My not so good Moulin Rouge review

[Yonathan Gal]

I've just watched this and reviewed it here:

http://www.the900thdimension.com/reviews/films/reviews/moulinrouge!.shtml

Don't flame me, it's just my opinion! Coz I know 99% of the population loved it... :)

[OAB]

If you want to avoid getting flamed, I suggest you learn to check your facts against IMDB.

[Jimmyboy]

Admittedly, I haven't watched 'Romeo + Juliet' (the same director's only other film),

Baz Luhrmann has been involved with more films than just 2.


but apparently, it's got the same sort of style. It takes the classic Shakespeare play, puts it in modern times, yet uses the old dialogue. Example: They'll tell people to take down their swords when they're actually holding guns. As I said, I haven't watched it, but to me, that doesn't sound like a great movie

The brand of Gun used in Romeo & Juliet is made by a company called "Sword".
So when someone says Lay down your Sword it makes perfect sense.

Romeo & Juliet is a great movie btw.

[Yonathan Gal]

Oops, better correct that then... :) Thanks for the info. :):) By the way, any chance on your new trades list yet? :)

[pythons]

Moulin Rouge ROCKS ;)

Great great movie, just gets better each time you watch it!

[mjb1975]

Baz did Strictly Ballroom before Romes and Jules - agreed Jimmyboy, R&J is a class movie - the combination of the classic text and the updated locations works just great. Definitely worth checking out.

Isn't there an SE of R&J due out?

[Jimmyboy]

Originally posted by mjb1975

Isn't there an SE of R&J due out?

Yep, and I can't wait !.
Hopefully it will be a nice fat 2-discer !. :clap:

[Yonathan Gal]

Jimmyboy: any new son your new trade slist yet!! ? :D

[danrees]

Originally posted by mjb1975
Isn't there an SE of R&J due out?

When?! Nobody told me about this! :mad: ;)

[mjb1975]

yeah, I did hear about it a while back on here, but there's a trailer on the Moulin Rouge R4 disc (maybe on the R1, but I don't know).

It's gonna be kewl....!!

[danrees]

My Moulin Rouge R4 hasn't arrived yet, that'll be why I didn't know. :p

[mr_woo]

i'd have to say i also really didnt like this movie much at all.

I'm just not a fan of Baz Luhrmanns style and think he ruined a few good songs in the film. I also didnt like the editing, far to fast and flashy for my taste.

Having said that it's definitely a film i recommend that you at least watch once to make up your mind because it's certainly an experience that's for sure.

At least it's far better than the dire Romeo and Juliet......(hides from the lynch mob :D )

[tj_director]

Yonathan, your review is more or less exactly the same as what came out of my mouth when i left the film...

I'm one of those who doesn't fall under that "It's so amazing" catergory. And Kidman's role in 'The Others' is more oscar deserving than 'Moulin Rouge' IMO.

I haven't watched it a 2nd time, i can't say i'm all that bothered to, I didn't hate the film as such, it did irritate me at times, i think more so because i wasn't seeing why it was so unanimously loved. I think the only reason i don't blast MR, is because when the credits rolled, i kinda felt moved, but quite why, i don't know!!!

As for R+J -- from what i can remember it wasn't all that bad, i much prefered it to MR. And Strictly Ballroom is a good film.

I still think Lurman is a good/excellent director, in that so far his films are very unique, and stand out from the rest. And from interviews and articles, he seems to be an intelligent and cool guy. But his style hasn't really won me over :(

[Yonathan Gal]

That's what I thought, he's deifinitely got skill, but I just don't happen to like his style... and for me, it was Leguizamo who ruined the film beyond anything else! He was so irritating! And I didn't really feel moved at all, but it ain't a bad film... :)

btw: still no email with all your ideas! :) hehe

[CraigKORE]

Just got round to watching this tonight, and it kept me damn entertained throughout. Great DTS as well....

Anyone had probs with the Reg 1 of this disk though? My Sony 725 decided at the end of chapter 21 (i think it was), to go back to chapter 1!

Need to have a closer look at it tomorrow, this aint a "seamless branching" disk is it?

[TimK]

I pesonally loved the film, but I've just been speaking to my parents who watched it at an Over 50s screening at our local cinema and they hated it. Apparently a large portion of the audience walked out within the first 20 minutes, a lot of them feeling queasy from the visuals.

[Robby]

I too watched it for the first time tonight. I have to say i like Baz' style. I liked the editing. It certainly kept the pace up. It maybe slowed down towards the climax but the characters were enaging enough for it to be fairly un-noticable.

I really did enjoy this film. I can see how a lot of people are moved and conversely why they're not. Some will call it classy others cheesey.

Leguizamo was alright in my opinion. I guess it boils down to how tolerable you are to annoying people. Probably good he didn't get too much screen time.

Overall: very hip and touching movie.

[BigHairyScotsman]

I too just saw this last night and I was blown away by it. Its a riot of colour, comedy, tragedy, song and dance but above all else LOVE :D it left me with a huge smile on my face and a warm feeling inside.............. Hey I guess Im a bohemian after all :p

This is a definate "keeper" as far as Im concerned, and has made me think that maybe Strictly Ballroom wont be a load of pants after all.

So to those who havent seen this film yet, order it from Oz for under £14, you wont be disappointed (and if you are you'll definately shift it on the DVD Classified Forum).

BHS

[Dear Mr Echo]

I was left totally underwhelmed by Moulin Rouge. Neither the music, the drama, the comedy or the romance worked for me and to be honest I was left with the same feeling I had after seeing Titanic (except I sort of enjoyed Titanic while I was watching it).

The film was ALL surface - everyone was a cardboard cut out, there was no depth to anything. Art direction and production design were the only things this had going for it in my opinion.
While I have a certain amount of respect for Nicole Kidman I thought she was merely eye candy in this movie. The only sequence that held any interest for me was the Like A Virgin number as it actually instilled some character into Jim Broadbent's part.

I had no idea what to expect but was left bitterly dissappointed by it. Luhrmans Romeo & Juliet worked really well for me but this just seemed to want to take that style further but was sadly lacking a decent story and characters to hang anything on to. It all came off as overly self indulgent.

Andrew

[Michael Brooke]

If you want to watch a truly stunning film about the Moulin Rouge, watch Jean Renoir's <I>French Can-Can</I>.

If Luhrmann's version had anything like the richness, depth and humanity of Renoir's film, it really would be the masterpiece that some have claimed, but a third viewing makes its fundamental triteness even more obvious. Am I the first person to draw disturbing parallels with the similarly ambitious but equally flawed <I>Absolute Beginners</I>?

[Cap'n Al]

Originally posted by Michael Brooke
Am I the first person to draw disturbing parallels with the similarly ambitious but equally flawed <I>Absolute Beginners</I>?

Frankly, the only similarity I can think of is that both feature the music of David Bowie in places. <i>Absolute Beginners</i> is a desperately weak and insipid film, badly handicapped by Julien Temple's obvious inability as a director; say what you like about <i>Moulin Rouge</i> (and I think I've said enough already), but it's certainly a far more significant artistic achievement, purely on a technical basis.