Life is a Cabaret.

The focus of this term’s project is on the 1972 film, Cabaret. Directed by Bob Fosse and starring Liza Minnelli, Cabaret is loosely based on the 1966 Broadway musical which was adapted from Christopher Isherwood’s 1939 novel, Goodbye to Berlin.

The film is set in 1931 Berlin, between Germany’s defeat in World War 1 and Hitler’s rise to power in 1933. This period of time became known as the Weimar culture. It had the highest levels of intellectual production with Germany housing the greatest advances in science, technology, literature, philosophy and art.

At this early stage in the thought and research process, I am keeping a very open mind as to where I would like to go with this project. I am yet to watch the film Cabaret, though I am familiar with a few of the musical numbers and the cast members.

As far as Goodbye to Berlin goes, I have started reading this book and it is so far proving an interesting read. I look forward to using written accounts of the characters as a base for my designs as I feel a written account can be interpreted on a wider scale than a visual reference.

I’m also eager to exploring the characters of the film and research all aspects of their lives though I am apprehensive about the contemporary versions we later have to produce. I know I will have to produce a contemporary design that can still be easily identified as the original character. I hope I can achieve this concisely without my character coming across too dated or generic.

The summer homework on use of colour in films gave me a great insight into the meanings and symbolism of particular colours and how, when used in a scene, they can create a particular mood or tone.

My summer project and research on Memoirs of a Geisha is accessible here...

http://danikasandhufindandseek.blogspot.co.uk/

Weimar culture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2014. Weimar culture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [ONLINE] Available at:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weimar_culture. [Accessed 05 October 2014].

Cabaret (1972 film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 2014. Cabaret (1972 film) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [ONLINE] Available at:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabaret_(1972_film). [Accessed 05 October 2014].