Paris 1900: by the window of a small room with the keys of a typewriter at his fingers, sits the broken-hearted writer ready to write his story. A story about love, truth, beauty and freedom. At the beginning, Baz lurhmann sweeps us over the rooftops of the streets of Paris to this point, in a bleak black and white image as the writer recalls back on his heartbreaking memories, and very creatively sweeps us back to the “joyful times” filling the screen with vibrant colours as the magnificence of the bohemian lifestyle explodes onto the screen.
Enter Christian, a young handsome writer on the search for success in Paris ‘against his father’s wishes’ following his lifelong dream. A character so full of enthusiasm and life, who better to play the role of Christian than the star himself, Ewan McGregor. Upon meeting Toulouse Lautrec, the leader of a petty group of actors, he is hired as their playwright for a musical at the Moulin Rouge, impressing them with a song to boast his talent. Cheery, vigorous melodies erupt on display building a hearty atmosphere, once again, one of many of Baz Lurhman’s creative techniques to capture the audience. An innocent, naive Christian is led to the Moulin Rouge, a place where men’s fantasies spring to life. It is here where we are introduced to the sparkling diamond of the Moulin Rouge, the infamous star that descends lighting up the faces of the men as she passes, the seducing Satine. Nicole Kidman couldn’t have played the role of Satine better. She leaves the men of the audience of the nightclub dazzled and amazed by her beauty, as she is lowered down on a swing singing “Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend"
Moulin Rouge is described by Baz Luhrmann as audience participation cinema. This means that the audience can get involved and that emotions are normally high.which can be contrasted to Bollywood movies. This type of cinema is part of Baz Luhrmann's trademark and he purposely makes films that are flamboyant and overly theatrical.
With ‘Strictly Ballroom’ and ‘Romeo and Juliet’ as his previous directed movies we can see that Moulin rouge is unique and original in its own style. Only Baz Lurhman’s wacky imagination brings vibrant colours and actors and actresses belting out songs from Madonna and Whitney Houston such as “like a virgin” and "I-e-I-e-I will always love yooou-ou-ou" to the big screen..
