Moulin Rouge (From Western Telegraph)

Moulin Rouge

Director: Baz Luhrmann Starring: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor; John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent, Richard Roxburgh (Cert 12, 128 min)

This week I have the greatest pleasure in talking about one of the most eagerly awaited films of the year, from one of the most, if not THE most, innovative and original filmmakers currently working.

Moulin Rouge is the creation of Australian director Baz Luhrmann. His last film was the brilliantly adapted Romeo and Juliet that sneaked Shakespeare into the consciousness, and on to the bedroom walls, of millions of teenagers (mostly girls, its true) with the cunning use of one Leonardo di Caprio.

With his latest film he doesnt rely on a well-proven, ripping yarn but with the same innovative use of the very hippest grunge pop culture he has created a genre that is unmistakably Luhrmann.

Moulin Rouge tells a love story that, in a way, has a lot in common with his Shakespearean hit.

McGregor plays Christian, a poet who falls in love with a courtesan at the Moulin Rouge, as soon as he lays eyes on her. The love is mutual. Nicole Kidman plays that courtesan, Satine.

Unfortunately they have to keep their affair under wraps to try avoid the jealous rage of the Duke of Worcester.

Thats it, really, except that the story is somewhat mixed up for at least the first third, but that is the joy of Luhrmann. If youre not enjoying the mess in the beginning, youll be wishing your lower intestine would leap up to your throat to strangle you by the end.

I loved it, though. The Luhrmann mess spreads to the music. The songs on the soundtrack vary from modern music (including Lennon and McCartney, Elton John, Dolly Parton and David Bowie) to Rodgers and Hammerstein classic show tunes. It sounds nauseating, I know, but it really is such a gloriously kitsch catastrophe that you just cant take your eyes off it.

Kidman and McGregor are not naturally the most comfortable singers and dancers, but they are perfect for what they are meant to be in Moulin Rouge without it all being a kind of in-joke for them. Their love appears easily sincere, such is the quality of their performances, and the rugged nature of all the musical numbers suits the performances perfectly, including Jim Broadbents rendition of Like A Virgin, but never does the glamour of it drop one jot.

Moulin Rouge is perhaps weak on plot and script planning in places, but you wont notice. Youll be so amazed by what youre seeing in these times of such same old, same old drama that you wont have time to wonder if a script doctor should have been called to the set. By the way, look out for a Kylie cameo, she plays a fairy.