“Love is a many splendored thing. Love lifts us up where we belong. All you need is love!”
Welcome to Harbour Highlights, a series of cult and classic favourites, handpicked by the staff of Harbour Lights. This July, Emily takes us to Paris, 1899 has chosen to take us to Paris, 1899 for Moulin Rouge! Why? Because she can can can!
The third part of Luhrmann’s Red Curtain trilogy – following Strictly Ballroom and Romeo + Juliet – Luhrmann’s giddy 2001 musical masterpiece is a kinetic whirlwind of cinema. Set in the world of bohemians, dukes and courtesans. Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman star as a pair of lovers who hide their forbidden passion behind the scenes of the titular venue where there’s only one rule: never fall in love.
Using every cinematic trick in his bag, Luhrmann stages the sexy, witty, and romantic story in an appropriately opulent and theatrical style, combining whipcrack editing, exquisite production design and, of course, an incredible soundtrack mixing together decades of iconic hits in fascinating ways. The result is a stunning, sometimes overwhelming cinema experience of truth, freedom, beauty and, above all, love that is absolutely made for the big screen.
