|
|
 Boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl.That's basically the plotline of "Moulin Rouge" in a nutshell, but the way Baz Luhrmann interprets this story on screen has to be seen to be believed. Lots of lavish color, movement, sights and sounds explode on the screen like a Toulouse Lautrec painting on acid. Baz has captured all the excitement and decadence of 1800s Paris, given it a modern twist and reinvented the classic movie musicals of days gone by. And the result? A truly unique cinematic experience that will be talked about for years to come! The first frenetic 30 minutes will have you clutching your seat and gasping for breath. It's like a white-knuckle ride at your favorite theme park - it's almost too much to take. But what a ride! "Moulin Rouge" is a movie to be viewed more than once....if only to take in what you missed the first time. You'll either love or loathe it. But if you choose the latter, quickly take your pulse and check that you're still in the land of the living!
After the opening, swooping, computer-created visuals of Paris, the viewer sees a typewriter working while the unseen narrator talks. This scene seems to go on forever; however, I should have appreciated it more for most everything that follows is like a high-speed roller coaster. Viewers eventually see the lead character, Ewan McGregor, as he inexplicably falls through the floor of his apartment into another where several characters (or should I say caricatures) are rehearsing a play. McGregor offers a cliched line or two to the group and they are impressed by his apparent talent. Later, McGregor and crew go to a dance show where he sees Nicole Kidman performing. He falls in love with her at first site. She passes out during the performance and, well, one can see without too much imagination how the plot might develop. One other twist: she is apparently already spoken for--by the Duke. Maybe it's because I'm over 40 but the non-stop, jerky, in-your-face camera movements were simply exhausting, not exhilirating. Indeed, their manic, aggressive pace made me wonder if the director wasn't under some kind of chemical inducement. Moulin Rouge is a musical. But there is no original music. Instead, it is filled with 70s pop songs. So much for Paris. McGregor sings "Your Song," a nice song, to Kidman many, many times. Otherwise, bits of various songs, e.g., "Silly Love Songs" are awkwardly pushed into the dialogue. It really stuck me as amateurish--something anyone could put together. The romance between McGregor and Kidman is surely a highlight to many. Of course their features: his blue eyes, her smooth skin, are computer-enhanced to achieve the maximum effect. There are other memorable moments, such as when she is flopping about on the floor trying to fool the Duke, like a child trying to fool a parent. But the Duke, unlike the parent, doesn't seem to have a clue. Viewers should not assume this is a great movie because it is nominated for Oscars. Evidently it is popular but I for one find little to recommend.
|
Baz Luhrmann brings back the musical to the movie scene with Moulin Rogue. Mr. Luhrmann succeeds with the visual aspect of the movie. The imagery is striking with stunning sets and beautiful cinematography. Nicole Kidman is absolute breath taking as the doomed Satine. She shines every moment she graces the screen. The problem with Moulin Rogue is that the storyline is weak and there are basically no original songs. The movie is based in 1899, but the songs are mostly from the rock era. In one scene a young writer played by Ewen MacGregor sings Elton John's "Your Song" to Ms. Kidman and in another the Moulin Rogue's owner Jim Broadbent sings "Like A Virgin" to a Duke (Played snarkly by Richard Roxborough) who is in love Satine and wants her in return for financing a play. It is a weird juxtaposition of time periods that works to a degree because the songs have a built in popularity, but it lacks the creativity of the original scores for musicals of old. Overall, Moulin Rogue is worth watching for the look and Ms. Kidman.
This is a beautiful film in every sense of the word. Powerful comedy and drama meet in a world of psychadelic sets and music. It's the ultimate postmodern movie, combining songs and references from throughout the entire 20th century. Mr. Luhrman is a genius, though he could have easily cut 1/2 hour from the end. Overall, though, the film is a masterpiece. At one point I cried for the sheer fact that there was such an incredible amount of beauty on the screen. This movie will fill all of your senses.
I had high expectations when I went to see this film. But I was so disappointed I left sometime past the first hour. For one, I somehow had the impression it was going to be about turn of the (20th) century Paris. It was not. Instead of a Parisian set, the viewer is given computer animation--as one might see in a video game. The dialogue and the characters, likewise, have little to do with that era.
