Moulin Rouge!, A Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (23 July 2003)

The bad commercial campaigns of the best movie of all time failed to give Moulin Rouge! worldwide recognition, but alas, this happens with many great movies (e.g. Requiem For A Dream, Donnie Darko). The whole comparison between this and the new musical blockbuster Chicago is useless since they are both great movies but not the same. Still, Moulin Rouge! remains in the first place on the Best Movies list. This musical, comical, dramatical and action packed hell of a movie will satisfy the whole audience. It just needs to be given a chance. Never have I seen an audience stand up and clap, with tears in their eyes, at the magnificent movie they have watched.

The story is very simple but very complicated at the same time, giving enough music, action and laughs for everybody's taste. The characters are very easy to relate to and the edge-of-your-seat directing gives edge to this masterpiece. Christian, a young writer arrives in Paris, against the will of his father, to seek a career as a writer. He meets a group of bohemians who are planning to set up a musical play at the famous club Moulin Rouge and they invite him to rewrite the story of their play but at the same time to lure the famous courtesan Satine as to star in their play. Satine confuses Christian with the Duke, who on the contrary is expected to sleep with Satine to finance the upcoming play. The confusion continues and finally Satine and Christian convince the Duke to accept to finance the play. As the play is made, Christian and Satine fall in love, but the Duke's rights to the play also count for the body of Satine. She is his. And so the lovers try to keep their love a secret before everything is lost. On the way, jealousy, betrayal and trust is needed for their love to be contained.

Satine is portrayed by the beautiful Nicole Kidman who delivers an astonishing performance. Her character has so much life inside her which makes you fall in love with her. Nicole was truly the one for Satine, for her beauty and character match like no other. She did, in fact, break two ribs during the making of Moulin Rouge! Ewan McGregor, one of the finest young actors on the Hollywood A-List, plays the writer Christian with success. Christian is a three-dimensional character with feelings and compassion. Both of these excellent actors' singing and dancing skills help in the portrayal of their characters.
The direction is simply amazing. With the best director there is, what can someone expect? Baz Luhrmann shows us his creative and brilliant ideas through his direction, cinematography, editing and camera work. All of these factors give you a dazzling effect. The editing gives you enough to be kept at the edge of your seat and also to feel those small goosebumps running up and down your back. The music is absolutely fantastic. The idea of mixing old songs together and forming this huge masterpiece is just amazing. The original music created by Craig Armstrong, one of the finest, also has atmosphere and is truly brilliant.
Mr. Luhrmann also takes us comprehend the importance of the visual world of movies with Moulin Rouge! The whole movie is a visual attack, giving you enough colours to come back begging for more. It dazzles you amazingly and twists you around. The costumes are excellent and the sets are simply fantastic. The mixture of all of these given to you by the editing will leave you speechless and coming back to watch it over and over again.

Moulin Rouge! is a movie for the people. It has something everyone can relate to. It has been an instant classic ever since it came out in the cinemas. The more you watch Moulin Rouge!, the more you get addicted to it and the songs can even make you sing along. Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor show off their acting and singing capabilities and at the same time director Baz Luhrmann mixes them together and forms his finest masterpiece up to date. Moulin Rouge! makes you proud for who you are and will make you fall in love with it. This is a movie about Truth, Beauty, Freedom and above all thing, Love...
Savvas Stavrou's Rating: 10/10 - A True Masterpiece