The Ultimate Post Modern Experience

Rating: 10/10 (2 June 2001)

If someone asked me to sum up the essence of "Moulin Rouge" in one sentence, I would have to say, "an ultimate cliche with extraordinary originality." I realize this is a contradiction, but what wasn't about this film? Outside of "My Fair Lady" I have never been able to stomach a musical, so when I went to see "Moulin Rouge" I was expecting to go to laugh at it. Strangely enough, I consistently found myself laughing with the film rather than at it (as well as crying). Every time a new scene emerged I thought, "here's my chance to scoff," but the film was able to pull me into the other direction EVERY TIME. If anyone wants to know what Post Modern is: this is it. This film took pop culture and made it art...how is that possible? I'm still trying to figure it out.
The film, first of all, cannibalizes itself. It's a story about a man writing a play based on the story as it unfolds, and he is writing out the story after the fact. So it's a story within a story within a story. But it is never confusing, surprisingly enough. Secondly, there is a romance. How does one make a movie about a romance of this nature--very cliche--and pull it off? Ask the director and writer of the film and you'll find out. I still can't believe I liked the romantic aspect, but I did. Thirdly, the film is a mixture of genres I haven't seen since "Blade Runner" (although I wouldn't compare the two)--a musical, comedy, tragedy, fairy tale, with some hints of film noir. Fourthly, the film, I don't think, has any original score; rather, it uses a mixture of music from the last thirty years--some so unlikely to be put together that one has to check themselves to make sure they are really hearing the song(s) they are hearing. What I find interesting about the score is that Kidman can sing "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" while the men below sing "Smells Like Teen Spirit," both in their original tunes, and they work together as if it was all the same song. And fifthly, the movie is obviously a parody of musicals (and parodies are almost impossible to pull of these days without being banal), which is why the mixture of music, the love story, etc. can be well received without indignant guffaws.
Well, there were a couple of people who did guffaw and snicker...but they were sixteen year-old teenage girls with their boyfriends who went to go see the movie because of the Madame Marmalade video on MTV--they wouldn't know parody if Christina Aguilara told them personally. And many have been asking if McGregor and Kidman were lip syncing. Actually, no. Everyone in the film sang their own music and did it live (of course, I'm sure there was some "fiddling" around with the sound quality).
Anyone with intelligence could see "Moulin Rouge" for what it is: a great film. Over the top? Yes. Silly? Yes. Contradictory? Yes. But strangely enough, it all works because it knows it is all of those things and plays off of them. I walked out of that movie thoroughly surprised at my respect for it. It was worth every dollar I spent and I'll spend it again.