MOULIN ROUGE at HOLLYWOOD TEEN MOVIES

At over 2hrs running time Baz Luhrmann's "Moulin Rouge" outstays its welcome. Dark, sinister & at times macabre it unfortunately lacks the spirit, likeability & charm of earlier more uplifting Roger & Hammestein films such as "The Sound of Music" & "South Pacific". "Moulin Rouge" is at times captivating & wonderfully acted (Ewan McGregor in particular) but it has long stretches which some may find boring. The emotionally stirring film that some people believe it is, has unfortunately not worked its spell on me. I like my musicals a little more uplifting & I found that giving away that Nicole dies at the end in the opening of the film & then tell the rest of the tale in flashbacks was a mistake.

"Moulin Rouge" is a visual achievement but in the same way the Batman films were. This production was shot on the sound stages of Australia's Fox Studios in Sydney & it shows. I am a big fan of musical films, I think that Hollywood should make more of them, some musicals are in fact some of my favourite all time motion pictures but unfortunately this isn't one of them. Baz Luhrmann is a fabulous filmmaker with a strong visual style but this production is a little too dark for my liking. Nicole & Ewan handle the songs expertly as their voices combine astonishingly well but the music is still at times a little drab & not as lively & bouncy as I would of liked. A new version of Madonna's classic 80's ballad "Like A Virgin" does make a welcome return into this film & does raise a chuckle in the way it is performed.

"Moulin Rouge" begins with a composer moving his stick to the tune of the legendary 20th Century Fox symbol, this I liked, a very clever touch indeed. But the ongoing sequence that followed after this which ran for about 15 minutes I found a little too fast paced & edited, basically too much, too soon. Nicole is certainly no Marilyn Monroe but her version of "Diamonds are A Girls Best Friend" does raise some interest. But then again who can compare with Monroe. It is not until the first meeting between Kidman & McGregor that the film really begins to take some impact. The previous 15 minutes were too much of a flashy concoction for their own good. Fans of the stage & theatre are in for a treat though as it is like a stage show brought to the screen. But I felt I wanted more than that, as I found some of the sets a little too repetitive, all though wonderfully designed.

Australian audiences in particular will have fun spotting some actors & musicians in small roles such as Gary Mcdonald (better known as Norman Gunston) & singer Christine Anu. Unfortunately Kylie Minogue was wasted in a small role as a fairy at the start, you really begin to wonder why you would even bother. Costumes & production design are lavish. I did go into this film with not very high expectations & did in fact walk away with less than anticipated. All in all, "Moulin Rouge" is recommended for fans of the theatre, if you are truly into stage musicals this is your calling as you get to visit one on the big screen.

TITLE : Moulin Rouge
YEAR OF RELEASE : 2001
CLASSIFICATION : M
DIRECTOR : Baz Luhrmann
STARRING : Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent, Richard Roxburgh, Garry McDonald, Jacek Koman, Matthew Whittet, Kerry Walker Caroline O'Connor, David Wenham, Christine Anu, Natalie Jackson Mendoza, Lara Mulcahy, Kylie Minogue
TAGLINES:
* No Laws. No Limits. One Rule. Never Fall In Love.
* This Story Is About Truth
* This Story Is About Beauty
* This Story Is About Freedom
* Above All Things This Story Is About Love
* Truth - Beauty - Freedom - Love
* Club Moulin Rouge - an experience you won't forget!
* The show must go on
* The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return.

Ding Dong: A Night At The Moulin Rouge(1951) VHS
No, it's not the Moulin Rouge in Paris. It's the Moulin Rouge Theatre in Oakland, where a soiree of sexy strippers strut their stuff. From hefty hayseed honeys like the Bell of the Blue Ridge Mountains and a singing hostess with the mostest to a male comedian with pasties and a baseball skit, this one's something to check out! With Illona the Bavarian Orchid. 71 min.
Moulin Rouge(1928) VHS
A fine British drama from director E.A. Dupont ("Variety") about a young man who becomes romantically involved with a star of the famed Paris dance hall who also happens to be his girlfriend's mother. Olga Tschechowa, Eve Gray star. Silent with musical score.
Moulin Rouge(1952) VHS
The colorful, tragic story of painter Toulouse-Lautrec and the residents of Paris' notorious Montmartre district whom he immortalized on canvas is masterfully told by director John Huston. Jose Ferrer stars as the deformed artist, with Zsa Zsa Gabor, Colette Marchand and Suzanne Flon as the women who filled his art and his life. 123 min.
Moulin Rouge(2001) VHS
From Baz Luhrmann ("William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet") comes this dazzling musical set in the legendary 1900s Parisian nightclub frequented by Bohemian artists and writers. Ewan McGregor is an impoverished author whose new play draws the attention of beautiful Nicole Kidman, a courtesan looking to make a big splash as an entertainer. The two begin a romance that is threatened by Kidman's involvement with the wealthy aristocrat (Richard Roxborough) backing the production. Boasting a mix of contemporary and vintage songs, this one-of-a-kind film also stars Jim Broadbent and John Leguizamo as painter Toulouse-Lautrec. 126 min.
Moulin Rouge [DVD](2001) DVD
Phantom Of The Moulin Rouge(1924) VHS
A young aristocrat, depressed when his fiancee breaks up with him, meets a doctor who performs an experiment on him that allows his spirit to leave his body. Can the "phantom" save his girl from marrying a blackmailing publisher and return to his body before the doctor is accused of murder? Albert Prejean, Sandra Milovanoff and Georges Vaultier star; Rene Clair directs. Silent with music score.