Liza with a Z

Although she received considerable attention for stage and film work, throughout the 1960s Liza Minnelli was best known as the daughter of legendary Judy Garland. In the early 1970s, however, Minnelli began to emerge as a distinct talent in her own right, and her Best Actress Oscar win for CABARET put her over the top. In the wake of the film's success, she re-teamed with director Bob Fosse for an hour-long television concert. Titled LIZA WITH A Z, the program was a critical and ratings smash--but television programing is a transient sort of thing, and soon the show was relegated to the vaults. It was not seen again for more than thirty years.

Seen today in the remastered Showtime DVD release, LIZA WITH A Z gives you a very clear idea of what all the fuss was about. It is impossible to watch Minnelli without comparing her to Garland, and it is true there is some actual basis for comparison: the sense of humor, the energy, the intensity are very similar, and from time to time Minnelli's vocal phrasing echos Garland. All the same, the comparison will only take you so far; even when performing such Garland-esquire material as Jolson's "My Mammy," Minnelli is distinctly herself.

Her glitchy body language becomes an asset for director and choreographer Fosse, who used it to such great effect in CABARET and repeats the effect here--and who backs Minnelli with a solid chorus of dancers performing his own demanding, highly eccentric work. When Minnelli blasts out "Ring Them Bells" or down-shifts to a tightly controlled "Bye, Bye Blackbird," Fosse's dancers are memorable indeed.

Whether it's a new take on Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child" or a piece specifically written for her such as "Say Liza," Minnelli never gives less than one hundred percent. Even so, there are one or two lapses in the material. In hindsight, such selections as "I Gotcha" and "Son of a Preacher Man" are not really the best possible choices--but even so she works hard to sell them, and while you may question the choice of song you never question her talents.

Of particular interest is the "time capsule" quality of the show. Although she had many later successes, Minnelli was somehow never able to keep her career on a consistent track; LIZA WITH A Z catches her at the crest, before one bad decision too many took its toll. The same "time capsule" quality applies to Fosse's staging; it is also distinctly early 1970s--and when Minnelli steps out in an aggressively pink Halston dress it couldn't be any other period.

The remaster is quite good, and the DVD comes with a number of interesting extras, including Minnelli's audio track and bios of both Minnelli and Fosse; the deluxe DVD edition also includes the audio CD. Recommended for Minnelli and Fosse fans.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer