Spectacular Spectacular
Source: rburnett.ecuad.ca
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Nicole Kidman, Richard Roxburgh, Jim Broadbent
Year: 2001
Running Time: 130 minutes
Moulin Rouge is one of my favourite films of all time for many reasons: the countless references to popular culture (in plot, imagery and song), an outstanding cast, spectacular sets, Kylie Minogue as an absinthe-induced fairy and a tragic love story. From the opening lines, the audience is told that this story will not have a fairytale ending and we are left wondering how the tragic events will unfold, before being swept off our feet and transported to the Paris of 1899.
Christian (McGregor) is a penniless writer who finds himself in the City of Love in the middle of a Bohemian revolution. He comes across a group of Bohemian artists working on a play that champions the ideals of their revolution, namely Truth, Beauty, Freedom and above all else, Love. The group convinces Christian to help them perform the play to a lovely courtesan named Satine (Kidman) in order to sell it to her and the owner of the Moulin Rouge, Harold Zidler.
The film then introduces audiences to the Moulin Rouge in an extraordinary, high energy feast for the eyes and ears that leaves you wondering if you’ve been sipping on the absinthe that the so-called Children of the Revolution have been enjoying. This sequins-filled sequence is accompanied by a fabulous medley of mash-ups including Lady Marmalade, Smells Like Teen Spirit and the Can Can. A pale-skinned, blue-eyed, red-haired Satine steals the show as she descends from the ceiling singing a mash-up of Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend and Material Girl. The villain in the film, The Duke (Roxburgh), has his eye on Satine. But after a classic case of mistaken identity, Satine thinks the writer is the Duke, whom she needs to seduce so that he will invest in the Moulin Rouge.
It does not take long for Satine to fall in love with the writer’s soaring voice and his unwavering belief in love about everything else – even after she finds out that he is merely a "penniless writer". However, the Duke is not about to let her out of his evil clutches, though a far more sinister enemy has a hold of Satine, an enemy that will not let go of her until she has drawn her last breath.
There are several stand-out scenes and songs throughout the film. Besides the aforementioned opening sequence, there is the Elephant Love Medley, set on top of Satine’s lavish elephant living quarters. In this medley classic love songs that champion true love (sung by Christian) are juxtaposed with songs that paint a more cynical picture of love (sung by Satine). A further highlight is Harold Zidler’s version of Like a Virgin, complete with a chorus line of servants, which is both brilliant and bizarre (though not quite as bizarre as Madonna’s live version on her MDNA Tour).
Of course the film’s theme song is one of the best songs on the soundtrack. The lovers’ secret song Come What May is a soaring ballad that reaffirms the power and longevity of love despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles. This song is written into the play that the Bohemians are working on as a way for Christian and Satine to declare their love for each other whenever things seem hopeless. The final musical highlight for me is the Hindi Sad Diamonds finale of the "Spectacular Spectacular" show, a Bollywood-inspired song and dance routine with the "I only speak the truth" refrain of the sitar (played by John Leguizamo) and Satine’s Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend reprise, cleverly reworked with a Hindi flavour.
In one scene, Harold Zidler describes the show that will be staged at the Moulin Rouge as one that will be a "magnificent, opulent, tremendous, stupendous, gargantuan, bedazzlement, a sensual ravishment. It will be spectacular, spectacular!" And with those evocative words, Harold perfectly sums up this Luhrmann masterpiece.
Favourite lines (by Christian, taken from Nature Boy): "The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return."
Watch: Lady Marmalade
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