Moulin Rouge! (2001)
April 22nd, 2003 at 9:36 am (4 - Good)
Moulin Rouge! (2001) had two strikes going against it when I first saw it in a theater: 1. It is a musical and I hate musicals. 2. It stars Nicole Kidman and I (used to) hate Nicole Kidman. I did however like Moulin Rouge
As annoying as musicals may be, this is not your typical musical. I love 80s music which are the meat of this movie. The reinterpretation of Sting’s Roxanne into a Tango for example tickled me in just the right way. Moulin Rouge! was true to form in the musical tradition by taking everything to the furthest extreme imaginable. The love scenes are bursting with ever-lasting all-eclipsing love like you have never seen before. The dark and depressing scenes delve into the furthest depths of human depression. The comedy is of the walking-on the walls and throwing your arms open at the end of a little dance type. What makes the musical format palatable is director Baz Luhrmann’s macabre and twisted sense of humor. This sensibility is perfectly shown during the scene near the beginning of the movie where the bohemians celebrate their art by drinking absinth and hallucinate the Absinth Fairy (played by the enchanting Kylie Minogue) who is both beautiful and terrible. Over the top can be annoying, but in Luhrmann’s hands it takes on a brilliance that is at times breath-taking.
Nicole Kidman looks like she was manufactured in some factory in Australia. When the movie S1m0ne (2002) came out about a digitally created movie star came out I immediately thought of Nicole. What is worse, beneath her plastic façade lie cold and calculating eyes. Whenever I see Nicole on screen I always get this feeling that if you were to run into her in person she would immediately size you up, figure out what you had to offer and then smoothly transform herself into the right person to take you for everything you’ve got. Now, I have never met the lady and for all I know she may be sweet as a kitten, but it is this impression of her that has made it hard for me to like movies of her in past. Nicole went a couple of notches in my book with To Die for (1995) and then right back down with Batman Forever (1995). All in all I think she did a great job with her character in Moulin Rouge! and like the rest of the cast, I believe she was well cast for her role. Ewan McGregor has never impressed me very much but held up just fine, John Leguizamo is a superb and unrecognized talent, Jim Broadbent is Harold Zidler and the rest of the cast are previously unknown to me but did a simply great job. I specially commend Richard Roxburgh as the snide duke and Jacek Koman as The Unconscious Argentinean.
I have seen Moulin Rouge some four or five times now and while I don’t consider it a great film, I clearly enjoyed it every time. Why? Probably because I love innovative art. I love finding a concept no-one has done before, or at least one that has not been done to death. Even though Moulin Rouge borrows heavily from different genre it has an artistic sense and style that is truly unique and beautiful.
There are movies everyone loves, movies everyone hates and somewhere opinion could land anywhere in between. And then there are those few films with that strange quality to make people either really adore or deeply despise them. Moulin Rouge! falls squarely into this category. My experience is that when you see this movie you will either adore it and want to see it again, or despise it and feel like you were just robbed of two hours of hour life. Musical as it may be, and Nicole as it may star, I fall clearly in the first category. That being said I cannot recommend it since I know that half the people I recommend it to will think me a fool for enjoying it. I suggest you watch it yourself and decide whether Moulin Rouge! is a movie for you.
Melissa said,
February 8, 2004 at 11:14 am
Moulin Rouge is the greatest movie ever! it’s full of emotions and its simply a beautifully done work of art. It also has a great moral to it. Nicole Kidman is the hottest woman ever! and i think that she is one of the best actresses. she can play and bring out her characters so well. No matter what they are. She is very talented and all of her movies are awsome. I think that she is amazing and i would love to meet her one day. Anyone that doesnt like this fabulous, talented, beautiful woman is a real dumbass and needs to be shot! Cause Nicole Kidman is the greatest!!!!!!
Andrea said,
September 6, 2004 at 2:41 pm
I’m just agree with the first comment.
I HATE musicals too, and I didn’t want to see this movie. But when I saw it, I loved it!
