Search - Various Artists :: Moulin Rouge

Kenji N. from WALNUT CREEK, CA
Reviewed on 8/7/2009...

If you liked the movie (as I did) and the funky soundtrack that went with it, then you will like this CD. I especially like the tracks sung by Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor (they are good singers!) and am waiting for the day when they each put our their own solo CDs (McGregor is supposedly working on one but he is so darn busy with other projects such as movies and motorcycling all over the world).

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Argh! What happened to the real soundtrack? Customers unite!

starrkat | Los Angeles, CA USA | 06/24/2001

(1 out of 5 stars)

"After I saw this movie I dashed out to buy the CD to hold me off until I can buy the DVD. What blew me away was the great original soundtrack by Craig Armstrong, especially the ending credit music... I was appalled to find out that not only was that not on the CD, but the original actors were not singing on most of it and were instead featuring well known music stars which was Extremely Disappointing. How can you call a soundtrack original if it doesn't play the music featured in the actual movie? This also happened on Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet soundtrack. I don't buy the CD because what's her name or what's his face is singing on it, I buy it because the music, with the original actors, moved me in the movie--so I can listen to it and feel what I felt in the movie. Although I LOVE David Bowie, I wanted to hear John Leguizamo sing the "Nature Boy" which is very key to the whole movie. Even the "Hindi Sad Diamonds" is different from the movie. And they put an old record filter on Nicole's voice when she sings the "Sparkling Diamonds" intro which changes the mood from how it was in the movie. ! This type of "creative license" is actually detrimental to the integrity of the true cut of the film. I feel cheated...I am not sure why they are doing this or who is making these nonsensical decisions. I even wrote to Interscope of which they never replied. Don't people listen to what the customer's want anymore? It's just like how on TV nowadays they squash the ending credits on a movie with advertising together so you can't enjoy a proper closure--what's the point because you can't even see the credits anymore? It destroys the end of the movie and no one seems to care that it feels improper anymore. I don't like being force fed, hell I've been out of diapers for many many years now. Are you listening out there you big dudes in the Business out there?But I digress...I loved the ending credit music from Moulin Rouge so much I was thinking of recording it on a tape snuck in the theatre but it's probably illegal or something. Grrr!"

Great Film: Great Score

none66061 | 05/23/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There will always be two schools of thought concerning the film MOULIN ROUGE There will be those who hate it and those who love it. I am in the later category. MOULIN ROUGE is without question, a landmark achievement of a film. The first 45 minutes alone,rank as some of the most exhilarating moments ever captured on celluloid. Director,Baz Luhrmann creates a world full of color, sound and movement that effect the senses completely. It's impossible not be swept into it and impossible not to step back and note the greatness Mr.Luhrmann possesses as a director. Luhrmann takes every old musical comedy cliché (From "Love me tonight" to "Babes in Arms" and even "Viva Las Vegas") and mixes it with operatic storylines (echoes from "Boheme" to "Traviata" abound) and injects them all with a invigorating sense of freshness. The effect is as if Mr. Luhrmann had never seen a musical comedy or opera before and had come up with all this by himself while drinking a cappuccino at Starbucks. The inventiveness doesn't end there. Luhrmann sense of music knows no boundaries. He will take a piece of music by Offenbach and insert Nirvana's "Smells like Teen Spirit" into it. The amazing thing is it makes sense and comes off as if Mr.Offenbach and Mr.Cobain had been formally introduced. During the "Diamonds are a girls best friend" production number, the music morphs for a few moments into Madonna's "Material Girl" thus pointing up the structural similarities between two pieces of music written 40 years apart as well as paying homage to the original performers who performed it. It's a statement, within a statement, within a statement and that happens often in this film and that's called genius, folks. All the actors are quite good with the two leads more than up to the task at hand. From the moment Nicole Kidman enters the frame, one realizes one is watching an honest to goodness "movie star". The word "movie star" has both good and bad connotations and Ms. Kidman is aware of that. She delivers a performance loaded with a screwball comedy timing and offset by touching vulnerability. More importantly, she looks like she's having fun up there and her serviceably pleasant singing voice works to her advantage. This is the surest and most likable performance she's given on film to date. The real revelation, however, is Ewan MacGregor. A performance with this much charm, energy, earnestness and naiveté would normally be considered obnoxious in any actor over the age of 11. What MacGregor does though, is imbue every moment of his performance with enough heart and sincerity to make it real. He believes totally in what he's doing thus making you believe. It is that sincerity that gives the film it's foundation to rest upon. Also, MacGregor, is one hell of a singer. His untrained but robust voice is used with a fine sense of musicality and when he volleys up to one of the many high notes in his role (up to and including a rock solid high A), the sheer sense of glee he gives off is infectious. So, in a summer made up of what looks to be mostly mindless fare, where does Moulin Rouge fit in? Nowhere really. However, it is more than likely that Moulin Rouge will be discussed, analyzed, probed and used as inspiration long after the "Mummy returns" and "Tomb Raiders" of the world have become but a distant memory. ...and that's the important thing."