Moulin Rouge!: Spectacular, spectacular! The delighting world of the Moulin Rouge
The fabulous frenzy that is Moulin Rouge! (2001) is groundbreaking in its originality as a movie musical. It’s a rare beast in that the story is not adapted from a stage play, but cowritten by Baz Luhrmann himself. The film takes inspiration from opera narratives but incorporates contemporary music. It mixes jukebox and original songs, comic and tragic, historical and fictional, classic and brand new. The raucous energy of the Lady Marmalade can-can sharply contrasts the serenity of Satine and Christian’s romance. Luhrmann was inspired by Bollywood films and their ability to go from one extreme to the other, enrapturing audiences with ecstatic colour, melodrama, and joyful music – and not beholden to the genre rules of Hollywood musicals.
Moulin Rouge! is the third part of Luhrmann’s Red Curtain Trilogy, which also consists of Strictly Ballroom (1992) and Romeo + Juliet (1996). The films, although narratively unrelated, follow a theatre motif, and essentially constitute a dismembered musical that has been isolated into its separate parts (Strictly Ballroom focuses on dance, Romeo + Juliet on prose and poetry, and Moulin Rouge! on song). In the 1990s, movie musicals were dominated by Disney animations and remakes of old favourites. Just when extravagant live-action musicals seemed to be a thing of the past, Moulin Rouge! began the 21st century with big budget, big spectacle, and critical acclaim, giving the genre a much-needed boost.
While Luhrmann’s film was a forerunner in integrating contemporary music into a period narrative, anachronistic techniques have become more and more popular with shows such as Hamilton (2016) and Six (2017). 2018 was the perfect time, then, to introduce a new musical: the Moulin Rouge! stage show. The production includes even more contemporary pop hits like Pink’s Raise Your Glass and Katy Perry’s Firework – and an immersive auditorium that invites audiences into the Moulin Rouge.
At the sunset screening, there might not be an elephant staring you down from above – but surrounded by the beautiful scenery of Williamson Park, it will be a magical new way to experience a magical film.
Written by Jodie Passey
See Moulin Rouge! on 30th August!
Moulin Rouge! is part of our annual outdoor screenings in Williamson Park. Find out more about Sunset Screenings here: https://r1.dotdigital-pages.co... that begin on 29th August.
