| Product: |
Moulin Rouge! (DVD) |
| Date: |
31/03/07 (51 review reads) |
| Rating: |
 |
Advantages: The songs, costume, plot, scenery,acting, everything
Disadvantages: None
Director:
Baz Luhrmann (Romeo & Juliet)
Starring
Nicole Kidman ( The Hours, Bewitched)
Ewan McGregor ( The Island, Trainspotting)
John Leguizamo (Romeo & Juliet, ER)
Jim Broadbent (Bridget Jones' Diary, Narnia)
Richard Roxburgh ( MI:2, Van Helsing)
Certificate
15
Language
English
Runnin g Time
127 minutes
Release Year
2001
Awards
2 Oscars (Costume & Set Design)
3 Bafta's ( Sound, Music, Supporting Actor - Broadbent)
DVD Extras - Disk 1
*Production Commentary with Baz Lurhmann, Catherine Martin (Production Designer) and Don McAlpine (Director of Photography)
* Writers' Commentary with Baz Lurhmann and Craig Pearce
* Behind the Red Velvet Curtain - an interactive guide to the history of the Moulin Rouge
DVD Extras - Disk 2
* Dance sequences - An insight into the choreography and rehearsals of the dance routines.
* Making of the Moulin Rouge feature
* Interviews with the stars, director and writers
* Deleted Scenes
* Music Videos
* Press promos, trailers and news stories
* Design Gallery with stills and original drawings
Plot Overview:
Where to start - I went to see this at the cinema and after about 30 seconds everyone was looking around with a total look of bewilderment on their faces. The reason? Well, Moulin Rouge opens with a set of theatre curtains opening to the sound of the can can with a conductor directing his imaginary orchestra. The cartoonified titles lead onto a black and white shot of a midget, dressed as a sitar, on a roof, singing a David Bowie song! This sets the tone for the whole piece - it is a visual and aural spectacle from star to finish.
We meet Christian (McGregor), who we learn has moved from London to the Monmartre in Paris in search of his Bohemian ideals - truth, beauty, freedom and love. He dreams of being a writer and by a twist of fate a narcoleptic Argentinian falls through his roof, followed by a transvestite and a dwarf dressed as a nun - Toulouse Lautrec (Leguizamo.) They are trying to write a truly Bohemian play, but due to an artistic difference are left without a writer - so in steps Christian.
The only problem is that the play is for the notorious Moulin Rouge nightclub and must be approved by the owner Harold Zidler (Broadbent) first. They devise a plan that they will make Christian meet with the club's most beautiful courtesan Satine (Kidman) and she will do their bidding for them.
Unfortunately due to a case of mistaken identity Satine thinks Christian is a rich Duke (Roxburgh) who is willing to invest money to convert the club into a theatre and she can become an actress.
Christian and Satine fall madly in love but must hide it as they rehearse the play he is writing (which absolutely mirrors their predicament) from the Duke - who was promised Satine as part of the deal.
As everyone around them realises the affair, it is only a matter of time before the Duke pulls the plug on the money or has Christian killed.
But Satine is holding a secret that will shape the future of both men in her life and through the manipulation of Zidler her choice is made.
The Music
Unlike most musicals this is not made of an original score - it only has one original song - "Come What May." Instead the music comprises of classic pop songs updated to fit the genre and the storyline. Songs you may recognise are;
Nature Boy (Originally David Bowie)
Children of the Revolution (Originally T Rex)
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana)
Heroes (Originally David Bowie)
Your Song (Originally Elton John)
Like a Virgin (Originally Madonna)
The Show Must Go On (Originally Queen)
To name but a few....
Kidman and McGregor both sing all their own songs and both have amazing voices. Some of the set pieces, including the Lady Marmalade sequence are outstanding - I do have friends that say this bit does make them feel sick though as it is so fast moving!
Overview
Everything about this film to me is flawless - the costumes, the sets, the casting, the giant elephant. It all screams hedonistic extravagance.
You genuinely believe the characters of Satine and Christian in the setup of characatures around them - Zidler, The Duke and Loutrec are all larger than life (well in personality anyway - Loutrec was a dwarf.) You also believe they are genuinely in love and if you don't cry at the end of this film - you have a heart of stone - or a bloke.
This film is visually stunning from start to finish - it is an absolute overload of colour, beautiful dresses and decadent backdrops. The songs fit into the plot superbly, and if you are watching this for the first time I defy you not to be in stitches at the "Like a Virgin" sequence.
The DVD extra mount to over 6 hours and are actually well worth a look - especially the dance sequences and the design gallery which gives an insight into the thinking behind the costumes, scenery etc. Also anything with McGregor in is worth watching so I have to recommend his interview
Don't get me wrong I love this film and have seen it so many times I can almost say it word for word, but as I say in the title there is no middle ground. You will absolutely love this film, or be writing to Baz Luhrmann saying you want 2 wasted hours of your life back! So be warned - and don't blame me if you hate it
Summary: A massive colourful, musical explosion
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