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Moulin Rouge!

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Baz Luhrmann
Produced by Baz Luhrmann
Fred Baron
Martin Brown
Written by Baz Luhrmann
Craig Pearce
Starring Ewan McGregor
Nicole Kidman
Jim Broadbent
Richard Roxburgh
John Leguizamo
Music by Craig Armstrong
Marius de Vries
Cinematography Donald McAlpine
Editing by Jill Bilcock
Studio Bazmark
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date(s) June 1, 2001 (2001-06-01)
Running time 128 minutes
Country Australia
United States
United Kingdom
Language English
Budget $52.5 million[1]
Gross revenue $179,213,434[2]

Moulin Rouge! (English pronunciation: /muːˈlɑːn ˈruːʒ/, from French: [mulɛ̃ ʁuʒ]) is a 2001 romantic musical film by Baz Luhrmann. Following the Red Curtain Cinema principles, the film is based on the Orphean myth and on Giuseppe Verdi's opera La Traviata. It tells the story of a young, English poet/writer, Christian (Ewan McGregor), who falls in love with the star of the Moulin Rouge, cabaret actress and courtesan Satine (Nicole Kidman). It uses the musical setting of the Montmartre Quarter of Paris, France. The film was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture, and won two: for art direction and costume design. It was the first musical nominated for best picture in 22 years. It was filmed at Fox Studios in Sydney, Australia.

Contents

Plot

Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor as Satine and Christian.

Beginning in 1900, the story introduces the protagonist, an English writer named Christian (Ewan McGregor), depressed and surrounded by bottles of alcohol. He then gets up and heads over to his typewriter, and begins telling the story.

A year before, in 1899, Christian moves to the Montmartre district of Paris with few possessions to follow the Bohemian revolution. By luck, he encounters a musical troupe led by Toulouse-Lautrec (John Leguizamo) that is attempting to present a new play for Harold Zidler (Jim Broadbent), the owner of the cabaret, the Moulin Rouge. Christian's writing helps to finalize the show, entitled "Spectacular Spectacular", and the troupe take Christian to the cabaret to present the work itself to its star courtesan, Satine (Nicole Kidman), in private to win her favour. However, Zidler has arranged for Satine to spend the night with the wealthy Duke of Monroth (Richard Roxburgh) who is looking to invest in the cabaret. Through miscommunication, Satine mistakes Christian for the Duke, and the two depart to her private chambers. She begins to seduce him despite his insistence he is only there to present his poetry, but the two slowly realize they have fallen in love with each other. The Duke then enters while Satine is trying to hide Christian. Satine pulls the Duke onto the bed and quietly urges Christian to leave without the Duke noticing. After Christian refuses, she tells the Duke that they should "wait until opening night" and pushes him out of the door. Once he is out of the room, Satine faints. Christian carries her over to the bed and falls on top of her. The Duke returns, and discovers Christian and Satine in a compromising position. Satine quickly states that Christian is only there to rehearse the play. With the help of the troupe, Satine, and Zidler, Christian quickly improvises a new plot to "Spectacular Spectacular" as a thinly-covered veil of their current situation, with an evil maharajah attempting to woo the love of an Indian courtesan who is actually in love with a poor sitar player. The Duke, unable to see through the show's meaning, agrees to finance the show, but on the condition that he is the only one allowed to see Satine. Unfortunately for the Duke, Satine and Christian continuously make up excuses as to why he can't see her.

Over the next several weeks, the entire Moulin Rouge troupe prepares for the show as the cabaret is turned into a theater. On a day that the Duke has invited Satine to his place for the evening, Satine insists that she must practice her lines with Christian, and they depart. The Duke then goes to Zidler, complaining that Satine is spending too much time with Christian (although he is still clueless about what is going on) and Zidler tells him that Satine will be there to have supper with him. Zidler then spies the two lovers and tells Satine to end it. Zidler walks away and Satine then faints again, but this time, she is unable to get out of bed until the next morning. The Duke is enraged when Satine does not show up to dinner, but Zidler quickly tells him that she is at a confession because she wants to be cleaned and looks upon that night as her wedding night. The Duke agrees to stay the patron of the Moulin Rouge, but the next morning, Satine tells Christian that they must end their relationship. Christian convinces her that they should stay together by writing a secret song (Come What May) that he will put in the show, and that when ever either of them hear it that they will remember their love for each other.

Later Nini Legs-In-The-Air (Caroline O'Connor), a jealous courtesan, points out to the Duke that the play is obviously a metaphor for Christian, Satine, and the Duke. The Duke tells Zidler to change the ending so that the courtesan ends up with the maharajah. Satine quickly insists that they spend the night together to discuss the ending. That night, Satine backs down and refuses the Duke's advances; the enraged Duke attempts to rape Satine. She is then saved by another dancer, Chocolat, and then flees to Christian. The two plan to run away together. The Duke reports this to Zidler, and states that unless Satine is his, he will have Christian killed. Zidler enters her dressing room to find her getting ready to leave. He tells her that the Duke will kill Christian, but Satine still continues. Zidler then tells her that she is dying of consumption and she gives up. Zidler tells her to make Christian believe that she doesn't love him and she reluctantly agrees. The next day, Satine sadly makes her way back to Christian's loft and claims that she is staying with the Duke. Heartbroken, Christian follows Satine back to the Moulin Rouge and calls for her, only to be beaten by two men and refused entry.

