Moulin Rouge (From Stroud News and Journal)

Moulin Rouge

MOULIN ROUGE (12)

THERE have been so many wonderful stage musicals made into films, all of which I have loved and seen numerous times.

With the demise of Rogers and Hammerstein (South Pacific) and Lerner and Loewe (Gigi) who could forget Hermione Gingold and Maurice Chevalier singing I Remember It Well?

It is left to masters like Andrew Lloyd Webber to keep the musical alive. It seems the new trend is to take historical eras and set them to modern music without more than a sprinkling of an original track to their credit.

Last week there was the anachronistic film A Knights Tale set to rock n roll numbers.

Now we have the equally oddly matched musical/opera Moulin Rouge which features songs from the 70s to 90s.

Personally I would prefer to see something innovative instead of a hotch potch of past hits however expertly meshed together.

It is 1899 in Paris. A young English writer called Christian (Ewan McGregor) has settled into a garret room at the heart of bohemian life in Montmartre.

One day while he is typing, the ceiling of his room gives way and Toulouse-Lautrec (John Leguizamo) plus chums crash onto his floor.

Lautrec is rehearsing a play called Spectacular Spectacular.

Certain members of his cast are behaving like prima donnas, so Lautrec enlists Christian's help to write the show.

Desperately in need of backing funds they appeal to Zidler (Jim Broadbent) the manager of the Moulin Rouge for help.

Zidler has problems of his own as the nightclub is in financial difficulties.

So when Lautrec and Christian arrive Zidler is setting up a meeting between his star courtesan Satine (Nicole Kidman) and the mega rich Duke of Worcester (Richard Roxburgh).

What follows is the sort of muddle found only in Carry On films.

Satine thinks Christian is the Duke and invites him to her room, where she tries to seduce the bewildered and bedazzled young man.

They fall in love.

However only the petulant and vulgar Duke, who also wants Satine, can keep the Moulin Rouge open and give her the opportunity to be a great actress.

Will love or ambition conquer all?

For those under the impression this is a remake of the classic film Moulin Rouge (1952) based on the novel by Pierre La Mure, be warned you are in for a surprise.

There is much to praise and as much to criticize about this Moulin Rouge.

On the fairly spurious grounds that musicals are passe, director Baz Luhrmann (William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet1996) says he has used old hits to reach a contemporary audience.

In fairness, it's not that the music doesn't gel but it's wrong to assume people today can't relate to a song that hasn't made the charts.

That said, the sight of Jim Broadbent (Topsy-Turvy 1999) singing Madonna's Like a Virgin is a treat not to be missed.

There are two new songs Come What May and Fool To Believe that are both treasures and Oscar worthy.

One can only be hugely impressed by Kidman and in particular McGregor's singing.

It's easy to forget how-multi talented so many stars are but the junoesque Kidman seems a strange choice for the role of delicate and tubercular Satin; she is far too robust.

However the lovers do look passionate about each other.

Presenting Toulouse-Lautrec as witty and charming was a nice touch, when more often than not he is unfairly depicted as dour and grumpy.

It's a pity Leguizamo (Summer of Sam 1999) doesn't make more of the character.

Moulin Rouge is a mass of contradictions, at once exhausting and poignant.

It rattles along, and yet at times seems excruciatingly slow.

The fabulous rich colours blend into a kaleidoscope of brilliance, both compelling and repugnant.

Luhrmann could be accused of being lazy over the music, but vibrant in his direction.

There are far too many cuts and yet it works.

Though mesmerised, I have absolutely no desire to see it again, which says it all.

However I would recommend you go.

Now there's a contradiction!

Clare Shepherd 7/10