post modern

Rating: 7/10 (6 February 2006)

moulin rouge seems to be a movie that fiercely divides people...
although i am not a great fan of musicals, moulin rouge manages to force feed you absinthe and drag you through the streets of Paris that never were... yes, it is not a deep movie... the performances are over the top... that is baz luhrman's modus operandi.. this movie establishes its agenda early and does not apologise for it... it is a sumptuous honey drowning visual romp...
the use of modern songs is, in my opinion, brilliant ... i've read lots of comments vilifying the movie for its incorporation of modern pop culture, and to those people i'd like to say: 1) contemporary pop music has some good, witty lyrics (admittedly not everything in MR fits the bill)... no less than many older, "classic" musicals...
2) all genres adapt... just because this is "not done" in musicals, according to some arbitrary panel of experts, doesn't mean anything... it's been done now, and it is a post modern film... that's what it set out to be, and importantly, it pulled it off... it may not work in every movie, but the skill of the director has made the difference...
3) i'm not going to pretend that hearing "smells like teen spirit" mangled didn't hurt, but as used in the film, it fits the context and is a justifiable choice... i'll deal with it...
4) if some people would be objective, they would concede that the arrangements in MR show that popular music translates easily into the light opera setting, with the correct treatment...
5) this is a possible springboard to convert people who don't like musicals...
now, the editing and camera-work is frenetic, but it displays a sense of style completely unique to the director... people compare this to music videos, but apart from the speed and energy, i don't see it... luhrman may use common elements but he does impart his own sensibilities... the music video business is categorised by how similar all the products are (and some music videos do break the mould and provide exceptional visuals anyway)...
the sets and costumes are magical... there is no denying it... jim broadbent is superb, and those who say mcgregor can't sing are just fools, or bitter...
if you accept that just about nothing is original (certainly not the churned out musicals of the early days of Hollywood, that quickly established stereotypes and parameters that are still being used by bollywood) and that post modern works can be valid, vital entertainment, then you will accept that moulin rouge is wildly enjoyable... it is a slight movie in some respects, but there are flashes of gravity amidst all the noise, fervour and pomp...
i think baz luhrman has pushed the genre of screen musical forward (kicking and screaming), and this is commendable... i think he has even prophesied the backlash in an earlier movie (the brilliant "strictly ballroom") which had the dancer hero chastised for "flashy, new steps"... the light musical has often been a platform for light, sparkling entertainment, and a little injection of flash can be easily dismissed by purists... but those adventurous viewers in pursuit of a good time will find it, come what may...