On the opening night of "Spectacular Spectacular", Toulouse-Lautrec tries to convince Christian that Satine still loves him, and he decides to go to the Moulin Rouge to make sure. As the show starts, Christian approaches Satine, trying to pay her for the sex that she had freely given to him with her heart, but Satine tries to send him away, fearing that the Duke's bodyguard will kill him. Suddenly, the two find themselves in the spotlight on stage, momentarily confusing the performers and audience. Zidler quickly improvises, stating that Christian is the sitar player in disguise. Christian tells the Duke that Satine is his now, throws money at her and tells her that she means nothing to him and walks offstage. As he leaves the theater, Toulouse-Lautrec shouts from the rafters "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." Satine sings their "secret song", showing Christian that she still truly loves him. Christian joins her in singing the song and walks back onstage, angering the Duke. The Duke's bodyguard attempts to kill Christian, but the courtesans and Bohemians stop him; the Duke then tries to finish the job himself, only to be stopped by Zidler, who knocks the Duke to the ground, sending the gun out of reach. The lovers finish their song to a standing ovation and the Duke storms out of the Moulin Rouge. As the performers get ready to take a bow, Satine finally succumbs to her illness, and dies in Christian's arms after convincing him to tell their story.

Background

Inspiration

When asked about his inspiration for Moulin Rouge, Luhrmann remarked:

Catherine Martin (production designer and Luhrmann's wife) and I went to India to work on Midsummer Night's Dream. We went out one night and there was a big poster up for a Bollywood movie. I said, "Let's go see that." We did — 2,000 audience members, high comedy, high tragedy, brother kills brother, [they] break out in some musical numbers, all jumbled up together in 4 hours of Hindi. We thought that was amazing. So our question was, 'Could we create a cinematic form like that? Could a musical work?' A musical must be able to work in western culture again, and could it be comic-tragic? So then began this commitment of moving toward 'Moulin Rouge.' I decided I'd do Romeo + Juliet and then a musical film.[3]

There was also a play within the film, "Spectacular Spectacular". which itself may have been based on an ancient Sanskrit play, The Little Clay Cart. In addition to the Indian influence, Luhrmann has revealed in the DVD's voice-over commentary that he drew from the Greek tragedy of Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus was a musical genius far surpassing anyone in his world; the filmmakers chose to replicate this by using songs from the mid-to-late 20th century, many decades after the film's 1899 setting. In this way, Christian would appear to the other characters to be a brilliant musician and writer.

Production

Kate Winslet, Charlize Theron, Renée Zellweger, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Uma Thurman, Sharleen Spiteri, Courtney Love, Winona Ryder, Patricia Arquette, Naomi Watts, Gwyneth Paltrow, Claire Danes, Kate Beckinsale, Madonna and Catherine Zeta-Jones were all contenders for the part of Satine; Nicole Kidman received the role. Heath Ledger, Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Leonardo DiCaprio, Sam Worthington, Christian Bale, Justin Timberlake, Robbie Williams, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scott Speedman, and Russell Crowe were all considered for the part of Christian; Ewan McGregor was chosen for the role.

Production on the film began in November 1999 and was completed in May 2000, with a budget of $52.5 million.[1] Filming generally went smoothly, with the only major problem occurring when Kidman injured her ribs while filming one of the more complicated dance sequences. The production also overran in its shooting schedule and had to be out of the Fox Studios in Sydney to make way for Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (in which McGregor also starred). This necessitated some pick-up shots being filmed in Madrid.

In the liner notes to the film's Special Edition DVD, Luhrmann writes that "[the] whole stylistic premise has been to decode what the Moulin Rouge was to the audiences of 1899 and express that same thrill and excitement in a way to which contemporary movie-goers can relate." With that in mind, the film takes well-known popular music, mostly drawn from the MTV Generation, and anachronizes it into a tale set in a turn-of-the-century Paris cabaret. The movie also features editing that several critics compared to a music video, involving swirling camera motion, loud music, dancing, and frenetic cutting. Some of the songs sampled include "Chamma Chamma" from the Hindi movie China Gate, Queen's "The Show Must Go On" (arranged in operatic format), David Bowie's rendition of Nat King Cole's "Nature Boy," "Lady Marmalade" by Patti LaBelle (the Christina Aguilera/P!nk/Mýa/Lil’ Kim cover commissioned for the film), Madonna's "Like a Virgin" and "Material Girl," Elton John's "Your Song," the titular number of "The Sound of Music," "Roxanne" by The Police (in a tango format, composed by Mariano Mores), and "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana, a song rarely used in films. The film uses so much popular music that it took Luhrmann almost two years to secure all the rights to the songs.

Cast

Kylie Minogue as The Green Fairy

Release and reception

Originally set for release on Christmas 2000 as a high profile Oscar contender, 20th Century Fox eventually moved the release to the following spring so director Baz Luhrmann would have more time during post production. The film premiered at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival[5] on May 9 — making it the festival's opening title. A limited release on May 18, 2001 in the United States followed, and the film was released to theaters across the United States on June 1, 2001.

The film was an instant success in limited release, grossing $185,095 in only two theaters on opening weekend. Representatives from the studio said that many audiences even burst into applause during the screenings. The numbers continued to increase over the Memorial Day weekend, with the film making $254,098. When it expanded into over 2500 theaters, it made $14.2 million in its first weekend of wide release. The film eventually grossed over $57 million in the United States. It had a brief re-release in October 2001 for Oscar consideration, with Luhrmann stating that his intent was to get Kidman and McGregor nominated.

The movie was even more successful internationally. It broke box office records in Australia where it was given a rare theatrical re-release at the end of 2001, and found a stable audience in almost every country. It eventually made over $120 million internationally, resulting in over $177 million worldwide.

Awards and honors

Academy Awards record
1. Best Costume Design
2. Best Art Direction-Set Decoration
Golden Globe Awards record
1. Best Picture - Musical or Comedy
2. Best Actress - Musical or Comedy
(Nicole Kidman)
3. Best Original Score
BAFTA Awards record
1. Best Supporting Actor
(Jim Broadbent)
2. Best Film Music
(Craig Armstrong)
3. Best Sound

The film was selected by the National Board of Review as the best film of 2001.Entertainment Weekly put it on its end-of-the-decade, "best-of" list, saying, "Baz Luhrmann's trippy pop culture pastiche from 2001 was an aesthetically arresting ode to poetry, passion, and Elton John. It was so good, we'll forgive him for Australia."[6] After that, it picked up six Golden Globe nominations including Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy, Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy (for Nicole Kidman), Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy (for Ewan McGregor), Best Original Score (for Craig Armstrong), Best Director (for Baz Luhrmann) and Best Song ("Come What May"). It won three including the coveted Best Picture trophy. A few weeks later, it received 13 nominations at the BAFTA Awards, making it the most nominated film of the year for that ceremony. It took home three, including Best Supporting Actor for Jim Broadbent.

