« you like me, you really like me! | Main | Part-Three-Formerly-Known-As-Part-Two - The saga deflates... »

snaggle

Voulez-vouz coucher avec moi ce soir?

by snaggle at 11:26 PM on June 08, 2001

If you haven't seen Moulin Rouge yet, see it as soon as possible. Keep this in mind going into it, however: it is a musical. Expect some of the campiness and some of the clichés that one might find in a musical. So far the only person I've talked to that hasn't liked it thought it was too cliché — but then again, I don't think she had the background in musicals that I do (of course, what average female can compare with your average theatre-and-music loving homo? [begin tangent] Better question than that, why must I always talk about being a homo in everything I write? Maybe because since it's been so long that I've gotten any or even been hit upon I need to keep reminding myself that yes, I do still bat for that team and that yes, someday I'll get it on again before I die. Hopefully. Knock on wood.[end tangent])

The director of Moulin Rouge, Baz Luhrmann, is the same guy that did Romeo + Juliet and Strictly Ballroom. From what I hear, he regards this as his "trilogy of love movies."

It's been a while since I've seen Strictly Ballroom, but from what I remember I think it's a bit further from Luhrmann's most recent opus than Romeo + Juliet. Moulin Rouge has a similar modern, contemporary feel to it as R + J did. The camerawork is intense, with multiple angles and pans. Every shot is composed beautifully, with striking attention to color, lighting, and composition. For example: I didn't notice it the first time I saw it, but in parts of the movie, each of the main characters is lit completely differently when they're in a solo shot. Nicole Kidman's character Satine, a "smouldering temptress," is often bathed in a cool white light, while Ewan McGregor's firey Bohemian Christian is lit with warm reds. In one of the most subtle tricks of moviemaking that I wouldn't have consciously caught on to had it not been pointed out to me, these lighting colors spill over into actual local color usage in one of the last few shots of the movie. After the curtian falls and Christian and Satine share what will be their last embrace (don't worry, you find out that she dies in the end early on in the show) red and white flower petals intermingle in a heartwrenching finale. Color is definately a primary compositional element in this work, which is somewhat unusual to see today. Red is in the title and is probably the most prevalent color in the show.

The show's definately an emotionfuck. It'll take you on a rollercoaster from campy cancan numbers to two men singing Madonna's Like a Virgin to each other with ballet waiters all around to the end when everything seems like it'll work out beautifully and then falls apart. Speaking of Like a Virgin, I actually didn't know when I went to see it that it's a musical that uses contemporary songs and incorporates them. For example, you'll find such musical gems as The Sound of Music, Roxanne, Like a Virgin, I Will Always Love You, Voulez-vous Coucher Avec Moi, Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend, and Smells like Teen Spirit. It sounds corny, but it works. I suppose it's more likely that people walking down the street will suddenly burst into a heartwarming rendition of Whitney Houston than Sondheim (unless you're in Chelsea, of course.) I also believe that Kidman and McGregor did their own vocals, which is astounding. I'm quite a critic when it comes to voice, and the two of them carry the show beautifully.

My only complaint about the show is that it feel like it run a bit long. It clocks in at two hours, but the storyline moves slowly in a couple places. It would have been hard to keep the energy of the show up during the entire thing, granted, and the compression of a musical into shorter time always presents difficulty, especially when the entire show is done so artistically.

Kay, this little review hasn't really been very "amusing," per se. So instead of using the quantity of vocal outbursts of jocosity to determine whether or not you'll click that little "amused" down below, why don't you use it to tell me whether or not you thought this review was any good and if you want me to write more? I'm toying with the idea of writing a movie review as a weekly column or something of the sort. What do you think?

comments (6)

an insightful review - analytical, yet personal. well phrased & dynamic, a must-read. two thumbs up!

by kd at June 8, 2001 11:58 PM


oh boy, you just made me wanna watch the movie now...

keep it up

by Tri at June 9, 2001 6:05 AM


I was just wondering if you were gay? I didn't quite understand what you were saying in the first paragraph, whether you were a gay man, looking to get a peice, or a straight man who hasn't got a peice in awhile so you think your gau.

Just wondering, because I myself am questioning my sexuality.

by Bradshaw at June 9, 2001 3:41 PM


I am very gay. To use your words, I'm a gay man looking to get a piece. Unfortunately, I live in a wasteland for boys who are looking for more than just a fuck. Alas. Someday soon I shall escape with a little piece of paper that says I've learned something and then my life will be complete. Right?

Feel free to email me if you have any questions or anything... questioning can be a hard time.

by snaggle at June 9, 2001 4:32 PM


I just watched it for the first time a couple of days ago and I loved it. I agree, it was a little bit like Romeo and Juliet. Do you know who the actor was who played Christian? He is so cute!

by Cover letters at April 22, 2003 7:39 PM


wt does Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?
mean

by sam at November 7, 2005 5:54 PM