Every time I watch it again, I can see other things that I didn’t see before…
This scence when she cries in the dark, with the rain falling all over her face, it such a perfect image of human sadness…
When They were naked, holding and kissing each other with so much care, so much love… Is just the best part of all the movie to me… (One time I was like them with the man who stole my love…)
You love it, or you hate it. but the people who love it, always will remember this great movie.
You have to find the magic… you have to fall in love or ever have been in love to understand it.
See Ya!!
Andrea from Chile
(I hope not to fail in my english =P)
jazmin said,
September 20, 2004 at 5:32 pm
This movie is one of my all time favorites! I’m not to big on musicles, but Moulon Rouge! stole my heart! What realy got me was the brilliant combonation of amazing settings and costumes.
Henry said,
November 30, 2004 at 3:01 am
One of the greatest movies ever as far as I am concerned. Its up there with the epics. Good music and passionate acting: what a combination!
Jessica said,
January 6, 2005 at 5:30 pm
Moulin Rouge is one of the greatest love stories of all time. It was passionate, uplifting, beautiful, and sad. It captures your heart and soul. How can you not love it? This movie truly was “Spectacular, Spectacular”!
laura said,
April 29, 2005 at 2:15 pm
hi!
this song is my fauvorite song:
you were made for livin me baby i were made…
also this movie is the best i have ever seen ill hope this movie will come on tv soon..
thank you …
kiss and greez laura
Satine said,
August 4, 2005 at 7:23 am
We love you the film but the comment on Ewan McGregor isn’t good! Because Ewan is very impressed!!!!! Is it for our prefer actor!!!
P.S: We are french!!!!!!
Debby said,
November 29, 2005 at 9:49 pm
I love moulin rouge. It makes me cry every time I watch it and thats not easy. I love the soundtrack to the movie too and I love Nicole and Ewan’s singing. Come what may and the Elephant love song medley were my fav’s=)
K well have a good 1…deb New Zealand
lover said,
December 16, 2005 at 10:01 pm
I thiknk that this is the most romatic movie ever!
Julie said,
December 20, 2005 at 5:47 am
i agree with comment number 8 by debbie…i abousluly adore this movie… i could watch it over and over again..i am a hopeless romantique …sorry. the sing bye the 2 makes me drool.. i cry everytime and never get bored from it .i also love the song Come what may… actually i like them all… well toodles
ghislaine said,
December 23, 2005 at 10:08 am
J’adore tout simplement ce film.
Rita said,
December 27, 2005 at 7:23 am
I simply love this movie! I cry everytime I watch it. And I just love the soundtracks.. it’s so great to hear Nicole and Ewan singing. The Moulin Rouge is simply… the best!
- Rita from Rome,Italy
Haleyy said,
December 29, 2005 at 5:27 pm
LoveLoveLoveLove this movie…most romantic cute movie i’ve ever seen
Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman are..awesum…this is the musical evr written….
gwendoline said,
December 31, 2005 at 10:16 am
hello!!
i am french so if my english is not perfect i am sorry…
Moulin Rouge is my favourite film! it is romantic, the love story is very moving!!! and at the end of this film i has cried so much…
in my opinion moulin rouge is very enthralling !!!
jessica said,
January 1, 2006 at 9:20 am
le film moulin rouge est mon film préferé il est spectaculair spectaculaire!!je trouve que nicole kidman est extra dans le film!! le couple quelle forme avec mc gregor est tout simplement idelique!!bizzzzzzz!!
Iris Bekkers said,
January 4, 2006 at 10:10 am
Hello ,
Iris speaking from Holland!
This ist the most beautiful movie EVER!!
I love this movie!
I’ve seen this movie probably ten times in one year.
If there is ever a musical audition from the moulin rouge i will do it.
I’ve enjoyed this movie verry well!
With a lot of Love.
