MOULIN ROUGE ------------
In 1899, the summer of love, impoverished British writer Christian (Ewan McGregor, "Star Wars: Episode I - the Phantom Menace") arrives in Paris to find inspiration in Montmarte's bohemian artistic neighborhood. When a narcoleptic Argentian (Jacek Koman) and a midget dressed as a nun (John Leguizamo as Henri de Toulouse Lautrec) fall through his ceiling, Christian's cast in their alpine play, "Spectacular, Spectacular." He breaks their collective writers' block by belting out "The hills are alive!," is declared the play's new author and trundled off to meet Zidler (Jim Broadbent, "Topsy Turvy"), the owner of their venue, the "Moulin Rouge."
Lautrec promises Christian that he'll meet with the play's star, Satine (Nicole Kidman) alone, just as Zidler is promising the same to the Duke (Richard Roxburgh, "Mission: Impossible II"), a potential backer. Satine, Moulin Rouge's star and courtesan, gets mixed signals and sets to seducing Christian, believing he's the wealthy Duke.
The story of "Moulin Rouge" (written by Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce, "William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet") mirrors Dumas' "Camille," where another consumptive courtesan captures the heart of an idealistic young man, but director Luhrmann uses the age old tale as a springboard to dazzle his audience with lavishly colorful visuals, dizzily photographed, alarmingly editted and musically propelled via snippets of countless pop tunes.
Our initial introduction to the Moulin Rouge is through the eyes of Christian after imbibing in absinthe (guided by Australian songstress Kylie Minogue as the green fairy), the legendary hallucinogenic green liqueur. The skirts of can-can dancers whoosh by with a kaleidoscopic effect as the performers sing the most unlikely medley of "Voulez Vous Couchez Avec Moi?" and "Smells Like Teen Spirit." A wild assortment of freaks and fashionistas make the patrons of the Moulin Rouge the Studio 54'ers of their day. Then Satine makes her entrance, dangling from above on a swing, brilliant red hair and lips spotlighted against chalk white skin. Satine's introductory medley, "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend/"Material Girl," prove that Kidman can carry a tune, but are an uninspired choice.
Luhrmann then gives us a dose of the ludicrous as Satine writhes around her opulent Indian elephant abode as Christian recites the 'poetry' of Elton John's "Your Song." The real Duke's arrival calls for quick thinking on Satine's part and aided by Christian's fellow playmates she outlines the play's plot on the spot. This sequence plays as if the Marx Brothers collided with the Three Stooges.
After this, Luhrmann eases up on the hyperkinetic editting and "Moulin Rouge" settles in with its first truly showstopping number in which Zidler performs "Like a Virgin" for the Duke accompanied by a chorus of dancing waiters. Other highlights include the narcoleptic Argentian's advise to Christian about getting involved with courtesans by way of a tango number set to "Roxanne," and the climax of the play within a play.
Luhrman has created a great piece of eye candy, from his opening black and white zoom through the streets of Paris leading to the Moulin Rouge (looking like "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" crossed with "The City of Lost Children") to the multi-level Indian set stages of a Bollywood Ziegfeld. His "Romeo + Juliet" team of cinematographer Donald McAlpine, editor Jill Bilcock, and production designer/costume designer Catherine Martin are joined by art director Ann-Marie Beauchamp and Set Decorator Brigitte Broch ("Chronos," "Amores Perros").
Yet all the film's spectular excesses don't add up to a completely satisfying experience, careening as it does from slapstick to melodrama. Kidman looks ravishing, but her plight never pulls on the heartstrings. McGregor fares better, largely due to the real emotion he delivers with his full bodied singing voice. Broadbent's Zidler is a pragmatic, rather than evil, version of Joel Grey's "Cabaret" emcee and he gives the film's most interesting performance (when Luhrmann lets us see it), yet his presence distractingly recalls the theatrical "Topsy Turvy." Leguizamo is little more than a tearful clown - Toulouse who? Roxburgh's Duke is as two dimentionally villainous as the plot demands.
"Moulin Rouge" is itself like a courtesan, a lavishly oufitted, desirable beauty who excels at artifice.
B
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