Post-Modern Analysis on Moulin Rouge

Post-Modern Analysis on Moulin Rouge

SYNOPSIS

In the year 1900, a depressed writer named Christian begins writing on his typewriter ("Nature Boy"). One year earlier, Christian moved to the Montmartre district of Paris to become a writer among members of the area's Bohemian movement. He encounters performers led by Toulouse-Lautrec; his writing skills allow them to finish their proposed show, "Spectacular Spectacular", that they wish to sell to Harold Zidler, owner of the Moulin Rouge. The group arrives at the Moulin Rouge as Zidler and his "Diamond Dog Dancers" perform for the audience ("Lady Marmalade/Zidler's Rap (Can Can)/Smells Like Teen Spirit"). Toulouse arranges for Christian to see Satine, the star courtesan, in her private quarters to present the work, unaware that Zidler is promising Satine to the wealthy and unscrupulous Duke of Monroth, a potential investor in the cabaret ("Sparkling Diamonds" medley). Satine mistakes Christian for the Duke, and dances with him before retiring to her private chamber with him to discuss things privately ("Rhythm of the Night), but soon learns he is just a writer; by this time Christian has fallen in love with her ("Your Song"). The Duke interrupts them; Christian and Satine claim they were practicing lines for "Spectacular Spectacular". With Zidler's help, Toulouse and the rest of the troupe pitch the show to the Duke with an improvised plot about an evil maharajah attempting to woo an Indian courtesan who loves a poor sitar player ("The Pitch (Spectacular Spectacular)"). The Duke backs the show on the condition that only he may see Satine. Satine contemplates on Christian and her longing to leave the Moulin Rouge to become "a real actress" ("One Day I'll Fly Away"). Christian goes back to Satine to convince her that she loves him ("Elephant Love Medley"). As the cabaret is converted to a theater, Christian and Satine continue seeing each other under the pretense of rehearsing Satine's lines. The Duke becomes jealous and warns Zidler that he may stop financing the show; Zidler arranges for Satine to dine with the Duke that evening, but she falls ill from tuberculosis ("Górecki"). Zidler makes excuses to the Duke, claiming that Satine has gone to confession ("Like a Virgin"). Zidler learns that Satine does not have long to live. Satine tells Christian that their relationship endangers the show, but he counters by writing a secret love song to affirm their love ("Come What May"). As the Duke watches Christian rehearsing with Satine, Nini, a jealous performer, points out that the play is a metaphor for Christian, Satine and the Duke. Enraged, the Duke demands the ending be changed so that the courtesan ends up with the maharajah; Satine offers to spend the night with the Duke to keep the original ending. At the Duke's quarters, Satine sees Christian on the streets below, and realizes she cannot go through with this ("El Tango de Roxanne: "Roxanne/Tanguera"). The Duke tries to rape her, but she is saved by Le Chocolat, one of the cabaret dancers, and reunited with Christian, who urges her to run away with him. The Duke tells Zidler he will have Christian killed if Satine is not his. Zidler reiterates this warning to Satine, but when she refuses to return, he finally informs her she is dying ("A Fool to Believe"). Satine tells Christian they can no longer see each other as she will be staying with the Duke ("The Show Must Go On"). Christian tries following her, but is denied entry to the Moulin Rouge, and becomes depressed, even though Toulouse insists that Satine loves him. The night of the show, Christian sneaks into the Moulin Rouge, intending to pay Satine to return his love just as the Duke paid for her ("Hindi Sad Diamonds"). He catches Satine before she steps on stage and demands she tell him she does not love him. Suddenly they find themselves in the spotlight; Zidler convinces the audience that Christian is the disguised sitar player. Christian denounces Satine and walks off the stage. From the rafters, Toulouse cries out, "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return", spurring Satine to sing the song Christian wrote to express their love. Christian returns to the stage, joining her in the song. The Duke's bodyguard tries to kill Christian, but is thwarted, while the Duke's own attempt is stopped by Zidler. The Duke storms out of the cabaret as Christian and Satine complete their song ("Come What May (Reprise)", "Coup d'État (Finale)"). After the curtain closes, Satine succumbs to tuberculosis. She and Christian affirm their love before she dies. A year later the Moulin Rouge has closed down, and Christian is writing the tale of his love for Satine, a "love that will live forever" ("Nature Boy (Reprise)").

ANALYSIS

Playfulness.  The musical element seems over-enforced and hyperbolic, as if it is making fun of the musical genre, when in fact it is a musical. The camera work reflects chaos and action as it whip pans and cuts from character to character and produces a comical effect. The use of dance is different to other parts of the film. In the tango scene the dancing is intense and serious, here it is comical, almost slapstick, as if “Moulin Rouge” is trying to be a parody of a musical. The “Sound of Music” scene is another jibe at musicals, as Christian effectively makes up the title song on the spot.

Sense of Time. Though Moulin Rouge doesn’t involve time bending, there is an altered sense of time as the story of the Moulin Rouge is Christian’s reflection on his past and often contains flashbacks of his father. Christian is writing the film as it is happening, so the film seems like a work of fiction, instead of his life, however he is a fictional character and therefore his life is fictional.

Characters. There is the sense of mixing of genres, not just as the film combines musical with drama, comedy etc. but also because the actors are primarily actors not singers. Kylie Monogue plays herself in the guise of the “green fairy” and this along with other elements such as the singing moon and Zidler flying around the Moulin add a very fantasy-like animation quality to the film. They subtract from the realism and make “Moulin Rouge” seem much more like a story or fabrication.

Style. The film is visually flamboyant with the details of the set and costume, the intense colors and the Bohemian utopia of the Moulin Rouge and Satine’s Golden Elephant. In some ways this film could be seen as style over substance, as most of the key scenes (Elephant love medley, Can-can, the tango…) revolve around the visual quality of the costume and set, as well as the auditory quality of the modern music juxtaposed with the 19th century setting.

Intertextuality. “Moulin Rouge” is almost a pop culture bricolage, taking popular music (David Bowie, Madonna etc) and including lines such as “All you need is love” and “The show must go on.” The Elephant Love Medley is purely a combination of popular love songs. There is also the idea of a show within a show, as the musical is about the characters trying to create “Spectacular Spectacular”; a musical for the stage of the Moulin Rouge.

Source: http://www.slideshare.net/TheBevan/moulin-rouge-and-postmodernism