There are few motion pictures that I might say “outlined” my preteen years as a lot as Moulin Rouge. The glitzy 2001 musical had every thing my 12-year-old self may have requested for. Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor singing their hearts out in an over-the-top love story in Paris — what else may I’ve needed?
McGregor and Kidman star within the story of a younger, poor English poet, Christian, who falls in love with cabaret actress and courtesan Satine, the star of the Moulin Rouge in Paris in 1899. Sadly, Satine has been promised to a Duke in return for funding for the subsequent manufacturing on the Moulin Rouge, resulting in a forbidden romance between Satine and Christian. To complicate issues additional, Satine is dying from tuberculosis. Oh, and this complete story is instructed with fashionable musical numbers, that includes renditions of every thing from “Diamonds Are a Woman’s Greatest Buddy” to “Like a Virgin.”
Like all preteens, I discovered the thought of forbidden, tragic love an extremely compelling trope, and including shiny musical numbers made for the right recipe. For goodness sake, I used to be so enamored with Ewan McGregor’s rendition of “Your Music” that I made it my first dance track at my marriage ceremony. When a Moulin Rouge musical started its preliminary previews in Boston, my pal and I went to one of many first reveals.
Nevertheless, regardless of being obsessive about this film in my youth, I admit I hadn’t watched it in years. That’s till lately, once I determined to replay the movie that had meant a lot to me rising up. So, would it not maintain up? I used to be sort of terrified to search out out.
The film is totally bonkers (in the easiest way).
Let’s get this proper out of the best way: This film is bonkers. The exposition of the primary 10 minutes appears like a fever dream, with the characters talking so rapidly you’d suppose you had been watching an Amy Sherman-Palladino present. Director Baz Luhrmann makes use of these first few scenes to attempt to match as a lot story in as humanly doable, to the purpose that you could be blink and miss a Kylie Minogue cameo because the absinthe-induced Inexperienced Fairy (sure, you learn that proper).
Nevertheless, much more so than I did as a child, as an grownup, I discovered the extent of bonkers for Moulin Rouge to be completely pleasant. Oftentimes, Luhrmann’s movies appear to be hit and miss with individuals — you both love his extremely distinctive model of directing or cannot stand it.
Regardless of the overwhelmingly unhappy storyline behind Moulin Rouge, the film is simply plain enjoyable. It is shiny, colourful, and may have you instantly pulling up the soundtrack on Spotify. There are elements of the movie that will make you marvel what on this planet you are watching (the Duke partaking within the “Like a Virgin” quantity involves thoughts), however the second Ewan McGregor belts out “El Tango de Roxanne,” you’re pulled proper again into the magic of the film — bonkers although it could be.
The story is wildly completely different by means of grownup eyes.
As with many motion pictures loved by ’90s preteens, I in all probability had no enterprise watching Moulin Rouge on the age that I did. Now, watching it in my 30s, I can confidently say I had no concept what was occurring in a lot of the film.
You realize the scene the place Christian thinks he is giving Satine a poetry studying, and he or she thinks he is speaking about intercourse, and plenty of innuendos ensue? Yeah, as a preteen, I totally didn’t get that. Whereas I loved the film in so some ways once I was youthful, I used to be capable of get pleasure from it utterly otherwise as an grownup who… will get intercourse jokes.
In all seriousness, as an grownup, I used to be capable of comprehend the extra critical and darker themes. As a result of the factor is, as shiny and exquisite because the film is, at its core, it is a tragedy. And whereas I clearly understood that on the most simple of ranges in my youth, it took on a a lot completely different which means as soon as I used to be older and had skilled extra of life.
The film is peak Baz Luhrmann in its visible magnificence.
Director Bas Luhrmann is a particular artist; you’ll know his work as quickly as you see it due to his distinctive directing model. Whereas he has had loads of critically acclaimed movies (as lately as 2022’s Elvis), I might argue Moulin Rouge is his crowning achievement. The colours, the set, the costumes, the music decisions — every thing is next-level attractive.
The movie was nominated for eight Academy Awards, together with Greatest Image. Whereas it did not win, the legacy of the film has lived on. For the previous few years, followers have been capable of see Moulin Rouge on Broadway. Whereas among the music decisions have modified for the on-stage rendition, the stylistic decisions that Luhrmann made for the film have made a transparent mark on the Broadway manufacturing.
There are loads of motion pictures I beloved in my childhood that I later watched as an grownup and wished I hadn’t. Moulin Rouge was not one among them. Whereas it might not be for everybody, this positively breathtaking musical held up for me many years later as a unique journey. So, let me simply put it on the file: Hollywood, by no means remake it.