When Oscar nominations were announced, the film received eight nominations including Best Actress in a Leading Role (Nicole Kidman) and Best Picture. The film was not nominated for Best Director (Baz Luhrmann); commenting on this during the Oscar ceremony, host Whoopi Goldberg remarked, "I guess Moulin Rouge! just directed itself." It took home two Oscars when the winners were announced for Best Costume Design and Best Art Direction; subsequently many proponents of the film claimed that it had been unjustly snubbed at the Academy Awards.

"Come What May" (the only original song in the film) was disqualified from nomination for an Oscar because it was originally written (but unused) for Luhrmann's previous film William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet and not written expressly for Moulin Rouge![7]

American Film Institute recognition

Award wins

Award nominations

Soundtrack

Songs sung in the film:

  • "Nature Boy" – Toulouse
  • "The Sound of Music/Children of the Revolution" – Christian, The Bohemians, and the Green Fairy
  • "Zidler's Rap (The Can-Can)" – Zidler, Moulin Rouge Dancers, and Patrons
  • "Sparkling Diamonds" – Satine and Moulin Rouge Dancers
  • "Rhythm of the Night" – Moulin Rouge Dancer
  • "Your Song" – Christian
  • "The Pitch (Spectacular Spectacular)" – Zidler, Christian, Satine, The Duke, and Bohemians
  • "One Day I'll Fly Away" – Satine
  • "Elephant Love Medley" – Christian and Satine
  • "Gorecki" – Satine
  • "Like a Virgin" – Zidler, The Duke, and Chorus Boys
  • "Come What May" – Christian, Satine, and Cast of Spectacular Spectacular
  • "El Tango de Roxanne" – The Argentine, Christian, Satine, and Moulin Rouge Dancers
  • "Fool to Believe" – Satine and Zidler
  • "The Show Must Go On" – Zidler, Satine, and Moulin Rouge Stagehands
  • "Hindi Sad Diamonds" – Cast of Spectacular Spectacular
  • "Come What May (Reprise)" – Satine and Christian
  • "Coup D’état (Finale)" – Cast of Spectacular Spectacular
  • "Nature Boy (Reprise)" – Toulouse

The following is a partial list of songs featured in the film along with the artist that popularized them.

Elephant Love Medley:

Two soundtrack albums were released, with the second coming after the first one's massive success. The first volume featured the smash hit single "Lady Marmalade", performed by Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mýa and Pink. The first soundtrack, Moulin Rouge! Music from Baz Luhrmann's Film, was released in May 2001, with the second Moulin Rouge! Music from Baz Luhrmann's Film, Vol. 2 following in 2002.

Stage adaptation

For a while in 2002/2003, there was vast speculation on the possibility of a stage musical based on Moulin Rouge!, possibly in Las Vegas, but there have been no public talks in the years since.[8] Some sources claimed in 2006 that the director, Baz Luhrmann, had approached the leads of the film (Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor) to star in the potential stage version.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b "Moulin Rouge! (2001) - Box Office and Business". The Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0203009/business. Retrieved 2009-03-27. 
  2. ^ "Moulin Rouge!". Box Office Mojo. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=moulinrouge.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-27. 
  3. ^ Murray, Rebecca. "Baz Luhrmann Talks Awards and "Moulin Rouge"". About.com Hollywood Movies. http://movies.about.com/library/weekly/aa030902a.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-27. 
  4. ^ IMDB Trivia for 'Moulin Rouge!'
  5. ^ "Festival de Cannes: Moulin Rouge!". festival-cannes.com. http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/1100086/year/2001.html. Retrieved 2009-10-17. 
  6. ^ Geier, Thom; Jensen, Jeff; Jordan, Tina; Lyons, Margaret; Markovitz, Adam; Nashawaty, Chris; Pastorek, Whitney; Rice, Lynette; Rottenberg, Josh; Schwartz, Missy; Slezak, Michael; Snierson, Dan; Stack, Tim; Stroup, Kate; Tucker, Ken; Vary, Adam B.; Vozick-Levinson, Simon; Ward, Kate (December 11, 2009), "THE 100 Greatest MOVIES, TV SHOWS, ALBUMS, BOOKS, CHARACTERS, SCENES, EPISODES, SONGS, DRESSES, MUSIC VIDEOS, AND TRENDS THAT ENTERTAINED US OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS". Entertainment Weekly. (1079/1080):74-84
  7. ^ Fung, Alex (February 9, 2002). "Alex's Oscar Column #09 for the 74th Annual Academy Awards". http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~aw220/02oscp09.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-27. 
  8. ^ "Moulin Rouge - Stage Production". Baz the Great. http://www.bazthegreatsite.com/moulinstage.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-27. 
  9. ^ Gorgan, Elena (2006-06-20). "Moulin Rouge on the Stage? - The director Baz Luhrmann has already approached Kidman and McGregor with the offer". Softpedia. http://news.softpedia.com/news/Moulin-Rouge-on-the-Stage-27174.shtml. Retrieved 2009-03-27. 

External links

Awards
Preceded by
Almost Famous
Golden Globe: Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
2002
Succeeded by
Chicago

Quotes

Up to date as of January 14, 2010

From Wikiquote

Moulin Rouge! is a 2001 film set in turn of the century Paris in the Bohemian yet derelict district of Montmartre. Centered on the Bohemian ideals of truth, beauty, freedom, and love, Moulin Rouge! follows the story of two lovers, Christian and Satine, who above all, believe in preserving their secret love in the midst of an environment hostile to such an affair.

