959. Moulin Rouge!

Moulin Rouge!
2000
Directed by Baz Luhrmann

This is one of my favorite movies of all time, although, truthfully, I am not sure I can ever watch it again.  Last time I did I was depressed for a week.  Still, I feel like I have a special connection to this film.  Three years ago I dressed up like Satine for Halloween.  I didn't look like her, unfortunately.  Maybe I should have kept a blue light on me all night.  I also went on an ill advised excursion to see the real Moulin Rouge during my high school trip to France (why did my teacher let me go to that area unsupervised?).  So in summary, prepare for some gushing.

Satine is the most beautiful courtesan in Paris.  She dreams of becoming a real actress.  With the help of Harry Zidler, the owner of the Moulin Rouge,  she plans on seducing the rich Duke of Monroth and convincing him to finance a real production.  Due to a misunderstanding, she mistakes the penniless writer Christian for the Duke.  Um...wackiness ensues.

Sorry if that plot synopsis sucked, but it is hard to know what qualifies as a spoiler with this film.  After all, the ending is revealed right at the very beginning.  Oh well, I will leave you to discover the rest of the story for yourselves.

Everything about this movie is perfection.  The music is spectacular and cleverly worked into the story. The Elephant Love Medley in particular is a triumph.  The cast is, obviously, phenomenal.  Watching Ewan McGregor smile in this makes all the bad thoughts go away.  The cinematography is stunning; I think I watched the Your Song sequence with my jaw dropped.

Baz certainly won me back after Strictly Ballroom.  One of my favorite movies of all time.

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

Some of Toulouse Latrec's lines were taken from his letters.

"Come What May" was written for Romeo + Juliet but wasn't used.  Because it was written for another movie, it was disqualified for the 2002 Oscar Best Song category.