Iris
betting tips said,
January 7, 2006 at 8:28 am
I also hate musicals, but i saw this film on dvd last week and really enjoyed it.
ana carolina nespoli said,
January 7, 2006 at 1:08 pm
eu amo moulan rouge ja asesti 10 veses
valeria said,
January 7, 2006 at 6:01 pm
no se puede amar si no se a visto Moulin Rouge, lo mejor, viva Ewan Mcgregor.
fiera said,
January 13, 2006 at 6:10 am
es genial esta peli, es mi peli faborita, eso es amor i no lo del titanic, viva moulin rouge, i ademas an escojido a los actores eprfectos nadie lo podria haber exo mejor k ellos!
Natalee said,
January 14, 2006 at 10:55 am
i love this movie! i have been watch Long way Round so i’m really into Ewan! i think he is an amazing actor and him and Nicole are great in this movie!!
Cristina said,
January 15, 2006 at 4:54 pm
Achei lindo!
Amei o filme! Adorei a performance dos atores. Criou um clima de nostalgia e paixão platônica.
As músicas deste filme farão parte do meu casamento.
InesquecÃvel!
Breee said,
January 19, 2006 at 5:50 pm
OMG this movie is my favorite i watch it so many times a day and have all of the songs on my ipod i love it !
Agnieszka said,
January 28, 2006 at 8:27 am
I love that film for both, its visual side and music. I really like Kidman and Mcgregor, i always concisered them to be good actors.
What sometimes pisses me off is mixing facts, people and history, all in one hollywood film. But in that case, everything is mixed with a great charm, that’s why i love it:)
Sara said,
January 28, 2006 at 11:12 am
Holaa os escribo desde España y yo creo que esta es la mejor pelicula romántica que he visto nunca, gracias a ella he conocido a mi amor y con él sigo…
The greatest thing that you’ll ever learn is just to love and be love in return…
Sara said,
January 28, 2006 at 2:00 pm
I am only thirteen years old and i have never seen a movie so fantastic in my life!! I listen to the soundtrack everyday,and I wonder why mcgregor,and kidman are not famous singers.
kels said,
February 10, 2006 at 11:39 am
moulin rouge is my fav film ever. the soundtrack is gr8 and the most played cd on my ipod!!!!
AJ said,
February 11, 2006 at 6:00 pm
this is THE BEST movie in the world. my boyfriend reccommended it, and i totally do not regret watching it. it’s probably my favorite love story ever. the music is amazing too! I am generally listening to rock/ screamo, but this movie’s music is AMAZING. Ewan has an awesome voice. so if you haven’t seen this movie go see it, nad even if you have, see it again.
Iman said,
February 13, 2006 at 1:48 pm
The Moulin Rouhe is one of the best films in the world. The best thing in the movie is when Ewan & Satine is singin and i just love Ewans voice. Every body should watch this movie its one of the best movies!
samntha said,
February 15, 2006 at 1:18 am
you aqre the best show iv ever seen im your fan
Camila said,
February 15, 2006 at 10:25 am
I loved that movie *______________*
Is one of thebest movies i had ever seen and the music is just great!!
is a must see movie =D
Sabrina said,
February 15, 2006 at 11:16 am
Moulin Rouge is the most romantic movie ever!!No movie will ever beat it!!!
But even if it is the best ever it is also reli reli sad!!anybody who doesnt like Ewan mcgregors voice is completely mad. i love the song El Tango de roxanne!!
Rachel said,
February 15, 2006 at 12:48 pm
Hiya, im Rachel and i think that this film is truly amasing. I do not like the actors, but i prefer the characters themselves. I think that this film is beautiful and my favourite song is come what may. Or roxanne. They both show how much passion they have for each other. I have never been inlove before because of my young age, but i feel that love is a truly beautiful thing to own and share with another person. I love the soundtrack and i think this is the most amazing film ever to be made.
34.Stephanie said,
February 17, 2006 at 10:04 am
This movie is truly amazing, Cristian is so hott, I wish I were Satine so I could fall in love with Cristian.(Which i already am.)My fav song from the movie is the Elephant Love Medley, Come What May, Le Tango De Roxanne and Like A Vigin.
