Moulin Rouge, by Baz Luhrman, is one of my favourite films. Yes, it is ridiculous in parts. On first viewing it is disorienting. Repeated viewings are worth the effort. Luhrman describes his style as 'red curtain' theatre. No cinema veritae for him. If you are going to die of consumption, then do it with panache. The style harks to that mad form of musical theatre, opera. In fact Baz was an operatic director before moving to movies. His production of La Boheme broke from convention. Rather than simply casting the usual suspects as singers and chorus, based on experience and ability to fill a large theatre with unmicrophoned song, he developed the curious notion that beautiful young people, the bohemians, should actually be…beautiful young people. How odd. Moulin Rouge owes much to Luhrman's Boheme (which had Melbourinians lining the streets to secure tickets).
The tango sequence is one of the best in the movie, the disruptive combination of the old Police song Roxanne with the intensity of the tango is inspired. As I am planning to spend time in Argentina soon, I also find it inspiring.
If anyone can tell me what is going on in the Argentinian creative economy, I'd like to hear from you.
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