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Moulin Rouge, a beautiful combination of romance, comedy, and tragedy set in Paris, France at the turn of the 20th Century, truly dazzles audiences. Currently, the movie is available to stream via Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and Vudu but ran in theaters for 84 weeks. The story follows a poor, struggling writer, Christian (Ewan McGregor,) as he recounts his tantalizing relationship with both love and art during the peak of the bohemian revolution. Once in Paris, he is immediately awestruck by an eclectic bunch of self-proclaimed children of the revolution, colorful can-can dancers, and the lifestyle that encourages indulgence. Christian, wishing to be a successful writer, becomes enamored by the sparkling diamond that is the courtesan Satine, played by Nicole Kidman, who also dreams of one day becoming a real actress. Through a series of comedic missteps and miscommunications the two are thrust together, quickly forming a love triangle with the Duke, a keen investor with a high price – Satine all to himself. Richard Roxburgh transforms into the creepy and controlling Duke, expertly executing the unhinged villain role which is no surprise given his familiarity with playing the antagonist. Throughout the film, Satine’s boss and keeper, Harold Zidler (Jim Broadbent), wrestles between his greedy selfishness and his genuine care for his shining star, causing a love-hate relationship between the over-the-top character and the audience. The Duke invests in Zidler, the Moulin Rouge, and Satine and makes it clear that he will do whatever it takes to get his money’s worth.
McGregor and Kidman shine not only in their acting performance but both stars unveil unexpected talents as they debut their musical abilities on the big screen. McGregor had made his Star Wars premiere as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the first installment of the prequel trilogy the previous year which received mixed reactions from fans of the franchise. In Moulin Rouge! he fully embraces the initially naïve, love-struck aspiring writer, promptly gaining a whole new category of fans. Years later, Ewan would showcase his vocal chops again to play Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls on the West End. Before Moulin Rouge!, Kidman had already shared the versatility of her craft with the masses as she had seen success in other film genres like romance, action, and drama. However, Practical Magic, which premiered the previous year, was considered a flop. Now the film, which she starred in opposite Sandra Bullock, is referred to as a cult classic. Kidman would also continue to use her vocal abilities throughout her career and even star in another movie musical, PROM.
The chemistry between Kidman and McGregor is palpable and makes the forbidden love story that much more captivating. The introduction to “the Sparkling Diamond” is an extraordinary artistic display that literally has Kidman flying high, setting expectations soaring for the rest of the film. Thankfully, what follows does not disappoint. In “The Elephant Medley” scene, the audience watches these two characters fall in love despite themselves all while singing some of the most popular classic love songs. The heartbreaking conclusion of the story is beautifully tragic, as the music epically ends, good conquers evil, the lovers are finally free, but the happiness lasts only for a moment.
Baz Luhrmann, known for Strictly Ballroom and coming off his successful film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet, creates an impressive world of “freedom, beauty, truth, and love.” The fast tempo of the story is memorizing, and even though Satine’s fate is shared within the first moments of the movie, the quick-thinking exchanges and those triumphant arcs give fruitless glimmers of hope of a happy ending. Luhrmann has built a brand on extravagant and illustrious films and Moulin Rouge! is no exception. The staging and visual aesthetics are astounding as nuances in positioning, costumes, and lighting are reflective of the developing schemes. Luhrmann has an extraordinary way of establishing sensational platforms while allowing the actors to work within it instead of it overpowering them.
Luhrmann and his company, Bazmark, which he founded with his wife Catherine Martin, produced this film. Based on the previously mentioned filmography, extravagance was expected. In addition to Martin and Luhrmann, the creative production team also included Briggette Broch (Romeo + Juliet) and Angus Strathie (Strickly Ballroom). It is no surprise that both Strathie and Martin were needed to tackle the enormous task of costume design. The sheer number of costumes is overwhelming, then add in the glitz and glamour. The outfits are modernized versions of early 1900’s fashion which mirrors the clash of historical and contemporary through the film. Martin with the help of Briggette Broch, captured the world of the bohemian revolution and successfully translated it to the big screen. This group of artists has clearly worked together before given how smoothly the different aspects of film fit together. The production design becomes a supporting character in this movie, it is literally the elephant in the room, that enable the actors to fully express their roles. The musical selection perfectly pairs with the scenes and are seamlessly integrated into the film. Younger audiences may find it surprising that there is only one song, “Come What May” used as the lover’s secret signal, that is original to the film.
Overall, Moulin Rouge! is an impressive hit and adds another well-deserved feather in Baz Luhrmann’s director cap. This movie needs undivided attention to get the spectacular recognition it deserves. It created a significant enough fanbase that the idea of a Broadway adaptation was not only explored it was successful. Moulin Rouge! The Musical has been at the Al Hirschfeld theatre since 2019 and is currently on tour in the US.
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Reviews with images
Cover shown in Amazon thumbnail is not the cover you will receive
This has nothing to do with the movie because I love it. I’m mildly annoyed about the cover on the dvd. The only reason I bought this from this seller was because of the cover shown in the thumbnail photo. I wanted that dvd cover because I like it best. Instead I got the cover I took this picture of. If I had known that wasn’t what I was getting what the seller pictured I would’ve bought it from anyone.
Top reviews from other countries
bret butler
This dvd works but was not happy as case was damage
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 24, 2016Mayalen Goni
Un des meilleurs films que j'ai pu voir
Reviewed in France on October 5, 2015el sebach_90
Non so che dire... Cioè un MUSICAL COI CONTRO FIOCCHI
Reviewed in Italy on October 31, 2023