Moulin Rouge!

 

Beauty

Truth

Freedom

Love

The Bohemian ideals of the turn of the century. However how can anyone understand these ideals if they have never actually experienced them? And when they finally do, will they ever be the same person afterwards? Those are the primary questions in Baz Lurhmann's historical-with-a-modern-slant musical about two star crossed lovers surviving within the confines of the degenerate and sinful dance hall, the famed Moulin Rouge. Two very different people, one who believes in love, yet has never known its happiness or its pain. The other who has been forced to sell herself to satisfy the lust of men; and by doing so believes that she is unworthy of any real love. Can there beauty in truth and freedom in love? And if so, what are we willing to sacrifice to make such ideals known and real?

Paris, 1899: Christian, a penniless writer from England arrives at the famed city. His goal is to live among the wandering Bohemian artists that bring new ideas of life and learning. While there, Christian runs into fledgling theater group desperate to get their play, Spectacular, Spectacular off the ground. Christian's poetry proves to be what they need, but connections to bigger people with plenty of cash for funding must be made. And the one place they can find such people who mix with their crowd in the dead of night is the raucous, no rules allowed dance hall, the Moulin Rouge.

Run by showman, Harold Zidler who displays his beautiful dancers, the Diamond Dogs, for the pleasure and delight of the wealthy patrons gathered there. However his main attraction is Satine, the Glittering Diamond. A courtesan who sells herself for the benefit of attaining her great dream, becoming an actress. Satine is wanted by many men, but no one desires her more than the Duke. A power hungry and maniacal force desperate to have Satine to himself. 

 In a twist of fate, coming in the form of Christian's new friends, he and Satine meet, both under different expectations. Through no small amount of deception, Spectacular, Spectacular gets its funding. As the play begins to grow, so does Christian and Satine's secret love affair. However, loves comes with a cost and what is one willing to pay for love?

If you're new to Baz Lurhmann's productions then you must take his film making with a grain of salt. Luhrmann is the quintessential original artist, whose own unique style is unparalleled. His early films such as Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge! are noted for their roller coaster cinematography, bold and over the top settings, mixing history and modern, and bi-polar storytelling which all manage to create a successful product. 

The beginning of Moulin Rouge! is so fast pace it almost makes your head swim and the story is so campy that you wonder if you're watching a romance or an old school slapstick comedy. That's really the best way to explain it. It's about halfway when the story gets very serious and from that point on the film borders on heartbreak and hope. 

 

Nicole Kidman is at her most stunning in this film! Satine (for all her appearance as a seductress) really has a sensitive and sweet nature that can capture anyone's heart and you really see her as a true heroine. Ewan McGregor was fresh off of his breakthrough role as the hot headed Jedi Padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace. He played the naive Christian whose whole character development comes from his fast pace journey of problematic love that leads to eventual heartbreak.

The music is an eclectic mix of original songs and homage to pop favorites such as Elton John and Madonna. Moulin Rouge! does deal with some heady issues, which is why I rate it as a more adult musical. So content wise, there is some rather in your face dance numbers in the beginning, Christian and Satine's cringey, sexual comedy of errors and a brief assault scene. Upon re-watching, it's nothing too terrible. The music video of Lady Marmalade (sung by the popular female artists' in the early 00's) was infinitely more filthy and inappropriate than anything the movie contained (Watch with discretion. You've been warned). However, the musical did produce one of the most beautiful original love songs that really embodies every ideal of what the story is, who these people were and what love is meant to be.