As I do this as a hobby I find that life is far too short to write reviews of films that I don’t really like – but I was lent the DVD set of Moulin Rouge and asked to comment.
What can I say!
This film should down in history as the complete example of form over substance. Although interesting to watch, why someone wasted 4 years of his or her life on this film is a mystery. In the documentaries on disc two and the one commentary I have listened to Baz Luhrmann keeps on about the story when of cause there isn’t one - I suppose if he says it often enough he'll convince himself that there was. One of his collaborators (or should that be partners in crime) said that the 'story' was decided by the songs that they could licence.
Nicole Kidman looks just like Cybill Sheperd from Peter Bogdanovich's ‘At Long Last Love’ (1975) and the 'baddie' Richard Roxburgh was doing a Tim Brooke-Taylor impersonation (from the 'Goodies' and Willie Wonker) Jim Broadbent looked like his Gilbert character from Mike Leigh’s ‘Topsy-Turvy’ (1999) and the great McGregor just looked like he hadn’t a clue why he had agreed to do the film.
Upon saying that - the sets and costumes were great - but the cinematography ... who can tell - as far as I could see there wasn't a shot longer than 20 seconds in a 2-hour film. That is even worse than that Bruce Willis thing about the asteroid. As for the F/x you be the judge. I've seen better on a pop video – in fact that’s what Moulin Rouge is, a 2-hour pop video.
The extra disc was interesting – as I have professional interest in the film making process, and the half dozen or so 'easter egg' outtakes were ok.
I’ve listened to the first commentary which again was Ok but Baz has to keep butting in when Catherine Martin and Don McAlpine are trying to comment on something - but I could not sit through Baz and his writer friend - I may one day watch the Red Velvet Curtain Version unless the owner comes and claims the discs back.
Technically the picture was spot on - and the DTS track excellent.
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