Moulin Rouge

Professor Rothman

HONR238D

8 December 2013

Moulin Rouge: A Staged Success

“Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place. Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace.” The world of musical theatre is one, which invites the unconventional to be accepted. People attend in hopes to leave behind the mundane reality of everyday life and enter a seemingly “perfect place,” where emotions and choices are dictated by rhythm and lyric. Even in the face of adversity, the worlds constructed within musical theatre move with seemingly “perfect grace.” People find the drama and yet simultaneous ease of these worlds an effortless escape. Thus, the aforementioned lyrics of “Come What May” from the musical, Moulin Rouge, adequately depict people’s fascination with musical theatre. The production, which was a 2001 musical film directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann, is set in Paris in the 1900s and explores the ill-fated romance between a poet, Christian, and performer, Satine. The development of their relationship, which occurs throughout the preparation of a show, “Spectacular Spectacular,” considers the overwhelming power of love and fate. However, it is the theatrical techniques that the show employs that accurately convey the themes that persist throughout the film. Among the most important theatrical contributions to Moulin Rouge include its dedication to musical style, pastiche, and spectacle, which all lent to the ultimate success of this film.

The musical is dependent on the songs that exist within it. Moulin Rouge succeeds at incorporating elements that characterize jukebox musicals, which ultimately contributed to its popularity. Although it is set in the 1900s, modern forms of music and lyric are appropriately incorporated into the film. The use of familiarized songs, such as “All You Need is Love” as well as “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” help to propel the story forward, as they allow the audience a glimpse into the emotions of these characters,...