profanity; 1972's film adaptation of Cabaret.
A clean venue with ample staffing and comfortable seating makes for a cozy viewing experience. If you are used to modern cinemas it may take a little while to adjust to the reduced volume and lack of surround sound that The Civic employs, but it does not take long before you get swept up in the film.
The fact that Cabaret is a 1972 film is astounding when you look at the direction of film today. Modern cinema is only starting to truly represent the LGBT+ community and their perspectives in its mainstream media, yet here we have a film that raises discussion around anti-semitism, corruption, religious and sexual intolerance, radicalization and fascism, abortion and sexual exploration, and hedonism, all under the narrative guise of the cabaret. The interwoven nature of topics never lets any themes feel forced, it simply feels like a part of the setting.
49 years later the musical pieces still mesmerize, the jokes still land, and the controversial topics still feel controversial. The narrative direction is more of a meander than a set three-act storyline, but there is so much character development and content to emotionally engage with, that you will still be thinking about it long after you've left the theatre. The content consistently increases in dark, bleak themes as the film progresses, but the musical pieces keep the mood light.
Cabaret was an exceptional choice in film that clearly resonates with the audience, in a setting that feels far more comfortable and relaxing than the usual cinema.