Directed by Baz Luhrmann. Written by Craig Pearce and Baz Luhrmann.
No laws. No limits. One rule. Never fall in love.taglines

Contents

Christian

  • The Moulin Rouge. A night club, a dance hall, and a bordello. Ruled over by Harold Zidler. A kingdom of night time pleasures, where the rich and powerful came to play with the young and beautiful creatures of the underworld. The most beautiful of all these was the woman I loved. Satine. A courtesan, she sold her love to men. They called her the 'Sparkling Diamond', and she was the star of the Moulin Rouge. The woman I loved is…dead.
  • This woman is yours now. I've paid my whore. I owe you nothing. And you are nothing to me. [crying slightly] Thank you for c-curing me of my r-ridiculous obsession with love!
  • Can't fall in love? But a life without love, that-that-that's terrible!
  • Above all things I believe in love. Love is like oxygen- love is a many splendored thing- love lifts us up where we belong! All you need is love!
  • I had come to write about truth, beauty, freedom, and that which I believed in above all things: love. There was only one problem. I'd never been in love!
  • Luckily, right at that moment an unconscious Argentinean fell through my roof.
  • [singing] Come what may... come what may. I will love you, until my dying day!
  • It's a little bit funny this feeling inside, I'm not one of those who can easily hide...
  • The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.
  • Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months. And then, one not-so-very special day, I went to my typewriter, I sat down, and I wrote our story. A story about a time, a story about a place, a story about the people. But above all things, a story about love. A love that will live forever. The End.

Satine

  • Please tell me you're not one of Toulouse's oh-so-talented, charmingly bohemian, tragically impoverished protégés!
  • I don't need you anymore! All my life you made believe I was only worth what someone would pay for me! But Christian loves me! He loves me, Harold. He loves me and that is worth everything! We're going away from you, away from the Duke, away from the Moulin Rouge! Good-bye Harold.
  • Tell our story, Christian. Promise me. Yes. That way I'll... I'll always be with you.
  • [Before kissing Christian] You're going to be bad for business, I can tell.
  • The difference between you and I is that you can leave anytime you choose. But this is my home. The Moulin Rouge is my home.
  • Christian, I'm a courtesan. I'm paid to make men believe what they want to believe.
  • [singing] Love is just a game.
  • I couldn't. I saw you there and I felt differently and the Duke he saw... Christian I love you. I don't want to pretend anymore. I didn't want to lie and he knows, he knows.
  • Duke! Don’t you toy with my emotions! [fake sobs] You must know the effect you have on women.
  • [singing] If I should die... this very moment.. I wouldn't fear. I've never known completeness like being here, wrapped in the warmth of you, loving every breath of you...

Harold Zidler

  • Everything's going so well!
  • The Duke holds the deeds to the Moulin Rouge. He's spending a fortune on you. He's giving you a beautiful new dressing room. He wants to make you a star, and you are dallying with the writer!
  • The show must go on.
  • She says it feels so good, inside, when you hold her, and touch her; it makes her feel like a ... virgin.
  • We're creatures of the underworld. We can't afford to love.
  • Hurt him. Hurt him to save him.
  • A magnificent, opulent, tremendous, stupendous, gargantuan bedazzlement, a sensual ravishment. It will be: Spectacular Spectacular. The words another nacular, that can describe this big event. You'll be dumb wonderment. Fees are fixed a 10%. You must admit that's excellent.
  • My little sparrow is dying. She musn't know Marie.
  • Welcome, to the Moulin Rouge!

The Duke

  • Why would the courtesan choose the penniless sitar player over the maharajah, who is offering a lifetime of security? That's real love. Once the sitar player has satisfied his lust, he will leave the courtesan with nothing.
  • I forgot my hat. [seeing Satine passed out with Christian on the bed] Foul play?!
  • You expect me to believe that scantily clad, in the arms of another man, in the middle of the night, inside an elephant you were rehearsing?
  • I don't care about your ridiculous dogma!
  • It's not that I'm a jealous man, I just don't like other people touching my things!
  • She is mine.
  • And in the end should someone die?
  • Generally I like it.
  • You made me believe that you loved me.
  • It's the boy, he has bewitched with her the words. Tell her that the show will end my way and she will come to me when the curtain falls...or I'll have the boy killed.
  • Look, my dear! A little frog!
  • Let Zidler keep his fairy tale ending.
  • It's a little bit funny—this feeling inside.
  • I don't like this ending.

Toulouse-Lautrec

  • How do you do? My name is Henri Marie Raymond Toulouse-Lautrec Monfa.
  • The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.
  • Killed. Killed? Killed! I must warn him!
  • Clean yourself off you bourgeois pig! [snorts]
  • He's got a huge talent! [looking at Satine and Christian through the window]

The Narcoleptic Argentinean

  • The hills are alive with the sound of music! I love it!
  • Aw! The boy has talent! I like him. [touches Christian's crotch] Nothing funny [takes hand off, and laughs nervously], I just like talent.
  • Never fall in love with a woman who sells herself. It always ends BAD!
  • We have a dance in the brothels of Buenos Aires. It tells the story of a prostitute and a man who falls in love with her. First, there is desire. Then passion...! Then, suspicion. Jealousy! Anger! Betrayal! When love is for the highest bidder, there can be no trust. Without trust, there is no love. Jealousy! Yes, jealousy...will drive you, mad!!!
  • All right! No problems! Go back to work!
  • The hills are incarnate with symphonic melodies! [falls back asleep]
  • [to a dancer] You are a beautiful woman. [whispers] I love sex.

Other

The Bohemians: Stand your ground for freedom, beauty, truth & love.
Nini: This ending's silly. Why would the courtesan fall for the penniless writer- [spitefully] Oops! I meant sitar player!

Dialogue

Satine: What's his type? Wilting flower? [sighs] Bright and bubbly? [giggles] Or smoldering temptress? [growls]
Zidler: I'd say, smoldering temptress.

