I've actually seen the musical theater presentation of Moulin Rouge more frequently in the last couple of years than I have the film. So it was a real treat to get a screening as part of the Paramount summer classic film festival. This was our first return to the Paramount Theater for the summer season, and of course it will be a brief return because the theater is closing down for 11 months for renovation. Screenings will continue next door at the State Theater, which will be pursuing renovations after the Paramount is done.
There is a cacophony of sounds in Moulin Rouge, times can be overwhelming. There are however other moments of quiet Melody that said a tone of romance very effectively. The juxtaposition of these two styles can be jarring at times, which probably accounts for the fact that not everybody cares much for this film. I on the other hand appreciate the effort to do something authentically different well at the same time appealing to an audience with familiar songs and music.
The tone of the film is occasionally comic, but usually it is overwhelmingly sincere in spite of its simplistic supposedly bohemian themes. Nicole Kidman was at the Apex of her beauty when this film was made. Not that she doesn't continue to be a lovely presence on screen, but this was a moment in time when her appearance could almost be described as created by artificial intelligence. Stunningly, she also has a very nice voice and conveys power and emotion with the songs that she sings. The Old Chestnut that Marilyn Monroe made famous, Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend, is used continuously throughout the film to reflect the amoral attitudes of the gold diggers who populate the chorus in the film. We are however supposed to sympathize with them because after all they are exploited by others who are well off. To me the pretentious themes of the Bohemians feels like a long-term joke, that is playing out again a century after the events depicted in this film.
Ewan McGregor also has a naturally developed singing voice that carries a lot of the narrative of this jukebox Musical. He also is a handsome spectacle that would be enticing to that part of the audience drawn to a vibrant young man. For me the most fun in the movie is trying to discern which song is having its chorus or verse edited into The Continuous stream of exposition in the form of music. Those of you who know me will understand how I was delighted when a kiss song appears in the film. Director Baz Luhrmann has consistently found innovative ways to make movies look different. There is some criticism of his style because although his movies look different from other people's films, they sometimes seem reminiscent of his own. Since he isn't producing films on a yearly basis I don't find that problematic.
In addition to the music the visuals of the film combine practical stage sets with miniatures and traditional optic effects to make the movie look spectacular( spectacular). Sometimes there's sepia-toned filters, occasionally soft focus camera work, and frequently there is dynamic use of light to make the screen come alive. All of it is accentuated by bright colors, particularly Reds, which hold our attention and stimulate our emotions.
Is salt on our auditory senses can be overwhelming, which might make the movie Something of a chore for some moviegoers. Accounts for the reason I've not seen the film much since it opened 25 years ago. We first acquired the DVD of the film the year it was in theaters and my kids watched it frequently for the next couple of years, but they moved on to other movies and by 05, we were done with this for the most part. In the last couple of years however, my youngest daughter has become a theater kid, and on one of our trips to New York City, we saw Moulin Rouge with the original leads of the stage Musical reprising their roles. Just last year Broadway Austin presented the touring version of the musical here at the Bass Concert Hall, and we attended that as well.
The nostalgia that comes from watching a movie that was so distinctive 25 years ago and to which my children were devoted for a period of time was one of the main reasons I enjoyed are screening this last month. The movie is still a technical Marvel in an artistic gamble that I think pays off, but I will admit that it will not be something I rush out to see again. I need to catch my breath.
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