Moulin Rouge

Moulin Rouge has achieved something that I have been suggesting for years. Musicals have finally been brought into the twenty first century. There has been a number of attempts in recent years to write new musicals that will appeal to the younger generation, however they tended to follow the same formula as musicals from the 1930's, 40's and 50's. It is not often acknowledged that much of the music used in the older musicals was the 'top 40' type music of the time. In fact many movie musicals, particularly in the 1930's were written to showcase popular music. I belive that music in Moulin Rouge really worked.

On a whole I really enjoyed the movie, however I do have a few criticisms. The fast and furious nature of some of the camera work became too intense at times and also distracted from the dancing. I kept waiting for it to slow down so I could do a bit of Australian talent spotting. I also would have liked to see more scenes set in the baudy Moulin Rouge. There has been much debate about Kidman's singing voice. I think her vocal skills were adequate, as she was playing a singer in a nightclub, not an opera singer. I thought MrGreggor's voice sounded too manufactored, which made it difficult to beleive that it was actually coming out of his mouth. At times it appeared that Kidaman was doing a duet with a tape recorder, while McGregor moved his mouth. The story was not hugely engaging, but that really didn't matter for me. There was so much to watch as far as sets, costumes, movement and music, that a complex plot would have made the movie too busy.

I went to the movie with a very diverse group of people and every one of them commented that they did not look at their watch once. Get along and see Moulin Rouge straight away, as it is one that will definitley lose something on the small screen.