[As Satine is being carried to her dressing room, having passed out.]
Nini: Looks like the Duke won't be getting his money's worth tonight.
Dancer: Don't be unkind, Nini!
[They both giggle]

Zidler: SHE'S CONFESSING!
The Duke: Confessing?! What kind of imbecile do you take me for, Zidler?!
Zidler: She suddenly had a terrible desire...to go to a priest and...confess her sins.

The Duke: I don't like this ending...
Zidler: Don't like the ending, my dear Duke?
The Duke: Why should the courtesan chose the penniless sitar player over the maharajah who is offering her a lifetime of security? That's real love. Once the sitar player has satisfied his lust he will leave her with nothing. I suggest that the courtesan chose the maharajah.
Toulouse-Lautrec: But, but tell me, that ending does not uphold the Bohemian ideals of truth, beauty, freedom, and...
The Duke: [shouts] I don't care about your ridiculous dogma! Why shouldn't the courtesan chose the maharajah?
Christian: [shouts] Because she doesn't love you!... Him... Hi-him, she doesn't love... she doesn't love him.
The Duke: Oh, I see... Monsieur Zidler, the play will be rewritten with the courtesan choosing the maharajah and without the lovers' secret song. It will be rehearsed in the morning, ready for the opening tomorrow night...
Zidler: But, my dear Duke, that will be quite impossible.
Satine: Harold, the Duke is being treated appallingly. These silly writers let their imaginations run away with themselves. Why don't you and I have a little supper, and then we can tell Monsieur Zidler how we would like the story to end.
Nini: [to Christian] Don't worry, Shakespeare. You'll get your ending, once the Duke gets his end-in!

Zidler: I AM THE EVIL MAHA RAJA! YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE!
Satine: Oh Harold, no one could play him like you could!
Zidler: No one's going to.

Zidler: The Duke holds the deeds to the Moulin Rouge, he's spending a fortune on you, he's giving you a beautiful new dressing room, he wants to make you a star, and YOU'RE DALLYING WITH THE WRITER!
Satine: Harold, that's ridic...
Zidler: I SAW YOU TOGETHER.
Satine: It's nothing. It's just an infatuation... it's nothing.
Zidler: The infatuation will end. Go to the boy; tell him it's over, and the Duke is expecting you in the tower at eight.

Toulouse-Lautrec: Things aren’t always the way they seem.
Christian: Things are exactly the way they seem.
Toulouse-Lautrec: Christian, you may see me only as a drunken, vice-ridden gnome whose friends are just pimps and girls from the brothels. But I know what love is, only because I long for it with every fiber of my being. She loves you, I know it, I know she loves you.
Christian: Go away, Toulouse. Leave me alone. [Toulouse-Lautrec cringes but does not leave] Go. Away. [Toulouse-Lautrec still looks at Christian] GO AWAY!!!!!!!! [wordlessly, Toulouse-Lautrec leaves]
Christian: [narrating] I wanted to shut out what Toulouse had said, but he had filled me with doubt and there was only one way to be sure. I had to know. So I returned to the Moulin Rouge one last time. [Christian enters the Moulin Rouge and the show begins]
Zidler: SHEEEEEEEEEEE'S MINE!

Songs

In the order sung in the movie:

Nature Boy

Toulouse-Lautrec: There was a boy
A very strange enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far
Very far
Over land and sea
A little shy
And sad of eye
But very wise, was he
And then one day
One magic day he, passed my way
and while we spoke of many things, fools and kings, this he said to me . . .
The greatest thing, you'll ever learn, is just to love, and be loved . . . in return

Sparkling Diamonds

Satine: The French are glad to die for love.
They delight in fighting duels
But I prefer a man who lives
And gives expensive . . .
Jewels.
A kiss on the hand may be quite continental
But diamonds are a girl’s best friend
A kiss may be grand but it won't pay the rental on your humble flat
Or help you feed your (purrs) pussycat
Men grow cold as girls grow old
And we all lose our charms in the end
But square-cut or pear shaped these rocks don't lose their shape
Diamonds are a girl's best friend
Tiffany's!
Cartier!
'Cause we are living in a material world
And I am a material girl (Blows kiss)
Come and get me boys (Whoops)
Black star, roscore
Talk to me Harry Zildler, tell me all about it!
There may come a time when a lass needs a lawyer
But diamonds are a girl's best friend
There may come a time when a hard-boiled employer think you're-
Zidler: Awfully nice.
Satine: Ah! But get that ice or else no dice
Girls of the Moulin Rouge: He's your guy when, stocks are high
But beware when they start to descend
Diamonds are a girl's best,
Diamonds are a girl's best,
Diamonds are a girl's best friend
Nini: Ole!

(instrumental)

Satine: 'Cause that's what those louses go back to their spouses
Diamonds . . .
Are a . . .
Girl's . . .
Best . . .
Friend

One Day I'll Fly Away

Satine: I follow the night
Can't stand the light
When will I begin
To live again
One day I'll fly away
Leave all this to yesterday
What more could your love do for me
When will love be through with me
Why live life from dream to dream
And dread the day when dreaming ends
Christian: How wonderful life is, now you're in the world
Satine: One day I'll fly away
Leave all this to yesterday
Why live life from dream to dream
And dread the day
When dreaming ends
One day I'll fly away...
Fly...fly...away

