Episode 31: A Star Is Born and Cabaret

Diegetic musicals. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss A Star Is Born and Cabaret. We begin by discussing the prowess of both Lady Gaga and Liza Minelli in the opening of each film. We unpack the narrative structure of A Star Is Born, looking at the first and second half, and stylistic throw-backs to other directors, which include Richard Linklater and David O. Russell. We talk about the heightened nature of Cabaret, particularly the sharp cuts that add to the irony in the film, how ominous the film is, and how the film carefully develops character. Our discussion moves to talking about the music and performance in A Star Is Born, how they constructed the live scenes and its treatment of the different music styles. We talk about the artistic choices in Cabaret, with the Emcee being a personification of Berlin and capturing German Expressionism.