Moulin Rouge
 
reviewed by Doug
Schneider Director Baz Luhrmann works hard to give the audience value for the money.
His movies are packed full of visual and aural splendor. I really like his 1992 release Strictly
Ballroom, a frenetic send-up of the ballroom dancing world. I also enjoyed his 1996
film William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet for the innovative camerawork and
editing (less so for the strained delivery of Shakespearean dialogue). With Moulin
Rouge, Luhrmann takes it one step further. This film is again a feast for the eyes and
ears, and it is done as a musical. For those yearning to see something just a little bit
different from the standard movie drivel, this may be your ticket.
Nicole Kidman plays Satine, a performer at a lavish club
called Moulin Rouge. Today she’d simply be known as a stripper who sidelines as a
hooker, but in the upscale world of Moulin Rouge, she’s the star attraction and every
man wants to have her (even if it means paying for her time by the hour). Ewan McGregor is
Christian, an earnest, well-meaning guy who simply wants to make it as a writer. He has no
pretenses and believes in only one thing . . . love. Through a circumstance of errors,
Satine mistakes Christian for the Duke of Monroth, a wealthy man who wants to have her as
his trophy wife. She’s prepared to seduce the Duke for his money, but instead, she
ends up falling for Christian. She begins to love him even after she finds out who he
really is.
It’s a simplistic story that Luhrmann basks in excess.
From the cinematography to the editing to the sound, it comes at the viewer from every way
possible, and for the most part it works. I got a real kick out of Moulin Rouge and
particularly liked how Luhrmann mixed in the ‘70s and ‘80s pop songs not only
into the music of the film, but also into the dialogue. For that reason, some people may
want to watch it a couple of times to make sure they got everything. As well, the
set design, costumes, and cinematography are all mesmerizing. This one will win some
awards come Oscar time. However, that said, I did feel it all was a little too much. It
takes off like a lightning bolt and keeps up the frenzied pace until the end. While all of
this excitement can stimulate a viewer, it can also tire them out (like it did me).
As a result, I yawned a few times and even wondered to myself just how much longer it
would go on (not necessarily a good sign). It’s flawed but definitely interesting,
and in the end, it gets a *** rating. |