My Fav part is the elephant spectacular thing and the dance of the roxanne song.
If any of the cast like the guy that plays cristan reads this i luv you Christian.
cris said,
February 20, 2006 at 2:53 pm
ewan mcgregor es un papasito y la pelicula es una de las mejores que me he visto en la vida hasta me hizo llorar
melissa said,
February 28, 2006 at 1:31 am
deze film is super!
Angèle said,
February 28, 2006 at 6:19 am
Je recherche des gens de toute nationalité, sauf français, mais qui sache le parler. Donnez moi vos adresse MSN.
Alicia said,
March 5, 2006 at 12:48 pm
hi cool site! i loved that film moulin rouge!It is one of my favs! its funnie sad and happy u dont see that often.
Greetje said,
March 9, 2006 at 6:18 am
I love this movie it’s my favorite
sKi.. said,
March 10, 2006 at 1:23 pm
esta pelicula es la mejor
Bev said,
March 16, 2006 at 5:34 pm
This movie is none stop on my mind, It makes me cry everytime i watch it (which is everyday) - as from 2weeks ago, just cant get enough of Ewan Mcgregors voice.. Makes my heart melt…
Ewan Mcgregor and Nicole Kidman have the most perfect, awesome voices ever in a Musical and i dont usually watch and get attached to any quite like this one has.
Its just my Favourite of ALL time.
Most Loved. (althought the entier track blows me away)
- Come What May
- El Tango De Roxanne
- Elephant Love Medley
- Your Song
- Spectacular, Spectacular
So i STRONGLY suggest if any of you out there that havent seen this Movie, Please Please you have to… You wont regret it.
Bohemian said,
March 16, 2006 at 9:30 pm
I HATE musicals.. but I love Moulin Rouge!^_^I actualy cried for the first time in my life! (well, if you u r talking ’bout films… when I saw Milion dollar baby I didn’t cry at all…)
Totaly BOHEMIAN!!!!
Bohemian said,
March 16, 2006 at 9:33 pm
By the way, i m 13!$
scarfwearingcoffeedrinkingbohemian said,
March 22, 2006 at 2:54 pm
Nice review. The rendition of ‘Roxanne’ in Moulin Rouge was actually done by the whole Plice (not just Sting). Not a major issue, but as a fan, it needed to be said. I too enjoyed that scene, perhaps my favorite in that movie. I love the music as well, (80s-licious.) I do love Moulin Rouge, maybe it’s a guilty pleasure, but I think that it was well done. just the perfect mix of insanity (with those effects and things) and romance (also delving deep into human nature, as you mentioned.) I am also cruely infatuted with the (married) Ewan McGregor. His acting skills as lacking in former films, but I do believe that in Moulin Rouge he was perfect in the part of the innocent-poet Christian. (-swoons-) I agree somewhat with what you said about Nicole. I can see where you are coming from, but as I was watching the film, it didn’t present itself as a problem. Her character did seem lessor to me in Moulin Rouge. All in all, I’ve not much enjoyed her acting previously, and in this movie she seemed slightly personality-less. Very one-sided, while they got into Christians darker side. I do love musicals though, so perhaps my opinion is baised, just as yours may well be, being not so fond of musicals. In any case, very thourough review.
Ciara said,
March 28, 2006 at 5:45 pm
Ewan McGregor is the sexiest when he sings!! he has this charm when he smiles as well as sings and it impressed me how well Ewan and Nicole worked together with the vocals and songs. I love musicals and listening to the art of what people can do like the musical Rent (2006) that was a true masterpeice of genius and so was Chicago and Grease but when it comes to Moulin Rouge all the romantics lean forward and cry at the lovely scenery and the plot at which the movie gives to its intimancy at what the true meaning of love is…Moulin Rouge is an extremely lovely musical and should forever be treasured for its moral
Forever a fan
Ciara
Sarah said,
March 28, 2006 at 11:35 pm
The Moulin Rouge is the spectacular film!!!!!wow is fantastic.bye
emma said,
April 8, 2006 at 4:06 pm
I Die for Moulin rouge. I cry every time i see it.Thats hard for me. Moulin rouge is overall the best musical in the world!
