"Truth.  Beauty.  Freedom.  Love."

MOULIN ROUGE (PG-13)

Reviewed June 3, 2001 - Check out the Moulin Rouge Website.

Studio Synopsis: Christian (Ewan McGregor), a young writer with a magical gift for poetry, defies his bourgeois father by moving to the bohemian underworld of Montmartre, Paris. He is taken in by the absinthe- soaked artist Toulouse- Lautrec, whose party- hard life centers aound the Moulin Rouge, a world of sex, drugs, electricity and the shocking Can-Can. Christian falls into a passionate but ultimately doomed love affair with Satine (Nicole Kidman), the Sparkling Diamond, the most beautiful courtesan in Paris and star of the Moulin Rouge.

Fuzzydog Review: From Baz Luhrmann, the director who brought us 1996's Romeo and Juliet, comes another wildly-paced, extremely quirky and jaw-droppingly original film--this time about Paris' Moulin Rouge around the 1900's.  Moulin Rouge is a fantasy, a comedy, a romance and a musical all rolled into one.  It's a bawdy, bombastic celebration of light, music, color, and (of course) love.  It is also, at least in this person's opinion, absolutely amazing.  With much of the film's dialog set to music, and much of that music drawn from modern-day songs (everyone from The Beatles, the Police, and Madonna), it's not hard to see where this film could have quickly turned into a joke and gone horribly wrong.  Fortunately, however, all tongues are firmly in cheek when necessary, and the music simply helps to make this incredible movie soar.  McGregor and Kidman, who both sing with their own voices for this film, do a wonderful job in each of their roles, helping ground what is an almost-too-over-the-top production.  Will the frenetic pace and chaotic manner of this musical film turn off some people?  Undoubtedly.  For those who can get into Baz's wierd world, however, Moulin Rouge is a true must-see and must-hear experience.

Responses from cyberspace--thanks for writing!

Rakel gives this movie  stars: "I loved Moulin Rouge, it had the same sort of feel to it as Romeo &Juliet but this time it was taken a bit further. the story-line, songs, effects and especially the camera work were amazing, i definately think this film will reach its greaest potential in the cinemas . On video some of the gradeau and beauty will be lost, as on the big screens the effects make a huge impact" (10/24/01)

ben.doughty@ntl.com gives this movie  stars: "Could anyone tell me what the traditional style music is that was played at the very end of the film, rolling through the credits..had a real kind of eastern europe flavour to it but sadly its not on the soundtrack album.." (10/9/01)

carlerle@hotmail.com gives this movie  stars: "Well, I just LOVED "Moulin Rouge". What a wonderful movie musical experience! It was a bit of "La Boheme", "La Traviata", "Orhpeus in the Underworld" and the Marx Bros with great performances all round. I must say I think Jim Broadbent deserves an Academy Award for his rile of Harold Zidler the manager of the Moulin Rouge. He was P> T. Barnum on Drugs a real ringamaster with a touch of Joel Grey as the MC in "Cbaret" thrown in. What a great score. i wish all the music was on the soundtrack CD however. If you look at the credits closely at the end of the movie there was such a wide variety of music ranging from Gorecki and Offenbach to all those delicious Madonna send ups. Bravo Baz Luhtmann. What a joy to watch and weren't the sets and costumes amazing. i went to an exhibition in the Powerhouse Museum in Sydey recently which featured the costumes and was blown away by their beauty and colourfulness. I recommend it as a "must see". I have seen the movie ! 6 times and would love to see it many more times." (8/9/01)

Jessica gives this movie  stars: "It's like a perpetual heroin induced hallucination. A whole new genre in itself. I loved it. " (8/8/01)

magermansrita@uptomail.com gives this movie  stars: "its a great movie i think." (6/27/01)