 | Moulin Rouge Starring: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent, Richard Roxburgh, Jacek Koman |
For the first time, I am of two minds regarding a film. With "Moulin Rouge," words like dazzling, magical, over the top, too much of a good thing, too much of a bad thing, stunning, a feast for the eyes, nightmarish, insane, insulting, would all be valid impressions of the film. There will be no middle ground with Baz Luhrman's "Moulin Rouge." You will love it or hate it! During the first twenty minutes I seriously considered the possibility that the smirking teenager at the concession stand had laced my diet Pepsi with LSD. Then another thought entered my mind: perhaps the entire cast and crew had dropped acid before the cameras began to roll. I had choices. I could walk out or remain in the darkened theatre and go along with the trip. I decided on the latter. That decision, for me, proved to be a wise one. I enjoyed the ride. Movie musicals have been long gone for years. Most attempts to bring them back have failed. Director Baz Luhrman boldly went where few would even dare to venture to assure the success of his big budget musical. If not altogether successful, it will at least one of the most controversial musicals ever made. His attractive leads (Kidman and McGregor) can not only act but can also sing far better than expected. His visual roller coaster ride may not be for everyone but it delights the eyes while sending your mind into a dizzying free fall. The choice of songs such as Diamond Are A Girl's Best Friend, Material Girl and Nature Boy juxtapose well with the fin de siècle setting, and the editing by Jil Bilcock keeps your mind spinning. Catherine Martin's impressive production design adds visual splendour to the film's texture. The story is hardly important in a film such as this yet Luhrman spins this yarn quite well in spite of his visual antics. A romantic young writer, Christian (McGregor) arrives in Paris, circa 1889, and rents an apartment in bohemian Montmartre. Within seconds the excited writer is introduced to a narcoleptic Argentine (Koman) and Toulouse Lautrec (Leguizamo), not because they have knocked on his door, but because they have fallen through his ceiling from the apartment above. When, for no reason, Christian breaks into song with The Sound of Music, Lautrec hires him to write his new show for the famous nightclub, Moulin Rouge. The star of the show and Paris' most famous courtesan is, of course, Satine (Kidman). To gain financing for the show, Zidler (Broadbent), owner of the Moulin Rouge, gets the money from a rich Duke (Roxburgh) while offering the services of Satine to close the deal. (He also puts the club in hock to get the show produced.) Christine and Satine fall madly in love and the tale takes off into something of an insane romance. The lecherous Duke is constantly outwitted and through some miracle, the show gets produced. It's all great fun if you don't take it seriously. One of two things will happen to you when you view "Moulin Rouge." You will sit back and enjoy the show or storm out of the theatre within twenty minutes. I cannot offer advice on this one! A healthy shot of Cognac prior to entering the theatre may assist in your final action. If not, keep your eye on the kid behind the soft drinks counter! |