Elephant Love Medley

Christian (spoken): Love is like oxygen.
Satine (spoken): What?
Christian (spoken): Love is a many-splendored thing. Love lifts us up where we belong! All you need is love.
Satine (spoken): Please don't start that again.
Christian: All you need is love.
Satine (spoken): A girl has got to eat –
Christian: All you need is love.
Satine (spoken): She'll end up on the street!
Christian: All you need is love.
Satine (spoken): Love is just a game.
Music begins
Christian: I was made for loving you, baby, you were made for loving me.
Satine: The only way of loving me, baby, is to pay a lovely fee.
Christian: Just one night, give me just one night.
Satine: There's no way, 'cause you can't pay.
Christian: In the name of love, one night in the name of love.
Satine: You crazy fool, I won't give in to you.
Christian: Don't…leave me this way. I can't survive, without your sweet love, oh baby…don't leave me this way.
Satine: You'd think that people would have had enough of silly love songs.
Christian: I look around me and I see, it isn't so. Oh, no.
Satine: Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs.
Christian: Well, what's wrong with that? ... I'd like to know ... 'cause here I go again! ...Love lifts us up where we belong-
Satine (spoken): Get down! Get down!
Christian: Where eagles fly, on a mountain high!
Satine: Love makes us act like we are fools. Throw our lives away, for one happy day.
Christian: We could be heroes ... Just for one day.
Satine: You, you will be mean.
Christian: No, I won't!
Satine: And I... I'll drink all the time.
Christian: We should be lovers.
Satine: We can't do that.
Christian: We should be lovers, and that's a fact.
Satine: Though nothing will keep us together
Christian: We could steal time-
Christian and Satine: Just for one day ... We could be heroes, forever and ever! ... We could be heroes, forever and ever! ... We can be heroes!
Christian: Just because I ... will always love you.
Satine: I
Christian and Satine: Can't help loving –
Christian: You.
Satine: How wonderful life is now
Christian and Satine: You're in the world.
Satine (spoken): You're going to be bad for business, I can tell.
Christian and Satine kiss
Operatic outro (The singing moon): Evviva la forza dell'amor.

Come What May

Christian: Never knew I could feel like this
Like I've never seen the sky before
Want to vanish inside your kiss
Every day I'm loving you more than this
Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing,
Telling me to give you everything
Seasons may change, winter to spring
But I love you until the end of time
Come what may
Come what may
I will love you until my dying day
Satine: Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place
Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace
Christian and Satine: Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste
Satine: It all revolves around you
Christian and Satine: And there's no mountain too high
No river too wide
Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side
Storm clouds may gather
And stars may collide
Christian: But I love you,
Satine: I love you
Christian: Until the end of time
Satine: Until the end of time
Christian and Satine: Come what may, come what may
I will love you until my dying day
Oh, come what may, come what may
I will love you
Satine: Oh, I will love you
Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place
Christian and Satine: Come what may, come what may
I will love you, until my dying day!

El Tango De Roxanne

Argentinean: Jealousy will drive you mad
Roxanne
You don't have to put on the red light
Walk the streets for money
You don't care if it's wrong or if it is right
Roxanne
You don't have to wear that dress tonight
Roxanne
You don't have to sell your body to the night
Christian: His eyes upon your face
His hand upon your hand
His lips caress your skin
It's more than I can stand
Argentinean: Roxanne
Christian: Why does my heart cry?
Argentinean: Roxanne
Christian: Feelings I can't fight
You're free to leave me but
Just don't deceive me
And please believe me
When I say, I love you
Argentinean: Y yo que te quiero tanto que voy hacer?
Me dejaste, me dejaste...
En lagrimas se me fue
Se me fue el corazón
Ya no tengo ganas de vivir
Porque no te puedo convencer
Que no te vendas Roxanne
(English Translation:
And I who wants you so much, what am I going to do?
You left me, you left me...
My soul has left me; my heart has left me
I have no longer a desire to live
Because I cannot convince you
Not to sell yourself Roxanne)
Argentinean: Roxanne
Christian: Why does my heart cry?
Argentinean: Roxanne
Christian: Feelings I can't fight
Argentinean: Roxanne
You don't have to put on that red light
Roxanne
You don't have to wear that dress tonight
Roxanne
His eyes upon her face
His hand upon her hand
His lips caress her skin
It's more than I can stand
Roxanne

Cast

  • Ewan McGregor as Christian
  • Nicole Kidman as Satine
  • John Leguizamo as Toulouse-Lautrec
  • Jacek Koman as The Narcoleptic Argentinean
  • Matthew Whittet as Satie
  • Jim Broadbent as Harold Zidler
  • Richard Roxburgh as The Duke of Monroth
  • Kylie Minogue as The Green Fairy
  • Kerry Walker as Marie
  • Garry McDonald as The Doctor
  • Deobia Oparei as Le Chocolat
  • Natalie Mendoza as China Doll
  • David Wenham as Audrey
  • Caroline O'Connor as Nini Legs In The Air
  • Kiruna Stamell as La Petite Princess

External links

Wikipedia
Wikipedia has an article about:

Simple English

Moulin Rouge!
Directed by Baz Luhrmann
Produced by Baz Luhrmann
Fred Baron
Written by Baz Luhrmann
Craig Pearce
Starring Ewan McGregor
Nicole Kidman
Jim Broadbent
John Leguizamo
Richard Roxburgh
Music by Craig Armstrong
Cinematography Donald McAlpine
Editing by Jill Bilcock
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date(s) May 16, 2001
Running time 127 min.
Country
Language English
Budget $52.5 million
Gross revenue $177,000,000
Official website
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Moulin Rouge! is a 2001 Academy Award-winning musical movie directed by Baz Luhrmann. It stars Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. The movie is set in Paris, France in the 1890s. It tells the story of a young British writer called Christian, who falls in love with an actress called Satine, the leading lady of the famous nightclub, the Moulin Rouge.

Moulin Rouge! was mostly shot at Fox Studios in Sydney, Australia. It was nominated for eight Oscars. It won two; for art direction and costume design. In 2006 it was ranked #25 on the American Film Institute's list of best musicals.

Contents

Background

The "Moulin Rouge"

The "Moulin Rouge" is a famous nightclub with a cabaret (or dance show). The name "Moulin Rouge" means "Red Windmill". In the late 1800s there was a real windmill where the nightclub stands near Montmartre in Paris. Now there is a large model of a windmill on the roof of the building. Since the 1889 this nightclub has been famous for its dancing, in particular for the "can-can", a very lively dance in which the dancers, wearing long frilly skirts, kick their legs very high and show their underwear. (In the 1890s, women wore long dresses, to their ankles.) Even though this entertainment was not thought of as very polite, it was very popular and the "can-can" became a symbol of Paris. The "Moulin Rouge" is still very popular

File:Moulin
The setting of Moulin Rouge!

