Moulin Rouge! It's Moulin, it's Rougin'!

[2woodroses]

I'm not sure "Moulin Rouge" is actually about anything except frilly costumes and actors trying to sing and sometimes getting close to singing.

Okay, maybe that's harsh. There's dancing, too. And the sets are fun. And the rapid-fire cuts certainly make for a Style. I found some scenes to be a blast, especially the Can Can where the bohemian crew attempts to improvise a play for the Duke. The opening scene, with the conductor directs the orchestra a la Bugs Bunny, was amusing.

I borrowed the movie from the library partly because my YouTube algorithm recommended "El Tango de Roxanne" to me, and I wanted to know the context. Also 'cause Ewan McGregor was hot.

SPEAKING OF WHICH, I have to talk about his accent in this?? Sometimes it's sort of British. Sometimes the Scottish is suspiciously blatant. And when he sings, as is common, the accent disappears and it's like generic American vowels. Did they just not really care? Everything in this movie is cranked up to 11 for a reason, but I'm not sure what purpose this trans-Hadrian accent is serving.

As mentioned, the singing can be...rough. I'm not an expert on the history of audio production, so forgive any error, but I get a vibe that our leads have been pitch corrected. This stands in contrast to our secondary characters, who often opt for a "gargling gravel" vocal technique.

OKAY OKAY That's harsh. I think this movie is suffering from a "Seinfeld is Unfunny" effect, wherein it's the subject of so much imitation that the original creativity seems lackluster. I don't think I have the right context to appreciate it, although no matter the context I doubt I would appreciate that Satine has to die.

I'm going to go with a 7/10, but reluctantly. I think they should remake it with lesbians.

Comments

[spacedogfromspace]

wait, EWAN MCGREGOR IS IN THIS MOVIE?? WHAT??? I am shooketh.

Also, haven't seen this movie but I have to agree with a lesbian remake. Everything would benefit from a lesbian remake!

[2woodroses]

yep! that's him! if you have ever partaken of a Clone War, this movie's where Satine Kryze's name comes from.

and yeah, christian and satine have a star-crossed forbidden love thing going on and it would be 10,000% more interesting if they were lesbians.

[spacedogfromspace]

my mind has been blown. would not have guessed that there was a connection between the clone wars and frickin moulin rouge lol!