I love the way they make it funny and yet love which is so passionate
that they would die for one another.
My favourite charector would be Christian.
Hes so sweet.
It makes me so upset when satine keeps on ripping his heart out.
:’[
And everytime i hear ‘Your song’ Sang by ewan mcgregor
I cry so much.
Haha.
I have to be the worlds biggest moulin rouge fan.
[:
Emma.xx
alexis said,
August 24, 2006 at 9:30 pm
i love moulin rouge!!!!! whenever i have a sleepover i always watch moulin rouge and now all of my friends love it to! we all think nicole kidman is soooooooooooooo BEAUTIFUL in this movie and we all wish she still had that color hair
we love you nicole!!!!!!
Autumn said,
January 4, 2007 at 11:04 am
I loved this movie so much. I happen to love musicals, and I’m such a romantic. Nicole Kidman was beautiful in this movie, and I never knew she could sing. Ewan McGregor was hot, too, and he has a beautiful voice. This movie was very passionate in showing strong human emotions. I also loved the scenery and costumes, and of course I absolutely loved the music. As soon as I find it , I’m going to buy it.
Love, Me
P.S. Another great musical is The Phantom of The Opera. So if you have’nt seen it, I highly recommend it.
Michael said,
January 5, 2007 at 9:15 am
i agree that the movie is the best of the best
i dident either like music movies but after this one
wow!! it totoly change my mind about styff
those it exist a trailer here in this wep page
(im sorry if my english is bad i have only read english in 1 year
lorien said,
February 11, 2007 at 12:45 pm
Titolo: The Pitch
Zidler
Spectacular, spectacular
No words in the vernacular
Can describe this great event
You’ll be dumb with wonderment
Returns are fixed at ten percent
You must agree that’s excellent
And on top of your fee
You’ll be involved artistically
Chorus:
So exciting, the audience will stop and cheer
So delighting, it will run for fifty years
So exciting, the audience will stop and cheer
So delighting, it will run for fifty years
Elephants, Bohemians
Indians and courtesans
Acrobats and juggling bears
Exotic girls, fire-eaters
Musclemen, contortionists
Intrigue, danger and romance
Electric lights, machinery
All run with electricity
So exciting, the audience will stop and cheer
So delighting, it will run for fifty years
So exciting, the audience will stop and cheer
So delighting, it will run for fifty years
Spectacular, spectacular!
No words in the vernacular
Can describe this great event
You’ll be dumb with wonderment
[The hills are alive with the sound of music…]
So exciting, the audience will stop and cheer
So delighting, it will run for fifty years
So exciting, the audience will stop and cheer
So delighting, it will run for fifty years
sarah (*~*)(crying)!!! said,
March 2, 2007 at 4:17 pm
HOW CN I SAY HOE BRILLIANT THIS FILM IS! I LOVE THE SONGS AND LISTEN TO THEM EVERY DAY - PERFECT SONGS AND FILM FOR ANY MOOD - IF U HAVENT SEEN IT YET YOU ARE REALY MISSING OUT!!! JUST WATCH IT AND U WILL SEE WOT I MEAN!!!! 10/10 - 5+ -100% BRILLIANT!!
SARAH H. UK! XX
jairus said,
April 18, 2007 at 8:20 am
I FUCKING LOVE THIS MOVIE!!! it is the best movie ever i mean it blows me away it makes me cry and laugh all at the same time i mean it is amazing….i love it nicole kidman is amzing in this movie i can’t explain it i mean wow…anyways i just want to say it is amazing!!! i love it!!!
jenny said,
August 6, 2007 at 4:46 pm
I need to know if there are auditions to make moulin rouge as a real musical.
I´m from Argentina and I would go any where to try to get in the cast.
So, if any of you hear something about it, let me know, please!!!
jen.baron@gmail.com