Moulin Rouge is a modern classic

Moulin Rouge is over 15 years old now, so it is about time to remind people just how good it is. Having recently seen many an advert for The Greatest Showman, my first response is to say, ‘yeah it was alright but it’s no Moulin Rouge is it’? The basic plot of the story of forbidden love told with the backdrop of the decadent early 20th Century Parisian nightclub, staring Nicole Kidman and Ewan Mcgregor.

Too successful to be a hidden gem. Moulin Rouge is a jukebox musical like no other but unlike other early 2000s jukebox musicals, it isn’t embarrassing, or cringe worthy or just the wrong side of weird. What Moulin Rouge does so well is use recognisable music in ways you wouldn’t expect. Using Roxanne as an Argentine Tango and Smells Live Teen Spirit as a rambunctious anthem of patrons of a cabaret. Inspired musical choices that really shouldn’t work, but they do.  Memorably so. 

Moulin Rouge is also the best film director Baz Lurhman has made. He is a bit slow to be honest, not having made any new movies since 2013s The Great Gatsby but from his total of 5 movies, his visual style is impressive and identifiable, using a creative brand of colour and framing  in Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, Australia and The Great Gatsby. 

 

Possibly the only film where I actually like Ewan Mcgregor. Who is usually equal parts annoying, smug and a mouth breather who can’t do accents.

 

Here his is accent is passable and he is reasonably charming in the role.

2001 was an important year for Nicole Kidman after her divorce from Tom Cruise.She made good choices working with a range of different, well respected directors offering some very different films, all of them very good, yet very different from each other, and if you haven’t seen The Others or Birth watch those too. 

The cinematography,

The choreography

The use of light and colour

Vaudeville, pathos, drama, comedy, we forgot that Kidmans got chops 

Not to mention the costume design and general over stimulus for all the senses. Moulin Rouge is loud, colourful and a lot of fun. Until it gets a bit sad of course, but it is something I never tire of watching.