Gilbert & Sullivan Meets MTV

Rating: 10/10 (12 June 2001)

If Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo + Juliet" (1996) was Shakespeare for the MTV generation, "Moulin Rouge" is Gilbert & Sullivan on ecstacy.
Laurmann's over the top portrait of turn of the century Paris is an explosion of sound and color that leaves the audience dizzy, disoriented, and begging for more. Its so sad it's being seen by so small an audience. This is a big, bold, daring, tasty, entertainment extravaganza that blows the doors off the theater. It's everything a movie should be, and then some. Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor are surprisingly appealing in their doomed love affair, and Jim Broadbent's brilliant turn as Zidler is in itself, worth the price of admission. A send up of Madonna's "Like a Virgin", with the rotund and whiskered Zidler as the blushing maiden should go down as a classic in cinematic comedy. From the love triangle, to the play within a play; from the mustache twirling plots to the wild score and breathtaking choreography, Moulin Rouge stands in a class by itself. So inventive and so beautiful are the production design and cinematography that they could literally stand alone. Laurmann propels us through the mean streets of Paris at breakneck speed, treats us to a magical waltz on moonlit clouds, and even serves up a glittering green fairy and a chubby faced singing moon. He jams the screen with illusions to other films ranging from "American Beauty", "Titanic", "Singing in The Rain", and his own "Strictly Ballroom."
One can only hope that this under-appreciated effort will one day be recognized for the masterpiece it is. Bravo Baz!