Bohemians

The word Bohemian was first used in Paris to mean a Gypsy because many people thought that Gypsies came from Bohemia. The word was then used for poor artists and writers, who often travelled to Paris from other towns and tried to earn money by their painting or writing. Paris was a famous town for both painters and writers to gather, to learn from each other and to enjoy the life of the city. Many of them lived at Montmartre, not far from the "Moulin Rouge". One of the most famous painters to live in Montmartre was Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. He loved to paint the can-can dancers and prostitutes. He did many posters to advertise the nightclubs. The posters are now famous works of art.

"La boheme"

La bohème means "the Bohemian". It is the name of a famous opera written by Giacomo Puccini. It is about a young man who lives in a group of poor artists and writers, and who meets and falls in love with a beautiful girl. The opera is very well known and Baz Luhrmann deliberately used parts of the story in his movie. The plot of the movie is very much like another opera called La traviata written by Giuseppe Verdi. It is also thought that Luhrmann may have got the idea to make Moulin Rouge! after watching Dil Se. This movie was made in 1998 and directed by Mani Ratnam. It is a love story set in India.

Other movies

There have been four previous movies called "Moulin Rouge". The earliest was a silent movie made in 1928. The latest was made in 1956 and was about the life of the painter, Toulouse-Lautrec. Baz Luhrmann used Toulouse-Lautrec as an important character in his movie.

The movie

Idea

Baz Luhrmann had directed another movie in which a love story is set against a background of dance, costumes and colourful scenes. This is Strictly Ballroom made in 1992. In Moulin Rouge!, he chose the colourful life of Paris in a time often called "the Naughty Nineties" as a background. But Lurhmann's plan was not to make a movie about history. He wanted to make a movie that the people of today would enjoy, just as much as the people of Paris had enjoyed the can-can in the 1890s. So Luhrmann did not use the music, dance-styles and lighting of the 1890s. He used popular modern music that young people already knew, and he used modern lighting, special effects and cosume ideas to create a movie that young people would think was very entertaining.

Production

Kate Winslet, Charlize Theron, Renee Zellweger, and Catherine Zeta-Jones were all thought of for the part of Satine. Courtney Love was almost cast in the role, but lost out to Kidman at the last minute because Luhrmann felt that Love would not fit into the movie well. Heath Ledger, Hugh Jackman, and Russell Crowe were all considered for the part of Christian. [1]

Production on the movie began in November 1999 and was finished in May 2000, with a budget of just over $50 million. Nicole Kidman reportedly wasn't interested in doing the musical until she heard Baz Luhrmann would be directing it. [2] Filming generally went smoothly, with the only major problem being when Nicole Kidman injured her knee while filming one of the more complicated dance sequences. The production also overran in its shooting schedule and had to be out of the Fox Studios in Sydney to make way for Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (in which Ewan McGregor also starred). This meant some parts had to be filmed in Madrid, Spain. [3]

Cast

Plot summary

The movie is set in the year 1900. Christian (played by Ewan McGregor) is a British writer who came to the village of Montmartre in Paris in 1899, when the Bohemian movement was at its most popular. He sits in a flat looking down on the closed-down theatre called the Moulin Rouge while writing on a typewriter. The story he is writing is about the woman he loved, Satine (played by Nicole Kidman).

In 1899, Christian arrives in Paris, and makes friends with a group of Bohemians who visit the Moulin Rouge regularly. They are trying to produce a musical called "Spectacular Spectacular", which the owner of the Moulin Rouge, Harold Zidler (played by Jim Broadbent), plans to show at the cabaret. The Bohemians' leader, Toulouse-Lautrec (played by John Leguizamo), is pleased with Christian's talent at writing and insists that he write their musical, "Spectacular Spectacular". Once they find out that Christian is an amazing writer, they come up with an complicated plan of presenting Christian to Satine, who is a beautiful courtesan, in the hopes that she will be impressed with him and persuade Zidler to hire Christian as the writer of the musical.

Satine understands what her work involves, although she hopes of leaving the Moulin Rouge to become a "real" actress. Through a series of misunderstandings, she mistakes Christian for the rich and powerful Duke who will invest in the musical, "Spectacular Spectacular". She is enchanted by his poetry. She declares that she has fallen in love with him, but is shocked to realize he's actually a poor Bohemian poet.

After a bit, the real Duke (played by Richard Roburgh) finds Christian and Satine together. They manage to trick him into believing that they were working on the musical, "Spectacular Spectacular". The main cast arrive and improvise the plot of the show on the spot: a beautiful Indian courtesan has her kingdom invaded by an "evil maharaja". She sets out to seduce him to save her kingdom, but accidentally seduces and then falls in love with a penniless sitar player. The two must hide their love and avoid the maharaja, though it is implied that one of them may die at the end of the story. (It is soon realized that the theme of their play foreshadows what happens in the movie's plot.) The Duke agrees to support the show. But, he quickly shows that he is a violently jealous man who will shut down the Moulin Rouge if he does not get Satine to himself. Nevertheless, he accepts that Satine will be busy with rehearsals and in close contact with Christian, the writer of the musical.

Christian and Satine fall in love, while Zidler struggles to keep the Duke interested in the musical "Spectacular Spectacular" even though Satine has not yet slept with him. Harold Zidler also discovers that Satine is dying of a disease called tuberculosis, but does not tell anyone because of his motto, "The show must go on". Meanwhile, Christian continues to work on the play, in which the courtesan and the penniless sitar player end up together. The Duke, however, does not appreciate the ending and tells the cast that the courtesan must end up with the maharaja. To convince the Duke to change his mind, Satine finally agrees to spend the night with him. Christian is overcome with jealousy while Satine has dinner with the Duke, who offers her everything she has dreamt of. However, when Satine spots Christian on the street below, she refuses the Duke's offer, and he tries to rape her. After she escapes, Satine and Christian plan to run away.

