Sep 30, 2001 08:12 PM
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What do Toulouse Lautrec, Julie Andrews and Ozzy Osborne have in common? Bizarre as it may seem, they all play a part in Baz Luhrmann's latest film. A wonderful film it is too, the perfect antidote to some of the more serious foreign-language films I have been privvy to over the past couple of weeks (incidently, under no circumstances should you go and see Taurus or Martha.. Martha).
I almost hesitate to describe this film to you, as I am probably going to make it sound incredibly cheesey, but trust me on this, it isn't cheesey at all, just funny, frantic and moving by turns.
Set almost exclusively in the nighttime upper rooms over Montmatre - which is proving a popular spot for films this year, having already played host to Jeunet's wonderful Amelie - this is a love story with Busby-Berkley-on-speed energy. Ewan McGregor is our impoverished hero Christian, a writer who has come in search of love and a Bohemian lifestyle in turn of the century - 19th to 20th that is - France. When Toulouse Lautrec (John Leguizamo), literally, drops in on him unexpectedly, he becomes mixed up in his plans to stage a play with more than a passing resemblence to The Sound of Music, at The Moulin Rouge.
After enjoying an evening of Absinthe - featuring an hilarious cameo by Kylie Minogue with the voice of Ozzy Osbourne - they descend on the Moulin Rouge to convince the owner Harold Zidler (played magnificently by Jim Broadbent on rambunctious form) that a Nun's love story - set in India?! - is the way forward for his dance club.
While there, Christian sees the beautiful courtesan Satine (acted and sung marvellously by a Nicole Kidman on the best form I have seen in years) and, due to a mix up in the melee between he and our dastardly villain the Duke of Monroth (Richard Roxburgh), he ends up in her boudoir. She is supposed to be seducing the Duke for cash to turn the Moulin Rouge into a theatre, while Christian is attempting to 'sell' her the play. Needless to say, the real Duke turns up half way through the conversation and the result is worthy of the best British farce.
As you can guess the courtesan and starving writer fall in love, but she must marry the Duke to ensure the show goes on - the play within the play, written by Christian, neatly mirrors their plight - and the stage is set for the fun and tragedy which ensues. Ah yes, the tragedy element, I should mention that, you see, Satine is not a well bunny and, from the outset, we are told by Christian, who is relating his tale after the event, that she is dead, a fact which adds a poignant depth to Luhrmann's film.
Now on to the cheesy-sounding bit. This is not a straightforward film, it is a musical. More than that, it is a musical in the best Fred Astaire traditions, but which uses modern pop songs, both as huge chunks of script and as songs themselves. For example, when our hapless hero first comes across the Moulin Rouge, the girls are dancing exhuberantly to Voulez Vous Couchez Avec Moi, while the exclusively male audience sing 'Here we are now, entertain us' - Nirvana never had it so glitzy.
The scoring in this film is an absolute triumph, the mix of those two songs is superb and perfectly suited to the frenetic and burlesque atmosphere Luhrmann is attempting to create. Kidman and McGregor prove to have quite delightful voices too, although occasionally the lip sync looks a little odd.
There is more than a splash of pixie dust evident throughout this movie, with magic realism elements occuring willynilly. For example, Christian and Satine finding themselves carried away on stardust at one moment and Kylie Minogue is dancing around like a techno generation Tinkerbell the next.
A particular favourite of mine was watching Jim Broadbent 'sing' his way through Like A Virgin, but don't let me give you the idea that this film lacks depth. The central theme 'the greatest thing you'll ever learn is to be loved and to love in return' is never far away, and even at its most hilarious moments, you sense the ultimate tragedy looming.
Perhaps the film's greatest victory, is its ability to involve the audience in the action. You genuinely feel as though you are in the Moulin Rouge watching the dancers at the start, so much so in fact that I had to resist the urge to clap several of the big dance numbers along with a large proportion of the audience at the screening I saw - something which I can never remember having been tempted to do before.
The tagline for this movie is 'an experience you won't forget', and for once I would have to agree. See this on the large screen - it really is going to lose something on TV - sit down, revel in a return to the musical heydays of the 50s and be truly entertained.
There is nothing unsuitable for children in this, but adults will enjoy it best.
