MOULIN ROUGE A film review by David N. Butterworth Copyright 2001 David N. Butterworth
***1/2 (out of ****)
Who would have guessed that Ewan McGregor belting out Elton John's "Your Song" while dressed in the period garb of 1900's Paris would be so electrifying an image. Yet in Baz Lurhmann's "Moulin Rouge," it's just one of several hypnotic musical sequences.
In the hands of, say, anyone other than Baz, "Moulin Rouge" could so easily have been a laugh riot (unintentionally speaking that is). But the Australian director of "Strictly Ballroom" and "William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet" proves he has what it takes, defying his critics by taking an original story (loosely based on the Orpheus legend) and, in a "reinvention of the musical form," interweaving contemporary songs in a way that, simply put, just works. Amazingly!
Jim Broadbent ("Topsy-Turvy") and Richard Roxburgh (as The Duke) goof off to Madonna's "Like a Virgin," for example. A minor character with the arresting name of The Narcoleptic Argentinian performs a tango-inspired take on The Police's "Roxanne." And Nicole Kidman does "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" on a swing. And that's just a fraction of it.
"Moulin Rouge" is a musical extravaganza about a musical extravaganza, a Spectacular Spectacular starring McGregor as a penniless poet who's enlisted to write a can-can cabaret under the absinthe-clouded guidance of Toulouse-Lautrec (played by John Leguizamo). McGregor's Christian soon becomes enmeshed in Lautrec's seedy, ooh la-la underworld of bohemian sex and high-kicking showgirls where he meets--and quickly falls in love with--a high-priced courtesan named Satine (Kidman).
Pretty soon it's apparent this one is heading in much the same direction as Luhrmann's previous effort (the afore-mentioned "Romeo + Juliet"), but that's not a bad thing. "Moulin Rouge" kicks off with lots of rapid-fire imagery, swooping camerawork, and intricate model shots that it takes a little getting used to. But once you do, and can revel in Luhrmann's wicked sense of humor and extraordinary visual style coupled with co-writer Craig Pearce's wickedly anachronistic dialogue (citing 20th century lyrics whenever possible), you'll soon appreciate the film for what it is: a bold, brave, audacious work that entertains on many levels.
None the least of which is listening to McGregor and Kidman warbling "The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music." Forget Tom--every time these two get together (and they're both excellent) Luhrmann cranks up the strings and at the Moulin Rouge, it's enough to make you want to cry.
-- David N. Butterworth dnb@dca.net
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