Glorious and strange
 Sep 24th, 2001
Advantages:
stunning and inspiring
Disadvantages:
not going to be to everyone's taste .
Recommendable:
Yes
Detailed rating:
Did you enjoy it?
Characters / Performances
Soundtrack
How does it compare to similar films?
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  Bryn_Pearson
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Member since:21.05.2001
Reviews:417
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Review rated by 27 Ciao members on average: very helpful 
"Moulin Rouge" is not going to agree with everyone - stylish, filled with some odd choices of music, blatantly surreal and a musical of all things - I think this is either going to be a film that you love or hate. The plot: (No spoilers.) Christain (Ewan McGregor) is a young writer who has come to paris in search of bohemian life and inspiration. He soon falls in with artist Toulouse Lautrec, and composer Satie who are putting on a show in a very disrept=utable dive called the Moulin Rouge. Their writer isn't much good, and Christian soon finds he has the job. But first the must convince the Moulin Rouge to take their show. They plan to win over the club's star - Satine (Nicole Kidman) and so enter the fabulous world of dance, scantily clad women and very rich men. Satine and Christain fall in love, but she is a courtesan, and that night she also meets a Duke who will fund the show in exchange for her 'favours'. The story that unfolds reminded me a touch of "La Traviata" and that's as close as I am planning on getting to telling you what happens. The film features a brief appearance from Kylie Minogue as a green faerie induced by drinking absynthe.
The characters .
Satine (Kidman) - beautiful singer, used to selling herself, unused to love. Tragic heroine.
Christain (McGregor) an inspired dreamer falling in love for the first time.
Lautrec - a very short artist who actually lived, he dotes on Christain and tries to smoothe things along.
The Duke - at first a cartoon villan, he gradually becomes more sinister, but by the end he is pitiful - he want's Satine's love, but thinks this can be won with threats or bribes.
There's a huge supporting cast, including Jim Broadbent as the 'ringmaster' at the Moulin Rouge" - all the characters are superbly rendered, even the ones that get very little attention. Visually this is stunning - lavish, strange, beautifully shot, it's moody, colourful and exotic, a real feast for the eyes.
The songs. On the soundtrack are "Diamonds are a girl's best friend" "Like a Virgin" "Lady Marmalade" "The Show Must Go On" "Your song" plus some Nirvana and a bit from "The Sound of Music". Both Kidman and McGregor sing really well - he's got a lovely voice. I felt that the songs could have been strogner - a shame that McGregor does not get a whole U2 song with which to serenade Kidman, a shame that she doesn't get to sing 'The Show must go on" all on her own - I think that would have worked better. With hindsight, I can find flaws, but at the time iw as utterly captivated, and to be honest, I don't think the flaws are that important. The main concepts. It is repeatedly stated in the film that they are following the bohemian concepts of beauty, truth, freedom and love. In our modern age of cynicism, such ideas are not fashionable. These days, beauty is a thin pale woman, truth is about realistic apeparances, freedom is about getting to do what you want regardless of how it impacts on anyone else, and love? Sex we understand (just, although as a culture we are very oppressed) but all comsuing grand passions don't fit that well in our modern world. In the world of "Moulin Rouge" love, above all things, reigns. The culture of the club depends on satine not falling in love, but ultimately love will not be denied or ignored. Love is the most important thing, and the love affair shown is inspirational - tender, pasisonate, self sacrificing and triumphant, at least briefly. The truth in this film is not literal, but the emotions are true, and that is far more important than whether or not the piece is literal.
I cam away from this film uplifted and inspired. "The greatest thing you can ever learn is just to love and to be loved in return."
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17.10.2001 23:45
Good op. I agree there should have been more original songs. All the pop songs are a bit of a cop out, as if they didn't have the guts or the self-confidence to try something really new.
24.09.2001 13:15
Great op; concise and to the point. I think I went off on one a bit with my opinion of Moulin Rouge - wish I could have kept on track like this one! Ta. JB
24.09.2001 13:10
Another good review for this film, many more and I'll allow my wife to persuade me to see it! Certainly enjoyed the op, if the film is as good I won't be disappointed. Paul.