MoulinRouge(Postmodern Analysis)

Most of the criticism of Moulin Rouge seems to indicate that the person speaking has significantly misunderstood the film. Yes, it is an unusual film in most aspects (except for the plot), but I believe that everyone involved knew exactly what they were doing—this is reinforced if you listen to the commentaries on the DVD, where the method behind the madness is revealed (for example, much of the criticism is leveled at the film’s first twenty minutes; in the commentary the writers Baz and Craig reveal that they were purposely testing the audience in those first twenty minutes—looks like they succeeded!)). As well, despite the fact that, with much of its content and its execution, it obviously belongs in pop-culture, I think it’s also, surprisingly, quite a literary film, in as much as many of the ideas that shape it have a long literary history, something that probably goes overlooked by most of Hollywood. Perhaps the juxtaposition of unconventional style, techniques, objectives, etc. (when was the last time you saw a Hollywood film that purposely tried the audience’s patience at the beginning?) with such a conventional story, which frees the audience’s attention to focus on these other things, as well as the other levels in the film, was what turned some people off the film. 

Seasons May Change, Winter to Spring: Symbolism in the Weather: This line from “Come What May” is echoed (as are other lines from the song, throughout, like “storm clouds may gather” (when the lovers are pulled apart) and “stars may collide” (when they come together) at the end of the film, when the windmill sails turn, changing winter to spring, as Christian’s voice over tells how after months of despair he was able to sit down and write their story. Spring as a symbol for rebirth is nothing new, but if you look closely, you can see the seasons change throughout the film, to reflect what’s happening in the narrative. Christian’s voice over tells us he arrived in the summer, “the summer of love”, and that’s when he falls in love. Later, when jealousy has started to consume him, during the Tango, when Christian is standing below the Tower looking up at Satine and the Duke, time has progressed and it is now fall; there are brown leaves on the ground around Christian. And after Satine tells him she’s staying with the Duke, there is a shot of the last leaf falling from a tree. This, of course, coincides with the breaking of the storm, complete with thunder and lightning, to tell us that something is wrong. Then, later that night, when Satine has died and the camera ascends through the roof of the Moulin Rouge, it is snowing out. Snow, of course, covers things over, making them look, well, shiny and new. Then, the transition to spring as Christian completes his journey out of the underworld. To emphasise, this journey, it is night when he begins to write (not to mention, sepia-toned black-and-white), and when he finishes his story, it’s day (and we’re back in colour). Like much else in this film, the weather does not make much sense from a strictly logical, realistic point of view, but this is not a realistic film. The weather, like many other things, is used symbolically, to convey feelings, emotions, and the general atmosphere, with few words. When thunder crashes in the background, or the last leaf falls from a tree, everyone knows what that means.