Kirsten Johnson on All That Jazz
Kirsten Johnson on All That Jazz
The director and cinematographer shares how Bob Fosse's over-the-top, semi-autobiographical film inspires her own boundary-pushing work.
I felt reticent after inviting Kirsten Johnson (“KJ”, to those who know her) to our podcast. She is known for being smart and clever, her films are brilliant and personal, and she is married to my co-host Tabitha so the odds were stacked against me! I anticipated being out of my element, but then she chose All That Jazz as the film that blew her mind, and everything changed. It is one of my “mind blowing” films too. I was an aspiring dancer back in the day, so for me the film is literally an examination of my real NY theatrical experience. But for KJ, it was a creat
ive awakening of sorts. A way into discovering artistic freedom and release from oppressive norms. I loved understanding another angle on this great film. Worlds can collide in remarkable ways, but in life, we both agreed…you gotta know when, “it’s showtime, folks!” - J.C.
Director and legendary cinematographer Kirsten Johnson is known for nonfiction work that is inventive, artful, expressive, and maximal. The same can be said of the film that blew her mind -- Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz. The semi-autobiographical film brings us Joe Gideon (Roy Scheider), a peripatetic creative force working simultaneously to mount a major Broadway production and complete post-production on a feature film, all while maintaining a lifestyle fueled by cigarettes, pills, one-night stands, booze, and Visine, and still finding time for his adoring 12-year old daughter, Michelle.
We learn why the iconic film first transfixed Kirsten, and how she continues to be inspired by Fosse’s ingenious use of dance, documentary, theater, music, and more. Cooper shares his personal ties to the film, calling on his days in New York’s theater scene of the 1970s. And Tabitha (a.k.a. Wife of Kirsten) does her level best to maintain her professional distance as the conversation unfolds.
About the Film
All That Jazz, 1979. Director/choreographer Bob Fosse tells his own life story as he details the sordid career of Joe Gideon, a womanizing, chain-smoking, pill-popping director/choreographer in the throes of creative chaos.
Directed by Bob Fosse
Written by Bob Fosse, Robert Alan Arthur. Adapted from the musical of the same name (1975)
Primary Cast
Roy Scheider (Joe Gideon)
Ann Reinking (Kate Jagger)
Leland Palmer (Audrey Paris)
Jessica Lange (Angelique)
Choreography by Bob Fosse
Edited by Alan Heim
Music by arranged and conducted by Ralph Burns
Awards
Academy Award for Best Original Score (1980)
Academy Award for Best Art Direction (1980)
Academy Award for Best Costume Design (1980)
Academy Award for Best Film Editing (1980)
Palme d’Or, Cannes Film Festival (1979)