I’m not big on musicals, maybe the reason for it is the amount of Disney movies I’ve seen where they burst out singing, but I always have the feeling they are not for me. Still I do watch them occasionally and there are some which I do like. Singing in the Rain is a good example and so is this one, Moulin Rouge!. It is a movie I’ve had in my collection for years and felt like watching it again. In anticipation to the Great Gatsby I just had to see another movie by director Baz Luhrmann.
For those who don’t know the story, it’s about Christian (Ewan McGregor) who heads to Paris to start his career as a poet and who falls in love with a courtesan named Satine (Nicole Kidman) who is working at the Moulin Rouge. A duke is wanting to invest money into the establishment, but Satine mistakes Christian for the duke (who also wants to court her) and they will have to cover up their feelings as they are forced to work together under the watchful eye of the duke.
There are a couple of things which make this such a great movie. First of all it really is a visual feast. The sets are huge and beautiful and the costumes pop out of the screen. The Moulin Rouge really comes alive in this movie and you can understand why it is so well known and heavily visited. Secondly the music is awesome. It has taken various pop songs and mixed them together in unexpected ways. The movie also has a lot of humor, but also offers drama. It is just a joy to watch and I was happy to revisit it again.
Very interesting that you reviewed this today. My review of it goes up in an hour or so but I had a much different reaction. Very nice review. Glad you enjoyed it.
Yeah, really a coincendence. Have read your thoughts on it Keith.
Once I got past it not being about Toulouse-Lautrec, I liked it. But I actually expected a remake of the old movie about painters and Paris.
Yeah, it doesn’t offer that at all 🙂
Two very conflicting reviews in the one day? I find myself somewhere in-between you and Keith. I wouldn’t give it top marks, Nostra but I did surprisingly enjoy it. It’s visual flair was definitely a big highlight. The film had a lot of style and then some.
Mark, I previously watched it (years ago) and gave it an 8 back then, but rewatching it there really isn’t anything I did not like about it. I had a big smile throughout.
Oh Oh Oh!! My favorite film ever!!! (Well, one of the top 3, at least). Absolutely blew me out the back of the cinema when I saw it back in 2001, and if you’ve not seen it on BluRay, it’s even better in HD!!! Great cast, terrific musical soundtrack and score, and some of the most amazing production design I’ve ever seen on a cinema screen!!
Top score indeed!!!
Nice to hear Rodney, it seems not everyone feels the same about it, but I loved watching it again, looking forward to specific parts. Have seen it on DVD but I can imagine it’s even brighter on BluRay.
Nice review. I’m glad you enjoyed it, though my reaction was the polar opposite.
Yeah, it seems the opinions are mixed on this one.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of this one, but I understand why people like it.
I do agree with you and the use of pop music. I particularly like their version of “Roxanne”.
Yeah, the rendition of Roxanne is a very haunting one!
Awesome that you liked this one, it’s such a terrific movie. I’m not a big fan of McGregor in this one but everything else here is amazing. Kidman was just breathtaking.
Have to completely agree with you on this Sati!
Even my husband loved this one. The music is so haunting. I sang it for months 🙂
I can imagine…I still think of it whenever I hear Madonna’s Like a Virgin…actually prefer this version 😉
Agreed. I like musicals as much as any genre. This is one of the best of the past 15 years and also my favorite Baz Luhrmann film.
Having seen a couple of his movies I have to say it is also my favorite movies of his.
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