The Jazz Singer

Audience Reviews

View All (295) audience reviews

Lars N A classic on a technical level only. The story is a little too by the numbers to leave a lasting impression. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 08/20/24 Full Review Kyle M "Wait a minute, wait a minute, you ain't heard nothin' yet!" Everyone who's out to discover their accessibly prefer entertainment ought to define the value's worth, but most of those now are shrunken viewings in contrast to collective moviegoing experiences that genuinely amplify those enjoyable elements. It also gives the impression on the anticipation surrounding the picture and feeling those results you share just like the rest make it all more entertaining as the reaction vibrates throughout the auditorium. This is considerably a recipe to not only exceed a definite moviegoing experience but also ranks of the best experiences that shall mentally imprints onto the moving pictures. In the year 1927 as the cinematic platform been relishing silently broadened since birth, Al Jolson shocked the audience in his role as "The Jazz Singer" when he audibly provided speaking dialogue in between the music, disrupting the visualized musical adaptation into an evolutionary classic – with obvious slight controversary. One of the earliest visceral examples for thematic explorations that's modestly layered tells the story about defying traditions and follows one's dreams without losing the hearteningly sighted focus to identify what matters more. Jakie Rabinowitz is the son of a Jewish cantor who orders his son to stay within the familial generation's traditional path, ignorant of how much his son admires jazz and wants to be a performer instead. One day, Jakie got in trouble at a young age when he tried it out to a decent audience, triggering his father to kick him out and refuse to acknowledge his existence. A decade passes, Jakie is shown following his dream, changed his name, and found a romantic companion supportively by his side as a fellow performer. He's found his happiness, but how true is it when he still wants his father's love? He eventually returns into his mother's embrace of acceptance, only to confront his father's utter disapproval. It's become his last chance to make his ailing conservative father proud, now conflicted between his passion or family. This transitional classic is based off the eponymous stage play that opened couple years prior, achieving both synchronized recorded music and lip-synchronous singing, which therefore positions this the first ever musical film. Impressively challenging on providing vocals aligned with the music that's already been an elemental entity to film, until Jolson separated his dialogue from the soundtrack that begun the talkies era and numbered the silence. The presentation's twist weighs more prominently as the film's defining legacy as the anticipation remains timeless now made more aware with eagerness to feel the originated impact. However, notoriously secondary to its legacy is the decision to mask Jolson with blackface makeup as retrospective now deem it racially offensive, and there's no argument as it now disturbs and negatively anchors the performative likeness. One analyzed the idea as commentary regarding show business for easy reception downplaying passionate truism behind pure talents being falsified just for others' current enjoyment. Writer Alfred A. Cohn may have acknowledged the problem beforehand and nicely wrote it as a shadow of former self along those lines, part of the exceptionally solid script between strong proclamations and heartening exchanges adjacent to Jolson's verbally one-man show. Even with the technical evolution, it remains part talkie and mostly silent, demonstrating the best of both performances albeit some seems melodramatic for expressive standards probably encouraged by Jolson's bold delivery with not much attention given to those assumed efforts. Both Jolson and Eugenie Besserer, who plays Jakie's mother Sara, are the only cast members who spoke throughout, together as they exchange demonstration and support during one number. He excelled in the role with vibrating passion as a pioneer in setting vocal standards, especially including the musical genre's pitch. Between his and the rest expressing gestures and convictions, the performances here evoke resonance, grasping their emotions in simplified fashions than elaboration. "The Jazz Singer" may have an offensive skit then followed the happily ever after structure for the sake of positivity than grounding realism per the familiar theming, even if not realistically realized back then, the thematic exploration with ideally pure conflicts, resonating performances and its technical legendary status marks this as worthwhile recommendation to check out. It was the beginning of an end towards the next step, whilst considerably not one of the greatest narratives down to just what it achieved and inspired as one of the best films under cinematic pioneering – being evolutionary in their own rights that continuously push the storytelling tactical possibilities at the movies. (B+) Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Goofy A racist film ngl.. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/14/23 Full Review Luca D I assumed the whole movie was dubbed I had no clue only the musical numbers had voices. Kind of disappointing but overall the movie was still very good and the musical numbers carried so much emotion that I guess the conversations didn't need audio. The plot was very original and the self confliction of the main character was very emotional and realistic. I would recommend to musical lovers who don't get offended seeing a character in blackface in a century old film. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/20/23 Full Review Louisa E I'm not a fan of Al Johnson's singing. However, having watched silent movies for quite a while now, I got a taste of how exciting it would have been for audiences to hear talking for the first time. The story was interesting but a bit too melodramatic. The temple bits were interesting as it's not something I've seen before. 7/10. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/08/23 Full Review Bill T Classic stuff with Al Jolson getting a chance of a lifetime, starring in a broadway show! But then his family comes back and begs him to come back home and sing at his synagogue for his dying father, who kicked him out when he was a boy! The melodrama is certainly piled on deep, but the story moves along, and Jolson is quite great here, The ending is just a wee bit off though. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Jazz Singer

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Most Popular at Home Now