Movie of My Week: Moulin Rouge (2001)

I love all Baz Luhrmann movies like I love all Danny Boyle movies, although I will confess that I have yet to see "Australia"--his homeland epic. Vonne was so impressed with "Moulin Rouge" that she subsequently went to see Luhrman's Broadway staging of the opera "La boheme," which thrilled her to no end.

I just re-watched this with my older daughter and my mom, who got up about ten minutes into the viewing and said, "I thought this was the one with Jose Ferrer!" and then stomped out.  My daughter Em loves the movie so much she can sing almost the entire soundtrack, which I can find annoying in the home theater.

Anyway, what I love:

• I love Jim Broadbent in the ringmaster role; I smile every second he's on screen;
• I think this was the one that Nicole Kidman should have won her Oscar for; she was perfect here;
• I like Ewan McGregor in almost all things (the great Boyle-Luhrmann bridge!), but found him especially appealing here--to include his heartfelt singing.
• But most of all, I loved how Luhrmann re-imagines the modern musical as a sampler of recent songs and I especially loved all his cinematographic trickery here; he is a showman of the highest order--Sergei Diaghilev caliber.

I hope the guy never gets bored with film.

Comments

[Eric Chen]

Next time you watch Moulin Rouge, watch for the subtle touches in Richard Roxbury's performance of the Duke. In between Luhrmann's rapid cuts, Roxbury draws out the audience's sympathy for the Duke with his portrayal of betrayed hurt, love taken away, and loneliness, in addition to the anger and jealousy.

[Tom Barnett]

Actually, I feel bad now for not mentioning Roxbury, whom I really loved in "Van Helsing." My daughter Em is a towering Roxbury fan.

[Joe Canepa]

I agree with your mother, The older Moulin Roige was a masterpiece, which should be watched once a year. .

[ry]

Really, all Danny Boyle flicks? Even the bad 28 Weeks Later which didn't seem to work on any level whatsoever IMO?

[Tom Barnett]

28 Days Later is the best all-time zombie movie.

[deichmans]

GREAT movie!

I'll bet your mother walked out during the "Voulez-vous" scene....