By now, the Duke has realized Satine's tricks, and tells Zidler that, if the "maharaja" does not get his "courtesan", he will have the "penniless sitar player" killed. Nonetheless, Zidler must inform Satine of her final condition before she agrees to give up on the escape plan. She goes to Christian and lies to him, convincing him that her love was an act in the hopes that this will make him want to leave Paris and therefore save his life.

As the show opens, Satine performs tiredly, knowing that her life is almost up. Christian, refusing to give up on Satine, confronts her backstage. When she tries to force him off again, he takes the place of the show's hero, throwing money at her feet to "pay his whore", and storming off the stage. Satine confesses her love for him in the form of his secret song, and Christian and Satine get back together in full view of the audience and the Duke. The Duke attempts to shoot Christian, but Zidler forces him off. The audience applauds what they think is a good drama, but backstage, Satine is overcome by her illness and dies in Christian's arms. As her final wish, she asks Christian to tell their story.

A year later, still in his flat overlooking the empty red windmill, Christian finally types the last page of his work, ending it with the couplet, "The greatest thing you will ever learn, is just to love, and be loved in return."[4]

Soundtrack

The following is a list of some of the songs featured in the movie along with the artist that popularized them.

  • "The Sound of Music" - Mary Martin (and later by Julie Andrews) (from the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical of the same name)
  • "The Lonely Goatherd" - also from The Sound of Music (but heard as instrumental)
  • "Lady Marmalade" - Labelle (and later by All Saints, covered for the movie, by Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa and Pink)
  • "Because We Can" - Fatboy Slim
  • "Nature Boy" - Eden Ahbez (and later by Nat King Cole)
  • "Complainte De La Butte" - Georges Van Parys, Jean Renoir
  • "Rhythm of the Night" - DeBarge
  • "Material Girl" - Madonna
  • "Smells Like Teen Spirit" - Nirvana
  • "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" - Carol Channing (later, and notably by Marilyn Monroe)
  • "Diamond Dogs (song)|Diamond Dogs" - David Bowie (and later by Beck)
  • "Galop Infernal (Can-can)" - Jacques Offenbach (tune for Spectacular, Spectacular)
  • "One Day I'll Fly Away" - The Crusaders, later Randy Crawford among others
  • "Children of the Revolution" - T. Rex (Covered by Bono, Gavin Friday and Maurice Seezer)
  • "Gorecki" - Lamb
  • "Come What May" - Ewan McGregor & Nicole Kidman (written by David Baerwald)
  • "Roxanne" - The Police (Title in movie: "El Tango de Roxanne")
  • "Tanguera" - Mariano Mores
  • "The Show Must Go On" - Queen
  • "Like a Virgin" - Madonna
  • "Your Song" - Elton John

Elephant Love Medley

  • "Love Is Like Oxygen" - Sweet
  • "Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing" - The Four Aces
  • "Up Where We Belong" - Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
  • "All You Need Is Love" - The Beatles
  • "Lover's Game" - Chris Isaak
  • "I Was Made For Lovin' You" - Kiss
  • "One More Night" - Phil Collins
  • "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" - U2
  • "Don't Leave Me This Way" - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes (later Thelma Houston, The Communards, among others)
  • "Silly Love Songs" - Paul McCartney and Wings
  • (Repeated) "Up Where We Belong"
  • "Heroes" - David Bowie (and later by The Wallflowers)
  • "I Will Always Love You" - Dolly Parton (and later by Whitney Houston)
  • "Your Song" - Elton John

Two soundtrack albums were released, with the second coming after the huge success of the first one. The first volume featured the smash hit single "Lady Marmalade", performed by Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mýa and Pink. The first soundtrack, Moulin Rouge! Music From Baz Luhrmann's Film, was released in May 2001, with the second Moulin Rouge! Music From Baz Luhrmann's Film, Vol. 2 following in 2002.

Awards

Award wins:

  • Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
  • Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Nicole Kidman)
  • Academy Award for Art Direction-Set Decoration (Catherine Martin & Brigitte Broch)
  • Academy Award for Costume Design (Catherine Martin & Angus Strathie)
  • Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score - Motion Picture (Craig Armstrong)
  • Producers Guild of America's Award for Best Picture
  • National Board of Review's Award for Best Picture

Award nominations:

  • Academy Award for Best Picture
  • Academy Award for Best Actress (Nicole Kidman)
  • Academy Award for Best Cinematography (Donald McAlpine)
  • Academy Award for Film Editing (Jill Bilcock)
  • Academy Award for Makeup (Maurizio Silvi & Aldo Signoretti)
  • Academy Award for Sound (Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Roger Savage, Guntis Sics)
  • Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture (Baz Luhrmann)
  • Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy]] (Ewan McGregor)
  • Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song - Motion Picture (David Baerwald - song "Come What May")
  • Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return
Toulouse-Lautrec (John Leguizamo)

Trivia

  • The large red "L'amour" sign seen on the side Christian's building was part of the set of Baz Luhrmann's production of "La bohème" for the Australian Opera. It also appeared in Romeo + Juliet (1996).
  • The movie is dedicated to Baz Luhrmann's father, Leonard Luhrmann, who died just as filming was about to begin.
  • Jake Gyllenhaal auditioned several times for the part of Christian, but was ultimately deemed too young to play opposite Nicole Kidman.
  • The word "love" and its variations (loved, loves, loving, lover and lovers) appears in this movie 143 times.
  • During Satine's trapeze entrance, blue light was used due to Nicole Kidman's pale skin tone, the director found that the blue light made her almost "glow" and therefore stood out during the scene.
  • The Paris landscape was digitally produced and the two longest visual effects shots to date appear in this movie.[5]

Other pages

References

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