Ladies and gentlemen: the future

Rating: 10/10 (27 June 2001)

In the category of how about that' : the most technically advanced film in some time is set in 1899. Baz Luhrmann's purpose is to capture the energy and spirit of that time period, portraying the Moulin Rouge as the Ultimate Party of that or any day. The belief is that back then people were less inhibited, less guarded than now. A slight disappointment is that there is only one scene showing the club in all its wanton glory. Shortly after, it's converted into a theater for the "Spectacular Spectacular." The first club scene is milked for all it's worth, though. This is electric, eye-popping cinema that really pulls you into the story. It would have been tough to top.
The story isn't the most imaginative ever, but sticks to the format of the musical romance out of necessity. The film works so well because the story is so simple. Anything more complex would be lost in the kinetic pace of the visuals. "Moulin Rouge" is really like a roller coaster: one second you're moving slow and easy, the next you're blasted forward a hundred miles an hour.
Even if another director could have thought up some of the visual ideas Luhrmann comes up with, they'd likely dismiss them as impossible to pull off. The film is like nothing you've ever seen before and yet, oddly familiar at the same time. Luhrmann seems determined to give you something cool to look at every second. You're literally afraid to blink for fear of missing the slightest thing. The super zoom' is a marvel to watch, the shot that starts miles away from its target, then pulls you forward at light speed until you're right on top of it. But this isn't all just computer wizardry. It's how the director, for instance, will use two different color filters in one shot, or adds energy to a scene by editing together shots filmed at different speeds. Astonishing.
I'm an Oscar junkie so I'm always looking out for films that will tempt the almighty Academy. Certainly the best film of the year so far, I could see "Moulin Rouge" nearly running the table: Sound, visual effects, cinematography, editing, directing, original song for "Come What May," acting for Nicole Kidman, Jim Broadbent, John Leguizamo (who somehow plays a dwarf). An original score nomination would be a toughie, as Luhrmann pieces this one together from thirty or so classic songs from several genres, re-imagining them in the context of this story. I'll probably be proven wrong as the inevitable crop of quality movies enter the fold beginning in August. One thing is sure, though: "Moulin Rouge" will not be forgotten.
Grade: A