MOULIN ROUGE

by
Nathaniel Rogers

of
The Film Experience

THIS STORY IS ABOUT...

"A bohemian storm is brewing." At its center is Baz Luhrman, the über theatrical Australian director, and his faithful production team, now known internationally as Bazmark. On June 1st, 2001 they unleashed Moulin Rouge at theaters everywhere. This is the final chapter in what Luhrman refers to as his "red curtain trilogy." Luhrman first gained fame in the early 90s with an Australian staging of the opera La Bohème. He then made the film Strictly Ballroom, the campy exuberant comedy which snowballed into an international hit. It started a mini-trend of worldwide enthusiasm for Aussie comedy. He followed that up in 1996 with the polarizing fusion of Shakespearean dialogue and MTV stylizations that was William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet. The film gave Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio their first taste of true movie stardom and bankability. It is also credited with jumpstarting the young Hollywood frenzy of the late 90s.

Now in 2001, when Hollywood churns out such lifeless fare, the audience should just about be chanting "Here we are now. Entertain us!" Baz, of course, can and will do just that with the release of his fin-de-siècle modernist musical fantasia Moulin Rouge. One hopes that this film inspires trends of its own. The red curtain approach to filmmaking, which finds its ultimate vehicle here, refers to the device of theatricality that Bazmark revels in. This favored aesthetic finds visual introduction in the framing devices used to open and close each film. Romeo + Juliet uses a TV screen and an iambic pentameter newscast. Strictly Ballroom and Moulin Rouge both use the red curtain literally, announcing plainly and whimsically, ''Sit back. The curtain is opening. The story begins now..."

TRUTH

The first character we are introduced to is Christian, a naive and prodigiously talented poet, who spouts line after line of remarkably familiar "poetry" (i.e. lyrics to 20th century pop and Broadway music). Christian quickly falls in with a bohemian gang of artists, led by John Leguizamo as Henri Toulouse-Lautrec and Jim Broadbent as the M.C./ impresario of the club Moulin Rouge itself. They instantly take to Christian and recognize his gift. Ewan MacGregor is terrific in the part: open, winning, innocent. Ewan/Christian is so joyously committed to his artistic vision (director surrogate?) that sung dialogue feels totally natural again.

Toulouse-Lautrec decides that Christian must write their new musical "Spectacular! Spectacular!" and they must take him to the Moulin Rouge to introduce his work to their star. While this set-up plays very fast and funny, the movie surprisingly continues to gather more speed as it goes. Then, when Christian first arrives at the eponymous club, the movie all but explodes with energy. It's here in the famous Moulin Rouge that you realize what Baz and his team are up to. The true musicality and visual genius on display take transformative shape in the swirling colors of the vibrant costumes, the imaginative set designs, the cleverly fused songs, and thrilling, if disorienting, editing. So much visual and aural information is released in this sequence that one of two things will happen: You will either succumb and embrace the eccentricities of the world, or you will tune out from the sensory overload, perhaps longing for something quieter and more traditional. Here there is no turning back.

BEAUTY

And it's here that Satine, "the sparkling diamond," famous courtesan and aspiring actress, descends from the air and immediately lands in Christian's heart. Satine is played with a go-for-broke ferocity by the talented Nicole Kidman. In the past, Kidman has been passable (Batman Forever), good (Flirting, Eyes Wide Shut), and near great (To Die For), but she's never before been this fully alive onscreen. It's as if she realizes that every second counts. This film, this time, is her moment. There's more than a hint of Nicole-the-actress in Satine-the-would-be legitimate-star. It makes for a fascinating fusion of personae.

Even more satisfying than Nicole's brave star turn is the chemistry between her and Ewan. After an initial miscommunication, Satine tells Christian plainly, "I can never fall in love." Christian has other ideas, and gently woos her. Watching him completely disarm her with a heartfelt rendition of "Your Song" or watching her work her way towards love through musical banter is transformative. It starts out silly and before you know it, it's moving. This is emblematic of the movie's theatrical alchemies. The clichés become meaningful truths. The artifice becomes real.

FREEDOM

Unfortunately, despite its obvious virtues, this messy, exuberant film will not be to everyone's liking. It is bizarre, extreme, and uncompromised enough to provoke as much "rant" as "rave." There is no playing it safe for the creative team or, consequently, the audience. We're in foreign territory. Chances are you've never seen anything like this before. The visual razzle-dazzle will either give you a headache or make you high on its unusual beauty. The rhythm of the film, both sonically and cinematically, is much different than what we're accustomed to in motion pictures, so it can take a little getting used to. It's not unlike watching Shakespeare for the first time. At first you have to concentrate on each phrase, but soon you're absorbed in the story and unaware that you don't understand every word. Your mind is taking it all in. If you meet the challenges in this unique film, you'll excuse the missteps.

For me it was the shifting tone that threw me occassionally. But better the magic of risks and experiment than continual adherence to the status quo. Better scattered movement in all directions than cinematic stagnation. Meet the movie halfway. It's alive in so many ways that it will feel like a cinematic breakthrough if you do.

ABOVE ALL ELSE...THIS STORY IS ABOUT LOVE

In the end, while the dialogue, intertitles, and marketing repeatedly remind us that this is just a love story, I would disagree. I would venture to say its heart is much larger than that. The love story is indeed the crucial story element, and Christian and Satine do make a grand pair. But, when I hear "but above all else...love," I don't just think of the lovers. This is a film infused and energized by love. It's love of their material that makes two actors shine brighter than ever as movie stars. It's love of the musical genre that inspires a great director to have characters break out singing onscreen again without a hint of judgement. But above all else, it's love of the cinema that got this movie made. Every moment, sink or swim, feels infused with love of showmanship, love of highwire creativity and love for the cinema itself. Moulin Rouge is not a perfect film, but the cinema is first and foremost a visual medium. On that level alone, this dazzling concoction is worth more than dozens of other films combined. You have to see it to believe it.

©2001 Nathaniel Rogers
CineScene