|
Cross
LA BOHHME with CABARET, throw
in a little bit of RENT, and you might almost begin to describe Baz
Luhrmann's visually opulent, fast-paced, funny, heartrending MOULIN
ROUGE. The film, which premiered as the opener to the 2001 Cannes Film
Festival, is a musical set in 1899 Paris at the notorious Montmartre
cabaret club, the Moulin Rouge. Directed by Baz Luhrmann (WILLIAM
SHAKESPEARE'S ROMEO AND JULIET, STRICTLY BALLROOM), the movie stars
Nicole Kidman as the high-kicking courtesan, Satine; Ewan McGregor as
the sensitive poet, Christian; and John Leguizamo as the flamboyant
artist and matchmaker, Toulouse-Lautrec. Luhrmann's use of eclectic
lighting and saturated color, the fast zooms and quick cuts of his
camera, and his magnificent costumes and sets perfectly capture the
excess and freneticism for which the Moulin Rouge was famous.
Beautifully led by McGregor and Kidman, the flawless supporting cast
brings to life the culture of belle ipoque Paris with magical realism.
Above all, the anachronistic, energetic contemporary soundtrack is what
drives MOULIN ROUGE, with popular songs by L'il Kim, Christina
Aguilera, David Bowie, and Beck--as well as Kidman and McGregor adding
their own superb vocals.
|
