A Bohemian Feast for the Senses

Rating: 9/10 (24 November 2003)

I honestly didn't expect to like "Moulin Rouge". What? Take a bunch of songs made popular by Madonna, Elton John, David Bowie, Sting, and Nat King Cole, and tie them up in a music video-style format? You've got to be kidding?
Nope.
I grew up during the era when "classic" musicals were still the big thing... "The Sound of Music", "The King and I", "The Music Man"... you know the type. Grand. Beautiful. Safe.
Baz Luhrman has managed to re-define what makes a musical. Using every trick in the modern cinematic arsenal, he's created something as grand and beautiful, but never "safe".
I didn't like it. I loved it. But then I love theatre. And this is as theatrical as you can get. It's big, brash, larger than life in every aspect, and it MOVES! There's enough energy in this production to power Sydney for a fortnight.
I can't begin to talk about the actors... everyone turns in a stellar performance. I already liked Kidman, McGregor, and Leguizamo from previous works, but Jim Broadbent as Zidler, the owner of the Moulin Rouge, and Richard Roxburgh as the delightfully dislikable Duke fit right in and made themselves right at home among my favorite performances. And watching the two of them sing "Like a Virgin" in a Busby Berkeley styled comedy number with a dozen waiters flitting around like a bunch of demented fruit-flies was hysterically funny. When just thinking back on the jokes still makes you laugh, that's good comedy.
Basically, the movie was nothing like what I expected... but then, it's not really like anything else, so how could I expect it? But I still liked it... a lot.
I doubt "Moulin Rouge" is for everybody, but then again neither is champagne. Me... I like the bubbles.
Simply great movie.